C5 seat issue..NOT rockin seat either
08-15-2007, 04:11 PM
#1
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C5 seat issue..NOT rockin seat either
UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE!!!!!!!!
Recently purchase my first vette, after my fathers recommendations. I'm a former "Stang" guy. Got a 98 w/58,000 on the dial for $20K.
Overall great condition. I did realize after I bought it that the seat moved alot. 
I read on this forum about the rocking seat fix and did it. Works great
, EXCEPT I found 2 other problems. Problem #1: When I sit in the set and accelerate the right side of the seat seems to give-way. I have to reach down to the lever on the left side to reset it. The bolster, i guess thats what it's called" is not broken. I tried to find out the problem when I had the seat out but couldn't narrow in on the issue. Anyone have any insight on this. 
Problem #2: When I flipped the seat over I realized the rear seat elevator "Plastic fork" was broken and inop... I was able to JERRY-Rig it with a bolt and some nylon washers, but I was wondering if anyone knew where I could get a replacement for the broken "Fork", as I like to call it.
I am truely pleased w/ my early mid-life crisis vehicle and I'm only 33 and in the Marines. What an awesome car.
Thanks for any help you fellow vetter's might have.
Recently purchase my first vette, after my fathers recommendations. I'm a former "Stang" guy. Got a 98 w/58,000 on the dial for $20K.
Overall great condition. I did realize after I bought it that the seat moved alot. I read on this forum about the rocking seat fix and did it. Works great , EXCEPT I found 2 other problems. Problem #1: When I sit in the set and accelerate the right side of the seat seems to give-way. I have to reach down to the lever on the left side to reset it. The bolster, i guess thats what it's called" is not broken. I tried to find out the problem when I had the seat out but couldn't narrow in on the issue. Anyone have any insight on this. Problem #2: When I flipped the seat over I realized the rear seat elevator "Plastic fork" was broken and inop... I was able to JERRY-Rig it with a bolt and some nylon washers, but I was wondering if anyone knew where I could get a replacement for the broken "Fork", as I like to call it. I am truely pleased w/ my early mid-life crisis vehicle and I'm only 33 and in the Marines. What an awesome car.
Thanks for any help you fellow vetter's might have.
Last edited by freak98vette; 10-24-2007 at 11:48 AM. Reason: Update to originating poster..
08-20-2007, 08:38 AM
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Desperate....
With all this vette knowledge out there, NO ONE else experienced this?!? I understand I'm the new guy on the block but, Damn. The STEALERSHIP want's 2 hours just to look at it. Pssss, ya right
. Ecklers and MA doesn't sell any of the pieces I'm looking for nor does any of the websites on this forum. PLease help.
. Ecklers and MA doesn't sell any of the pieces I'm looking for nor does any of the websites on this forum. PLease help.
08-20-2007, 10:01 AM
#3
ask these guys www.gmpartshouse.com. they might be able to help. Just because they don't show it on their site doesn't mean they dont have it or cant get it. Or they might know someone else that does hopefully this helps.
Last edited by noahdr; 08-20-2007 at 10:04 AM.
08-20-2007, 12:12 PM
#5
Le Mans Master
me too!
I have the same problem with my '03 Coupe's driver's sport seat. Whatever the mechanism is that holds the seatback from falling "all the way back" is letting go. if I try to "re-position" my self in the seat and put any pressure at all on the seatback I feel metal on metal rubbing and the seat back falls backward. If I sit forward then and lift on the seatback handle it will come up and re lock in the previous position. I have not been able to figure it out yet. 
08-20-2007, 02:28 PM
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Thanks for help guys. I will pull the seat tonight and try to figure out how to upload the picture.
Bluefire- that is EXACTLY what mine is doing. I guess mine and yours are the only 2 vettes out of the thoudsand that were ever made that have a bad recline mechanisim.
Any rate I will continue to isolat e the problem and post any updates. I'm sure someone out there is experiencing the same issue and could use the help. Maybe I sould just buy some ROCCO's and (as they say in New York) FOREGET'BOUT IT!
I'd hate to post a new thread, so I will do so this way. I want to change ALL my fluids. What should I use.
Bluefire- that is EXACTLY what mine is doing. I guess mine and yours are the only 2 vettes out of the thoudsand that were ever made that have a bad recline mechanisim.
Any rate I will continue to isolat e the problem and post any updates. I'm sure someone out there is experiencing the same issue and could use the help. Maybe I sould just buy some ROCCO's and (as they say in New York) FOREGET'BOUT IT!I'd hate to post a new thread, so I will do so this way. I want to change ALL my fluids. What should I use.
08-20-2007, 02:49 PM
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You'll need to replace the whole track assembly ( 6 way power sport seats) just to replace The White connector that looks like a fork .
You may be able to pick up a used one at corvettesalvage.com for a couple of hundred,, I think. I too have that broken, I found rubber circular blocks and wedged it under the brackets to hold the seat up at the right height!
You may be able to pick up a used one at corvettesalvage.com for a couple of hundred,, I think. I too have that broken, I found rubber circular blocks and wedged it under the brackets to hold the seat up at the right height!
08-20-2007, 06:30 PM
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You can see one of the plastic white forks is broken. Even if you can find the part, it doesn't look like it's easy to replace either. If you find a solution other than complete track replacement, let me know!
