Author Topic: Setting seat back latch.. help !!  (Read 2428 times)

Offline Racer57

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Setting seat back latch.. help !!
« on: February 27, 2015 - 05:33:10 PM »
Drivers side.

Checked mechanism with heavy wire bent to duplicate seat latch and it works. Found  using my "tool" that screw holding side molding with push button could be set too tight so presently is loose.
Removed seat stop on opposite side to eliminate that being a problem.
I have had no spacers under latch and 4 spacers and not work.
Moved latch forward and back and everywhere in between with no results.

What am I missing !?!?!?  :banghead: :swear:




Offline Giveitawack

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Re: Setting seat back latch.. help !!
« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2015 - 02:25:59 AM »
I had the same problem. After countless adjustments i eventually managed to get the driver's side to hook up. Passenger side I put on hold. I think I will need to remove the seat, turn it upside down to actually see what is going on.
I don't think the stops are the issue here. I tried without them also.
« Last Edit: February 28, 2015 - 02:29:35 AM by Giveitawack »

Offline Racer57

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Re: Setting seat back latch.. help !!
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2015 - 08:58:55 AM »
I had the same problem. After countless adjustments i eventually managed to get the driver's side to hook up. Passenger side I put on hold. I think I will need to remove the seat, turn it upside down to actually see what is going on.
I don't think the stops are the issue here. I tried without them also.

I had mine upside down and checked the lock and it works perfect. 

Offline JoeGrapes

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Re: Setting seat back latch.. help !!
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2015 - 12:01:42 PM »
I have he same problem. For years I thought the latches were not in the seat. I'm in the process of recovering the seats and after taking all the seats down to the springs I saw the latches were there and working just fine. I haven't got around to figuring out why they don't lock yet so I'll be keeping an eye on this thread. I'll let you know if I find anything. 

Offline Moparal

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Re: Setting seat back latch.. help !!
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2015 - 06:52:21 PM »
are they not a big pain in the butt.  It just took a big left arm on the right and a big right arm on the left.   Patience is your friend.   I did also think about using a small brake spring installer for a leverage bar.  I believe they had to have used a leverage at the assembly line. You would put the cup end of the bar on the hook and hold down the seat as you pried the lever up, letting it slide past the catch and into the slot. 

Offline JoeGrapes

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Re: Setting seat back latch.. help !!
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2015 - 07:55:51 PM »
Well, I put the seat bottom and back together without and covering and played with the latch and I got it to work fine. I had to adjust the hook part pretty much all the way forward before it would catch. I'm thinking in my case maybe some of the seat vinyl was in the way preventing the hook from entering the latch.

Offline Giveitawack

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Re: Setting seat back latch.. help !!
« Reply #6 on: March 01, 2015 - 12:04:39 AM »
Gonna try to put the hook in the latch first. Then pull the seat down and put the spacers and bolts in.
Would it work?

Offline JoeGrapes

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Re: Setting seat back latch.. help !!
« Reply #7 on: March 01, 2015 - 02:24:25 PM »
Are you sure the stop is not keeping the seat back latch from engaging the hook? On mine there are a couple of spacers under the hook. If I took those spacers out the latch would never engage the hook.

Offline Racer57

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Re: Setting seat back latch.. help !!
« Reply #8 on: March 01, 2015 - 05:22:49 PM »
I've had no spacers and 4 spacers. I also removed the stop on the opposite side of the back just in case it was holding it up too far. It works when I push a wire bent to shape like the catch
into it. I've set it exactly like the passenger seat which works, with no luck.

Its obviously an alignment issue. But is there a way to determine how many spacers and how far forward/back to set the catch ?  :banghead: :pullinghair: :stomp: :swear:
« Last Edit: March 01, 2015 - 05:25:24 PM by Racer57 »

Offline JoeGrapes

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Re: Setting seat back latch.. help !!
« Reply #9 on: March 02, 2015 - 06:55:21 PM »
I know what you are saying. I have the bare seat frames together so it's easy to see whats going on. With the seat covering in place it's next to impossible to see. There is no adjustment on the latch. It's held in by 3 bolts and can't move. As long as the latch is open and the hook is alined with the opening on the latch it can't not work. If you remove the stop and slid the hook pretty much all the way forward it should work. Try to leave the hook bolts a little loose so it will find it's position. If you put all your shims under the hook, when it does latch you should see how far forward you want the seat back and can adjust the shims and stop to your liking.   

Offline Moparal

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Re: Setting seat back latch.. help !!
« Reply #10 on: March 03, 2015 - 02:25:35 PM »
Oh man Im sorry   I was talking about back seat   :eek4: