MaineBuzz

Recently purchased 92 Base and have a few issues that I want to fix. First is the lumbar system in both seats. I've removed the drivers seat and have access to all the controls and equipment under the seat cushion but I can't seem to get at the lumbar bags in the back of the seat. The seat back is a solid platic panel. There are no zippers or j-bar gismo's that I have read about in many of the postings. I just want to get at the bags to see if they need to be replaced. Any/all help is greatly appreciated.

leesvet

Have you been doing your pull-ups and bench press?

Hope so...cause good strength in the pecs is what this task requires...follow me so far?

You really need to have the seat chassis bolted in to make this easier...I dunno...maybe it can be done with the shell out of the car. I thought it was easier when the shell didn't move around. Made it easier to "feel" for the hooks..

you have to grab the edges of the seat back,(foam, soft part) at the sides and squeeze together, inward. There are hooks on each side hidden between the seat-back and the seat shell.
You are trying to pull the seat off those hooks, that are turned outwards...so squeezing the seat together, or inward will do this...Might take a couple attempts but it CAN be done. Its sort of folding the seat together, inward.

Obviously there is another part to this...

putting it together again. THAT requires some effort. You'll never do it "manually" by squeezing unless you can tear a ph book in half. I laid the shell on its side, folded the seat back and then was able to place it and use my weight to hold it and wrestle it around until I found the hooks.
I still haven't been able to get that damn seat bottom latch fully closed......

TIP

with the seat apart, inspect the seat springs and clean and PAINT them if necessary. If t hey start to rust they will break and the seat is junk soon after. I had to replace a bunch due to rust and corrosion. Found some springs similar and then re-inforced the springs with several thick zip-ties to prevent the bottom from stretching the springs too far with my fat *** plopping down there...

1st time for everybody is fun !

Good luck

don hall

Why are you trying to access the lumbar bladders? Have you tested the pumps?

MaineBuzz

Haven't tested pump yet but thought that I'd take a quick look at the bladder while I had the seat out.

don hall

Easy things first........ since you have the driver's seat out, you have disconnected the plastic tubing from the pumps, and the related wiring. Turn on the ignition and pump switch, you should feel air exiting the nipples on the pump. If no air, the pump has failed.
If air movement is being generated, the pump is working, and the bladders have ruptured. There is a Tech Tip write-up for accessing the bladders.

The pump rubber diaphragms are prone to failure. When they fail,
the diaphragms jam the pump mechanism.

Remove the four screws from the pump housing. Take caution when disassembling the pump housing so you can see how the pump is assembled.

I think you will find the rubber diaphragm has torn. To replace.....
use a bicycle inner tube (some suggest a rubber glove, but that is a flimsy replacement, and subject to the same failure) and a 1 1/2 punch to cut a new diaphragm.

Assemble pump...... cost about $.03

There are tech tips on pump repair, but you will find repairing a pretty simple exercise. About 30 minutes for the first pump, and 10 minutes for the second pump.

MaineBuzz

Thanks, I'll try that first.