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Thread: SWB seat hinge rebuild question

  1. #1
    Senior Member eaton's Avatar
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    SWB seat hinge rebuild question

    I know, I know. Take the picture Before you tear it apart. But I didn't. Is this the way the spring goes back in? Passenger seat, left side seat hinge on a '66. I'm trying to fix the slipping hinge that leaves the passenger laid out flat.

    Also, when I took this thing apart, the hinge was metal on metal. Is there supposed to be some sort of washer in there (between the two sections that make up the hinge)?

    Thanks, Joe

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  2. #2
    If you had to use a lever to compress the spring to get it like that, then yes, it's seated. Wear safety goggles, that spring can open your garage door and could easily hurt somebody if it comes loose, which is in the nature of springs to do.

    There are supposed to be some phenolic washers between halves, and there is a flat nut that holds the two pieces together which goes under the spring.

    Put copious grease on the spring and on the splined recline lever. Yours is missing the gear?
    1966 911 #304065 Irischgruen

  3. #3
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    You will not solve your problem by rebuilding that hinge. It has nothing to do with holding the seat back in position.
    That is done all on the other hinge (the outside one with the adjuster lever) with those 2 small beveled gears.
    I think 304065 assumed that the hinge pictured was the outside hinge.

    Ciao

    Jim

  4. #4
    Senior Member eaton's Avatar
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    Thanks, guys. Jim -- I get what you're saying, but the right side of the seat catches (and holds, most of the time). The left side does not. Which causes the passenger seat to bend in toward the left when someone sits on it. My hinge has no phenolic washer between the halves. I'll have to get one of those. And perhaps rebuild the other side as well.

  5. #5
    Physics Guy oscillon's Avatar
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    There should be a washer between the two sections of the hinge. In lieu of a phenolic washer, You can use a piece of plastic (think bottom of a margarine tub) or some type of gasket material cut to fit.

    Here is a little something I put on the 912bbs a while ago:

    I think I may have "cured" the auto-recline feature...

    After thinking and futzing for some time with my '66 seats, I realized that the auto-recline problem is linked to maintaining a constant geometry of the seat hinges when your weight shifts on the seat back. I have looked very closely at a number of hinges only to realize that the problems that we all have are not due to the wear on the conical spline that keeps the seat in a set location, but is directly linked to the ability of the hinge to keep that simple sprung lever system in the prescribed location.

    The cure, for recliners that have the no slip pins installed (post-356 seats), was directly related to the tightness of the hinge nut that sits below the return spring. When I took the controlling hinge apart by removing the return spring (the big one), the keeper plate and the large nut, I found that the plastic washer that separates the outer part of the hinge (the part that connects to the seat back) from the inter part (connected to the lower), was completely disintegrated. The lack of a proper spacer coupled with a nut that is locked in a particular spot to enforce a prescribed tightness of the hinge, leads to a wobbly seat. This is bad.

    To solve the problem I cut a piece of gasket material (maybe not the best choice, so this part may change) to replace the destroyed spacer between the halves of the hinge, retightened the large nut, replaced the "keeper-plate" and reinstalled the large spring (not for the faint of heart). The result seems to be a transformation of the seat. Chances are good that the same procedure should be done to the inner hinge as well as the system is exactly the same, just without the recline mechanism.


    Hope that is helpful.

    Dan
    ______________________________________________
    Dan B.
    1966 911 black/red
    1966 912 slate grey
    1996 993 black/tan

  6. #6
    Senior Member eaton's Avatar
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    Thanks, Dan. This is very helpful. Seemed strange to have metal on metal. I'll give your fix a try. I also gummed up the "keeper-plate" when I took it apart. Can't imagine I'll find another one of those. Hopefully the old one will still work.

    Joe

  7. #7
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    The left side is not supposed to "catch" It merely follows the right side hinge.

    Regards

    Jim

  8. #8
    Physics Guy oscillon's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Breazeale View Post
    The left side is not supposed to "catch" It merely follows the right side hinge.

    Regards

    Jim
    That's it.

    And remember when it comes to hinges: Tight is Right
    ______________________________________________
    Dan B.
    1966 911 black/red
    1966 912 slate grey
    1996 993 black/tan

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Breazeale View Post
    You will not solve your problem by rebuilding that hinge. It has nothing to do with holding the seat back in position.
    That is done all on the other hinge (the outside one with the adjuster lever) with those 2 small beveled gears.
    I think 304065 assumed that the hinge pictured was the outside hinge.

    Ciao

    Jim
    I thought it was a 68 driver locker, I keep forgetting that 66 does not lock
    I was thrown off by where the OP said "passenger seat left side! Doh!"

    Good eye Jim
    1966 911 #304065 Irischgruen

  10. #10
    anybody know the trick to get the spring back on, Ive chase the spring all over my garage anybodyknow of a tool maybe it take two people

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