Is there a trick to folding the back seat? (1 Viewer)

[Rockaways]

I see the lever and used it to tumble the back seat forward. But anything that seems to let me fold it over seems to elude me.

This is a 1990 hzj73.

I oiled the side hinges and tried my hardest to push anything in that seems like it could allow the seat to fold. I'm afraid of trying too hard and breaking it.

also, even the tumble foward option doesn't seem to want to fold all the way over with the seat upright / not folded. The seat back runs into the front seats and doesn't go far enough. I tend to never need the back seats and am almost daily throwing surfboards back there. This is why I'm asking.

 

[zuker81]

Mine requires a thorough dusting a pixie dust, rubbing a rabbits foot beforehand and whispering of sweet nothings to the seat during.

Every time i've successfully gotten the seat doubled over, it's never been from using a ton of pressure but always just feathering the lever and then putting pressure on the seat back and then suddenly it's like i hit the holy grail and it goes. I only do it if I know I have a spare 2-3 minutes to sit there and fiddle, and then i leave it down until i absolutely have to put it back.

Regardless, it should fold completely so that the tumble forward has it resting flat against the front seats. If someone knows an actual trick for this, I'm all ears.

 

[peterb]

I pulled mine as soon as I bought the truck but isn't there a loop at the center of the bottom in the rear seat that you have to pull to release the catch below it?
Peter

 

[zuker81]

Oh, dang, you're right. I forgot to mention you have to pull that loop I figured the OP was already pulling on it. Mine's finicky even with the proper steps haha.

 

[dcruiser666]

Mine was very similar when I first got it. I had to do it from the front and reach over the back to pull the loop, using my body weight to make it fold. Once down I sprayed gun cleaner into the hinges, a couple dabs of grease, and moved it up and down till the action smoothed out. Now I can pull the loop from the rear and the seat folds down on its own with no force on my part. Also check to make sure the c clips are still attached to that cross lever thing. One of mine was missing and it had a lot of play as a result. That seemed to make it extra “sticky”

 

[cruiserdan]

MIne was fickle too, until I took it out and put it in the back bedroom closet where it belongs.

Since mine is a JDM it did noy have rear seat belts and I did not want anybody sitting back there without a seat belt. No seat eliminates temptation.

 

[Rockaways]

I was already pulling on the loop, but it only seemed to help me with tumbling the seat forward compared to folding the back down. Is there something beyond that loop? That's what I originally meant when I mentioned the lever.

 

[Rockaways]

Mine was very similar when I first got it. I had to do it from the front and reach over the back to pull the loop, using my body weight to make it fold. Once down I sprayed gun cleaner into the hinges, a couple dabs of grease, and moved it up and down till the action smoothed out. Now I can pull the loop from the rear and the seat folds down on its own with no force on my part. Also check to make sure the c clips are still attached to that cross lever thing. One of mine was missing and it had a lot of play as a result. That seemed to make it extra “sticky”

So it sounds like I can add a lot of force to make the back seat go down, and it should be safe to do so. I think it's possible the cross lever isn't attached properly as well. Maybe I should take a picture...

 

[Gun Runner 5]

MIne was fickle too, until I took it out and put it in the back bedroom closet where it belongs.

Since mine is a JDM it did noy have rear seat belts and I did not want anybody sitting back there without a seat belt. No seat eliminates temptation.

Dan, With the seat totally removed what is the approximate length in inches from the front seats to the rear door?

 

[cruiserdan]

From the inside edge of the back doors to the front edge of the footwell behind the front seats is about 53 inches.

 

[Gun Runner 5]

From the inside edge of the back doors to the front edge of the footwell behind the front seats is about 53 inches.

Thanks .... a fair amount of cargo space.

 

[dcruiser666]

So it sounds like I can add a lot of force to make the back seat go down, and it should be safe to do so. I think it's possible the cross lever isn't attached properly as well. Maybe I should take a picture...

That’s what I did, I think they can take a lot without getting damaged. I attached some photos that might be helpful, pictures of how the lever is secured. The joint near the front is where my clip was missing and there was a lot of play, I put a random c clip that fit on there. The video shows how easy it is now to drop the seat back. Just clean and lubricate once it’s down.

 

[dcruiser666]

The video didn’t upload. Needles to say, it’s very easy to fold the seat now

 

[Rockaways]

I think I figured out what y’all were talking about. I uploaded a video to show it. Def fixed it perfectly and didn’t have to change or replace any parts.