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rear seat bottom removal

Billccm

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I've tried off and on for several weekends to remove the rear seat bottom in my Road Runner. I have one rear window regulator that needs some lube as it squeaks and is hard to roll down.

Anyhow, I can (barely) reach under the seat and feel the hold down. I can push down on the seat and get the bar to move, but I can't get the seat bottom to move backwards to clear the hold down. I believe when the car was reupholstered the seat bottom was really over stuffed with foam (it sits nice BTW) and I have no rearward travel.

I fight this every weekend, or so until my wrists get tired (which is now). I probably need to call in some strong arm friends, but thought the experts here might have an idea for a one man removal.

Thanks, and take care, Bill
 
You need to push and pull in 3 quick movements:
A) push (or RAM!) seat bottom back (toward the trunk)
B) quickly left up an inch
C) quickly pull seat bottom forward (toward the engine)
Do this on the driver's side, and again on passenger side to release both latch/catches.
Then lift seat up and out.


Foto below shows the catch/latch:

DSC00602.JPG
 
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Lol, how we did it in the old days....... Use a pad to protect the seat and with your back against the door jam, push it back and up with your foot.
 
Mine just pull straight up with very little effort. Something must be wrong.
 
Old age WILL get to ya, I had my 45 yr old son do mine recently. It used to be really easy, possibly lower back strength? Push & pull no big deal when you're in 20-30's..
 
Push the lower part of the seat near the floor backward, while you pull up on the front edge of the seat, at the same time.
 
Thanks for the replies. The problem is I can't get any rearward travel. I can push down, I just can't push back.Think really overstuffed seat bottom cushion and no travel backwards.

I had a conversion with fellow FBBO member JimKueneman, and he said that he needed to pull the front seats and lay down and kick his seat back hard to get his out.
 
It might help to get a friend and have one of you on each side.
You really arent sliding the seat but bending the frame in an arc to get it out. When you get it right you will see the seat cover bow upwards and not be taught. Most are a pita!
Otherwise if the seat just slid it could pop out which is a safety issue.
 
You really arent sliding the seat but bending the frame in an arc to get it out. When you get it right you will see the seat cover bow upwards and not be taught. Most are a pita!
THANKS! Never thought about the arc until you mentioned it. I've called out to some friends to help. I agree that a two man job might solve the issue.
 
The bottom of the frame is a 5/16" +/- steel rod that is tied off in multiple directions which gives it its ridgidity and subsequently what you must overcome to get it out of the hooks...
If you don't get it this week, when I go to the shop next week end I can get you a pic of the underside of the seat...
Good luck!

Also remember it's the bottom part of the seat that really needs to be pushed back, pushing on the top is easy but thats not what is hooked.
 
It's much easier with the front seat(s) removed.
 
It's much easier with the front seat(s) removed.
Once I save some money I'm pulling the front seats to get a foam build up. The covers look fabulous, but the seat buns are a little tired up front. My upholstery guy glues thin layers of temperpedic material and shaves and shapes. Did my friends old 911 buckets and they sit nice now.

Anyhow, if I can't get some strong arms to come over and get the rear seat bottom out I'll wait until the front buckets are out and try again.
 
At least you have buckets. They're easily removed by one man in a few minutes
I learned it's simpler to remove them if in doubt.
 
This isn't a frame from a mopar but is similar, the second rod back from the front edge is what has to be "bent /slid /bowed" to get it past the hook on the mounts. Maybe this will help you visualize it and what we're saying...
The edge is solid and you may have to push down ( on the seat top) and towards the rear so that the palms of your hand kind of catch the bar to get it to move...

60080Astd.jpg
 
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Just googling rear seat removal found lots of desperate people taking desperate measures to get the rear seat out.

One guy on the Firebird forum used a pry bar, screwdriver, and large hammer to get his rear seat unlatched.

Another guy on the TriFive Chevy forum used a bunch of 2x6 and a bottle jack sideways to push the rear seat back and unlatch.

The most desperate? A guy (forget which forum) cut the seat cover off, split the foam bun, and reached down and unlatched the rear seat. WOW!
 
I just had to remove mine, I used a good old large crowbar with a rag taped around the straight end, pushed it under the seat bottom and pryed upward gently. I then hit the bottom of the seat frame with a heavy rubber mallet hard enough to push the rod out of the clip and it popped right out, you do have to do it on both sides. As many others have said, much easier with the front seats out.
 
Yep, shoved in too much insulation. Had to lay on my back with my face looking up at the underdash - and front seats out to force the bottom of the rear seat back to drop in. with my feet. Someday, somewhere, some poor bastard is going to have a hell of a time getting it out.
 
63 Pontiac1.jpeg
This won't help, but now I remember my '63 Pontiac Grand Prix suddenly developing an increased exhaust note sound. A few days later I found the different resonance was due to a hole that developed on the top of the muffler case. The cab filled with thick smoke when the plastic rear seat bottom caught fire! The local volunteer fire department removed the rear seat for me that day (night, actually).
 
Padding 'shouldnt' make that much difference, ur only moving that lower piece of steel. I always thought it was easier with frt bench moved up all the way forward (something to brace against). I still say "old age", body or your car?!
 
It's it's this much of a pia to remove, is reinstalling a bitch too?

I removed my entire interior carpet, consol, seats, panels. And placed them in a nice clean storage unit. Figures there's no point in reinstallation until I'm ready
 
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