New seat gear and cap-- DENIED!

[jlg32281]

I just finished installing a new gear and new cap on my power driver's seat. I followed the instructions and everything went rather smoothly....until I put it back in the truck. I put it back in and plugged it in, and bolted it to the floor. I hit the forward button and it acted just like it did before. I tried reverse and it was the same, no workie. I pulled it back out to inspect it. With just two clicks of the switch, once forward and once backward, I flat-spotted my brand new gear. Yeah, it was pretty much a kick in the crotch. Any ideas as to why it would do this to a brand new gear?

When I took it apart the second time, nothing seems jammed and I made sure they were even with each other.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[johnbelcher]

I just finished mine this past weekend and IIRC the steel worm drive gear inside of the drive housing is angled. Could you have put the gear in backasswards? The indentions on the white gear look like the worm drive just churned in place.

 

[jlg32281]

Gamiviti - custom manufactured happiness This page says that there are supposed to be 2 caps per seat, but mine only has a hole on one end of the shaft, the other end is solid. Anybody else have this issue?

The cap end.

Solid end, no place for a cap.

Any ideas? Suggestions? I don't want to put my other gear in it just to have it shreaded.

 

[jlg32281]

I just finished mine this past weekend and IIRC the steel worm drive gear inside of the drive housing is angled. Could you have put the gear in backasswards? The indentions on the white gear look like the worm drive just churned in place.

It gives you the same angle no matter what way you put it in, impossible to put it in backwards. I agree that it churned in place, I'm trying to figure out why. What would cause it to bind instead of turning like it should?

 

[nakman]

Dude this is a bummer, sorry man. I will do my best to offer up a few suggestions: one potential is that the two lead screws aren't at the same location, which is forcing your seat to sit kind of crooked when you bolt it all up- this is making it bind and not move freely- to check you can measure from the bracket that attaches to the seat to the end of the lead screw, then compare- or count threads and see if they're the same. Not sure what the tolerance is on a difference but you can flip one intentionally all the way around to see what kind of change that makes, try to get them both in the same location relative to each other.

Another thought is you have some foreign matter in one of the tracks, which is preventing the seat from sliding. With those lead screw brackets unattached, can you move the slides freely? Can you move one side and not the other? Is there anything installed or shoved under the seat in your truck itself that would cause the seat to not move? (flashlight, amp, radio, etc.)

It sounds like your motor is working, by the way you're able to strip the gear- but if you were able to run power to the seat while it's still upside down, you could get a better look at what's going on. Again I would try this first without the big lead screws attached, just to make sure they both turn freely and should potentially move the seat when the slides are attached. Try to isolate what's binding, if you think you find it, then bolt up the lead screws and power the seat again to watch them move. You can download the wiring schematics for your seats by clicking right here.

Last idea, is try to loosen those allen bolts a little bit- I found when I installed mine the first time that it wasn't as smooth as I was hoping, but I backed off on some of those allen bolts and things worked a little better. I don't know the torque spec off hand but it can't be much, but make sure everything is snug but not over tight, which makes plastic bend and then can cause things to bind. Hope one of these ideas helps!

 

[jlg32281]

Dude this is a bummer, sorry man. I will do my best to offer up a few suggestions: one potential is that the two lead screws aren't at the same location, which is forcing your seat to sit kind of crooked when you bolt it all up- this is making it bind and not move freely- to check you can measure from the bracket that attaches to the seat to the end of the lead screw, then compare- or count threads and see if they're the same. Not sure what the tolerance is on a difference but you can flip one intentionally all the way around to see what kind of change that makes, try to get them both in the same location relative to each other.

Another thought is you have some foreign matter in one of the tracks, which is preventing the seat from sliding. With those lead screw brackets unattached, can you move the slides freely? Can you move one side and not the other? Is there anything installed or shoved under the seat in your truck itself that would cause the seat to not move? (flashlight, amp, radio, etc.)

It sounds like your motor is working, by the way you're able to strip the gear- but if you were able to run power to the seat while it's still upside down, you could get a better look at what's going on. Again I would try this first without the big lead screws attached, just to make sure they both turn freely and should potentially move the seat when the slides are attached. Try to isolate what's binding, if you think you find it, then bolt up the lead screws and power the seat again to watch them move. You can download the wiring schematics for your seats by clicking right here.

Last idea, is try to loosen those allen bolts a little bit- I found when I installed mine the first time that it wasn't as smooth as I was hoping, but I backed off on some of those allen bolts and things worked a little better. I don't know the torque spec off hand but it can't be much, but make sure everything is snug but not over tight, which makes plastic bend and then can cause things to bind. Hope one of these ideas helps!

I'll start with your first suggestion. The first time I did it, I measured and counted the threads to make sure it was straight. After I put a flat spot on the gear, I figured, well now I can experiment with that gear, can't get worse really. I pulled everything apart put it back together but with the leaders both up against the welded on washers. Still the same thing.

I have checked and greased my tracks to make sure they move easily, no problems there, they both roll freely.

The second time I put everything back together, I only put things hand tight plus a fraction of a turn. I pulled the new white cap and supported the shaft with my finger. I used my other hand to reach under the seat to the rear washer stop (the back welded on washer) and tried to help turn the shaft. This gave me a glimmer of hope. While helping it, it seemed there was still some front to back play and when I would push it towards the front, it would move some.

