Seat lever broken
- Thread starter DanHall
- Start date
Whatever you do DO NOT force it! That's what I did and it really cost me. If I had it to do over again I'd remove the seat, turn it over and spray everything movable with something like WD40 until it was loosened up. Might be able to sray enough up in there with the seat in place but with the seat out you can see better what's happening and you can tap lightly on the mechanism to help loosen it if necessary. Before reinstalling I would spray it with a more permanant lubricant like spray lithium- WD40 is great for loosening things but not a very good lasting lub.
Removing the seat is just four bolts (Torx Plus TP55). Easy to do but with your seat all the way back you may have wiggle in a bit to reach the back two. But just slide the seat forward on the knee length adjustment.
I had to buy the TP55 and I got it from cheapest place I could find- OTC tool (otctools.com) - actually bought through Walmart online tools. I think it is much safer to use the TP55 instead of the more readily available T55 that fits looser and can break or strip. There are undoubtedly varing opinions on this so with just four to do you might get away with the T55 but if the bolts are rusted at all (very likey) you will be better off with the TP55.) - That is one thing the designers thought ahead on -just too bad they weren't thinking that well when they designed the lever with a plastic extension!
I hope your seat is just stuck a little bit and not broken already in some other way. Let us know how it goes.
Removing the seat is just four bolts (Torx Plus TP55). Easy to do but with your seat all the way back you may have wiggle in a bit to reach the back two. But just slide the seat forward on the knee length adjustment.
I had to buy the TP55 and I got it from cheapest place I could find- OTC tool (otctools.com) - actually bought through Walmart online tools. I think it is much safer to use the TP55 instead of the more readily available T55 that fits looser and can break or strip. There are undoubtedly varing opinions on this so with just four to do you might get away with the T55 but if the bolts are rusted at all (very likey) you will be better off with the TP55.) - That is one thing the designers thought ahead on -just too bad they weren't thinking that well when they designed the lever with a plastic extension!
I hope your seat is just stuck a little bit and not broken already in some other way. Let us know how it goes.
mjovanovich
New Member
I had this happen to my 98 ranger. The plastic shaft broke. After reading up on this forum, I decided to try and glue it back together. I got a self tapping screw that was long enough to go through both pieces with some bite and then used a 2 part epoxy. It's working, so I was atleast able to get the passneger seat set back into place.
Slick fix! Wish I'da thought of that- well I did momentarily but figured the adhesive would never hold. Putting a screw through for added strength didn't occur to me. Did you have any trouble like drilling a pilot hole or did it just thread right in? How did you line it up? Seems like it would have to be a pretty tight mateup for it to take the radial twist even w/screw. (But then if one doesn't crank on the lever like I did! :wallbash
....
Your way sure saves a lot of money. Thanks for letting us know about your fix.
....Your way sure saves a lot of money. Thanks for letting us know about your fix.
mjovanovich
New Member
So far after a month, it's been holding. In my situation there already was a hole through the stem and the break was such that it fit nice. But I am sure going down the road, I'll need to find a mechanism, as it does seems to still be difficult to engage. ( probably need to pull seat and clean mechanism on the underside)
rjonesassn
New Member
Well folks, I have shaft breakage on both seats (accidentally bumped them while replacing the automatic door lock activators). The cam element that actually interacts with the rest of the mechanism also broke off, so I have both the shaft and cam to repair. I am going to try both glue and screw/bolt through the shaft and then putting a pin through the cam element -- tried a special glue before, didn't work. Will let you know how it turns out. Parts/seats simply not available down here in Houston and, frankly, since the seat backs are in a usable position it isn't worth upwards of $350 to replace the mechanism in my 2000 truck.
rjonesassn
New Member
There are two separate fixes, one works for sure, the other is a maybe
First, the maybe fix. Ford no longer stocks the parts -- however, the Ranger is actually made by Mazda and, according to their parts store here, they have the parts for special order (driver seat about $40, passenger seat about $38). I didn't go for it because the drawing doesn't look like the same part, although it is in the same place, etc...
Now for the one I know will work. Total cost under $10 and I'm about to save you a ton of experimentation -- I tried eight different methods and only one works (pictures of all available, if you are interested). I'm talking about the passenger seat. I have yet to fix the driver's side, but will do that and, if I find anything difficult, I'll post the differences.
I assume you have removed the seat. To totally access the area, you must release the level held by a torque head bolt, remove the four bolts (10 mm) holding the seat to the rail mechanism (careful about the forward adjust lever, the damn thing releases fast and can give you a whack). Then, with access to the nut (also 10mm) that holds the reclining mechanism on the seat track removed, pull the apparatus far enough down to remove all the shaft and any broken parts. (you will have to open the two ears holding the action wire in place eventually, might as well do it now). My part was broken in two places. The shaft was separated between the outer pivot point and the remainder of the shaft. Further, the part (lever) that actually hooks into the release wire was separated from the remainder of the shaft. After trying a bunch of different fixes -- all failed. I decided to put a steel pin in the broken shaft and create a metal fitting that went over the outer shaft and was pinned to the lever to bond it with the outer shaft. This would have worked, except there is torque from the cable that twisted the part enough to allow the pins to let go. Back to the drawing board. (see pics 361-363, below)
I changed out the pins for small bolts and the metal plate for a half-inch fender washer with appropriate holes drilled to match the lever arm bolts plus one from the lower flange on the shaft to bond the washer to the shaft itself. (picks 364 - 368). This worked once and then the shaft separated at the original break point, backing off on the steel pin I had placed there. So, one more operation -- I drilled a hole completely through the shaft endwise and installed a three-inch, number six machine bolt and nut (the nut has to go on the outside). Caution, the bolt heads in all cases go on the inside of the fitting. There is plenty of room on the outside to work.