Good Luck!
Last edited by cam99; 08-20-2007 at 06:32 PM.
08-21-2007, 10:22 AM
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Mine looks the same only I have a little more on the one side of the fork. This allowed me to JERRY-RIG it so I could utilize the rear elevation. I still have the problem of the seat giving away on the right side as you sit in the seat.
08-21-2007, 08:33 PM
#11
My 97 has the same problem with the driver seat. Quite often the right side of my seat slips a bit (under acceleration) and my seat sits crooked. I took the seat out, but didn't see anything that looked obvious. I really hate it. Hopefully someone can post a fix for this.
10-24-2007, 11:15 AM
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I've finally figured out what was causing the seat to give way on the right side as you sit in the seat. Thanks to a fellow forum member who sold me a seat track, I decided to dig a little further into the problem. The new seat track fixed my broken fork that attaches to rear elevation motor. YEAH!
Heres what I found out. Sorry I didn't take pics but I hope my description helps someone else out.
There are two cables (like brake cables on a bicycle) that come off the handle mechanizm on the left side of the seat that controlles the lay back of the seat. Well, one on MY cables (the one going to the right side of the seat) were the problem exist, had a piece of hard insulation that raps around the cable itself, missing about half way. This created slack in the cable now. Now these cables run (on both sides) down to these cylinder like devices that have some springs and few other pieces in them. I watch these mechanizms move as I lift the handle up and down. I notice the right side cylinder wasn't "catching". The left side was. Which in tail,ed allow the right side of the seat to give way. I also notice that the slack in the cable (from the missing cable insulation) wasn't allowing the cable itself to return to the normal position. When I pulled on the cable insulation to put it in its NORMAL position the right side cylander "CAUGHT". Weird, but it made sense.
The problem ultimately lies in the fact that these cables and or the WHOLE release latch SYSTEM cannot be bought or purchased from GM. I think.!. Not sure though.
Heres how I fixed the problem:
1. First I Zipped tied the one end of the cable down towards those cylinders I spoke of. This held the cable in place on the seat frame. There is a plastic piece there but mine was broken.
2. I found a cylinder type nylon piece of plastic in my garage from one of my old airplane hobbies. I cut it to the length I needed to cover the gap. I drilled a hole in the middle, only big enough to allow the cable to slide through and the took my hach saw and cut slit on the outside to the hole I drilled. This allowed me to slid it over the cable. U
Use some white lythium grease to aid in the movement.
((this piece of nylon I used was able 1/2 inch maybe less in diameter))
I'm sure you find it at ACE/or even a local hobby shop.
A wooden dowel would probably work too. I didn't try it though.
3. I finished it off my using my lighter to melt that GAP back alittle and wrapped the nylon with some electric tape. This keep that piece from coming off.
4. End state is that the cable is back to its normal lenght (per say) and the "Giving Way" of the seat is gone.
This my be a GENERIC (Jimmy Rigged) fix but It worked for me. Hope it may help for someone else. Be advised you will have to nearly rip your seat entirely apart to do this.
Haven't had a problem in over a month.
HAVE FUN.
Heres what I found out. Sorry I didn't take pics but I hope my description helps someone else out.
There are two cables (like brake cables on a bicycle) that come off the handle mechanizm on the left side of the seat that controlles the lay back of the seat. Well, one on MY cables (the one going to the right side of the seat) were the problem exist, had a piece of hard insulation that raps around the cable itself, missing about half way. This created slack in the cable now. Now these cables run (on both sides) down to these cylinder like devices that have some springs and few other pieces in them. I watch these mechanizms move as I lift the handle up and down. I notice the right side cylinder wasn't "catching". The left side was. Which in tail,ed allow the right side of the seat to give way. I also notice that the slack in the cable (from the missing cable insulation) wasn't allowing the cable itself to return to the normal position. When I pulled on the cable insulation to put it in its NORMAL position the right side cylander "CAUGHT". Weird, but it made sense.
The problem ultimately lies in the fact that these cables and or the WHOLE release latch SYSTEM cannot be bought or purchased from GM. I think.!. Not sure though.
Heres how I fixed the problem:
1. First I Zipped tied the one end of the cable down towards those cylinders I spoke of. This held the cable in place on the seat frame. There is a plastic piece there but mine was broken.
2. I found a cylinder type nylon piece of plastic in my garage from one of my old airplane hobbies. I cut it to the length I needed to cover the gap. I drilled a hole in the middle, only big enough to allow the cable to slide through and the took my hach saw and cut slit on the outside to the hole I drilled. This allowed me to slid it over the cable. U
Use some white lythium grease to aid in the movement.
((this piece of nylon I used was able 1/2 inch maybe less in diameter))
I'm sure you find it at ACE/or even a local hobby shop.
A wooden dowel would probably work too. I didn't try it though.
3. I finished it off my using my lighter to melt that GAP back alittle and wrapped the nylon with some electric tape. This keep that piece from coming off.
4. End state is that the cable is back to its normal lenght (per say) and the "Giving Way" of the seat is gone.
This my be a GENERIC (Jimmy Rigged) fix but It worked for me. Hope it may help for someone else. Be advised you will have to nearly rip your seat entirely apart to do this.
Haven't had a problem in over a month.
HAVE FUN.