I'm about to pull my battery out and start testing it in my living room. It looks like the small conector close to the motor only has two prongs which should only require a 12 volt and a ground and reverse the polarity for the opposite direction.

Nakman, Thanks for the suggestions. This could mean really good business for you if I keep stripping gears. lol.

 

[jlg32281]

I think I found part of my problem. I didn't mention it before because I didn't think it mattered, but now I do. This 80 is new to me and I'm not sure why, but the drivers seat is missing one of it's front feet. The other front foot has been broken off or cut off too, but someone with very little welding skills welded it back on. What I'm thinking is that without the 4th foot, the track is able to flex too much and causes it to bind. Any thoughts on this? Also, anyone happen to have an extra seat track to sell me?

Missing foot.

Seriously ugly welding.

What I'm thinking is that when the gear stripped, someone was going to move the mounting brackets and just move the seat mounting further back or something. After deciding it was a bad idea, they welded one foot back but not the other.

 

[MARLIN375]

.

I'm about to pull my battery out and start testing it in my living room. It looks like the small conector close to the motor only has two prongs which should only require a 12 volt and a ground and reverse the polarity for the opposite direction.

Why not hook the battery up to the main plug, and use the seat control switch (put all adjustment variables to the center of their range). Could it be that one of your axis adjustments is maxed out and causing the binding.

Just a thought.

 

[MARLIN375]

Oh hell ya. Thats your problem. The whole seat would twist without all four feet, making one axis longer (like a diamond instead of a square) and I am thinking it would only have to be a few millimeters to strip those gears.

Are the feet cut off or broken off?

 

[jlg32281]

Anyone want to test my theory of only having 3 legs will strip a gear? Unbolt the inside front leg of your driver's seat and see if it strips. lol.

 

[jlg32281]

Oh hell ya. Thats your problem. The whole seat would twist without all four feet, making one axis longer (like a diamond instead of a square) and I am thinking it would only have to be a few millimeters to strip those gears.

Are the feet cut off or broken off?

It looks like they were broken off, but the truck has never been wrecked so I think they were broken off purposely by someone attempting to repair the seats or move the mounting back. I just called some guy in Colorado who is parting out a bunch of 80's (MUD classifieds). He said he should have several tracks with feet on them since most people buy the motors and stuff. Hopefully he can make me a good deal when he goes back to his shop tomorrow. Anybody else have an extra track and feet laying around?

 

[MARLIN375]

Could be that your truck came with cloth seats and a previous owner bought the broken one with a set out of a wreck. I can't imagine some one using a hammer to remove the feet instead of a hacksaw...but the world is full of "interesting" people.

 

[jlg32281]

My problem just grew. I went to take the tracks and legs off and the tracks and legs are welded to the entire seat frame. I thought they just unbolted, but they don't. I'm really screwed now. I will have to find someone that can weld me up 4th leg. Thanks for all of the help and suggestions. I will post up my results if I ever have any. Thanks.

 

[jlg32281]

Could be that your truck came with cloth seats and a previous owner bought the broken one with a set out of a wreck. I can't imagine some one using a hammer to remove the feet instead of a hacksaw...but the world is full of "interesting" people.

It's a Lexus and they only came with leather that I know of. And the seats are Lexus pattern. Anything is possible these days.

 

[jlg32281]

The inside part of the rack with the feet on it looks like it's actually riveted to the frame. I'm going to try and bust or drill the rivet so I can pull the broken foot slider out and hopefully find a new foot piece of the rack.

 

[nakman]

do you have junk yards in Houston? what if you just go get another seat, then take the best of each and build a new one. Cruiserparts.net will also sell you a seat, as well as some of the frame parts but with shipping I don't know how much that would end up being, and you'd want to know for sure exactly what you need. But swap your foam & leather over to a junkyard seat with new caps & gears could be the quickest way back in business, hey may as well do seat heaters as well for that matter.

 

[jlg32281]

do you have junk yards in Houston? what if you just go get another seat, then take the best of each and build a new one. Cruiserparts.net will also sell you a seat, as well as some of the frame parts but with shipping I don't know how much that would end up being, and you'd want to know for sure exactly what you need. But swap your foam & leather over to a junkyard seat with new caps & gears could be the quickest way back in business, hey may as well do seat heaters as well for that matter.

Don't need seat heaters, I live in Houston. lol. I'm sure there are junk yards around, I'll be giving them a call. I don't think swapping everything over is the easiest and fasted nor the cheapest. After further inpsection, I just have to drill one rivet out and the bottom part of the rack will slide right out with feet already on it. If I can find one in a junk yard, I can just drill it out and be done with it.

 

[cruiserparts]

eMail us direct. We have a few parts seats and the track unit without the motors won't cost very much.

 

[Buckru]

I can't help you on the welding. Javier is our club mechanic and he also owns an off road fab shop. He can do any welding you need and treats our club members well.

Buck

 

[jlg32281]

Has anyone ever pulled the track off of the seat? It seams like there are some rivets that keep it from sliding all the way off. It would be great to have a confirmation on that before I start drilling holes in mine. Anybody done this and/or have an extra seat frame laying around?