With the half-inch washer as the base and bolts holding everything together, nothing bends and the repaired fitting works fine. You will have to spread the ears and release the cable anchor to put it all together, resetting the anchor after everything is in place. So, for the price of four machine bolts and some minor drilling, it is stronger than the original and you are good to go.
For some reason I can't attach the photos. If you will E-mail me direct (rjonesassn@aol.com) I'll send you the file with the pictures.
Addition: I fixed the driver's seat today. Simple break of the shaft, all else was OK. Removal is like above. Drilled the same hole through the shaft endwise, installed the 3 inch machine bolt and nut, tightened it down and re-installed everything. Fix cmopleted.
Good luck!
First, the maybe fix. Ford no longer stocks the parts -- however, the Ranger is actually made by Mazda and, according to their parts store here, they have the parts for special order (driver seat about $40, passenger seat about $38). I didn't go for it because the drawing doesn't look like the same part, although it is in the same place, etc...
Now for the one I know will work. Total cost under $10 and I'm about to save you a ton of experimentation -- I tried eight different methods and only one works (pictures of all available, if you are interested). I'm talking about the passenger seat. I have yet to fix the driver's side, but will do that and, if I find anything difficult, I'll post the differences.
I assume you have removed the seat. To totally access the area, you must release the level held by a torque head bolt, remove the four bolts (10 mm) holding the seat to the rail mechanism (careful about the forward adjust lever, the damn thing releases fast and can give you a whack). Then, with access to the nut (also 10mm) that holds the reclining mechanism on the seat track removed, pull the apparatus far enough down to remove all the shaft and any broken parts. (you will have to open the two ears holding the action wire in place eventually, might as well do it now). My part was broken in two places. The shaft was separated between the outer pivot point and the remainder of the shaft. Further, the part (lever) that actually hooks into the release wire was separated from the remainder of the shaft. After trying a bunch of different fixes -- all failed. I decided to put a steel pin in the broken shaft and create a metal fitting that went over the outer shaft and was pinned to the lever to bond it with the outer shaft. This would have worked, except there is torque from the cable that twisted the part enough to allow the pins to let go. Back to the drawing board. (see pics 361-363, below)
I changed out the pins for small bolts and the metal plate for a half-inch fender washer with appropriate holes drilled to match the lever arm bolts plus one from the lower flange on the shaft to bond the washer to the shaft itself. (picks 364 - 368). This worked once and then the shaft separated at the original break point, backing off on the steel pin I had placed there. So, one more operation -- I drilled a hole completely through the shaft endwise and installed a three-inch, number six machine bolt and nut (the nut has to go on the outside). Caution, the bolt heads in all cases go on the inside of the fitting. There is plenty of room on the outside to work.
With the half-inch washer as the base and bolts holding everything together, nothing bends and the repaired fitting works fine. You will have to spread the ears and release the cable anchor to put it all together, resetting the anchor after everything is in place. So, for the price of four machine bolts and some minor drilling, it is stronger than the original and you are good to go.
For some reason I can't attach the photos. If you will E-mail me direct (rjonesassn@aol.com) I'll send you the file with the pictures.
Addition: I fixed the driver's seat today. Simple break of the shaft, all else was OK. Removal is like above. Drilled the same hole through the shaft endwise, installed the 3 inch machine bolt and nut, tightened it down and re-installed everything. Fix cmopleted.
Good luck!
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quick fix
Had the same problem, took the seat out, put a pipe nipple over the shaft part of the handle and put a pin in it so it wouldn't rotate, then put a bolt through the out side portion with a nut next to the pipe and double nuts at the end of the bolt with a large flat washer next to the seat, works like a charm. It took me about 20 minutes.
Had the same problem, took the seat out, put a pipe nipple over the shaft part of the handle and put a pin in it so it wouldn't rotate, then put a bolt through the out side portion with a nut next to the pipe and double nuts at the end of the bolt with a large flat washer next to the seat, works like a charm. It took me about 20 minutes.
RiderOnTheStorm
New Member
My seat handle snapped off where the rod connects at the back inside center of the handle. After reading this forum, I felt pretty stuck.
Looking at that spindle rod there with no handle, I got an idea.... I went to my toolbox and grabbed a medium sized tool i had in there... a needle-nosed vise-grip. I positioned the nose of it perpendicular to the rod, grabbing and snapping locked on it so the vise grips would stay almost flat against the side of the seat, resting in place at about a 3 o'clock position. Adjusted the tension so it was very snug and viola! Now you can reach down and pull the "handle" upward to release the seat for people to get in the back, just like before.
It's been my new seat lever ever since, works great and holds on so tight it's like it's glued in place! I don't mind sacrificing it for this, since about $10 is an easy price to get this problem to go away. With my passenger door closed, or even when open, no one sees or says anything about it, and now we can enter the seating area behind the passenger seat as easily as before!
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josephdupont
New Member
I want to replace my passenger seat with a seat which will fold completely down. Supposedly a Chrysler town and country 2nd row seat will do the job. You will have to make an adapter plate..maybe out of plywood. But it will allow you more usable space.. maybe a battery compartment.
josephdupont
New Member
Replacing Ranger from seat from a Chrylser Town and Country.
I have been looking at replacing my passenger seat or modifying it so that it can fold all the way forward.
It appears the the rear seat of a Chrylser Town and Country will fold down and allow me to have more room. maybe even to sleep. Also with the seat down I might be able to crawl throught the window opening to the camper shell.