Seat base rubber diaphragm

[rbgosling]

Just been to Lotusbits - mainly for a replacement heater matrix, which is my most urgent issue - but I asked if they had any seat base rubber diaphragms. Well, the answer was they only had good diaphragms on good seats, and (understandably) they didn’t want to pull apart a good seat for just the diaphragm.

So, next option - does anyone know of one from another car that fits, or can be made to fit?

[supraholic]

Or has anyone fabricated a solution from a substitute. I'm thinking something like sinuous wire spring or Pirelli webbing? This has got to be one of my projects too. Indeed we fat Americans (guilty ) need a bit of reinforcement.

[Hawaiis0]

Webbing has been used `before, however didnt someone post recently that the same base is used on other lotus?

[rbgosling]

...however didn't someone post recently that the same base is used on other lotus?

If it was, and Lotusbits had any, I'm sure they would have advised when I discussed this on Saturday.

[Pete Boole]

I posted that the Elite could use a classic Mini seat diaphragm, albeit with re-positioned holes in the frame, but the later Excel diaphragm is more rectangular so the Mini one wouldn't work.

Pete

[ianhateswork]

There are lots of rubber ones on ebay, but this one is very similar and they may know who makes it or even do a special order.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/164219841569

ian

[rbgosling]

There are lots of rubber ones on ebay, but this one is very similar and they may know who makes it or even do a special order.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/164219841569

ian

I guess this is the Mini one that Pete said could be made to work with an Elite, but not Excel.

Still, that's a good suggestion to approach them and ask what they have, or if they could make something. It appears to be a common enough issue for those of us whose cars get a lot of use and/or find their personal body mass putting the seat under strain, so it may be worth having a batch made if that's possible. I'll need to get my seat out and measure it so I can give the correct dimensions to them to check.

[Pete Boole]

No - that's just the later minis. The early ones are like the Lotus diaphragm - all rubber.

Pete

[Hawaiis0]

Found an all rubber diaphram here.

https://www.mgocspares.co.uk/product/ah ... 0-mid67-70

[alexm391]

Good thinking trying to source that seat base diaphragm replacement separately. It's a pain when you have to buy or replace an entire assembly just to get one failed part. But I understand why Lotusbits would be hesitant to cannibalize a perfectly good seat just for the rubber piece.As for cross-compatibility from other vehicles, that may be tricky with Lotus always using unique parts. However, it can't hurt to check with some common British sports car makes with bucket seat designs - perhaps MG, Triumph, early Jaguars, etc. If you can find one with similar dimensions and attachment points, even if it needs some minor modification, it could work in a pinch.Barring that, you may be left having to custom fabricate something. A plastics or rubber supply shop could help identify a flexible material that rebounds well. Just ensure anything contacting the seat frame has suitable durability.If all else fails, keep checking back with Lotus dismantlers periodically. It's annoying when one failed component requires bigger repairs, but sometimes it's unavoidable to get things back to safe spec. Please keep us posted if you sort out any usable alternatives!
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[rbgosling]

Cheers Stu.

Looking through eBay, all the rubber seat diaphragms I find (MGB/C/Midget, Mini, Triumph TR4/5/6, TR7, Herald/Vitesse, Stag, Toledo, Discovery 2, Capri, Cortina Mk2, E-Type, even Elan +2) all clip in on all 4 sides. Only Lotus seems to have thought it a good idea to have a diaphragm supported at the sides only, not front/rear. The others have mostly 2, sometimes 3 hooks along each side, so if the hooks at the end weren't used then the diaphragm would only be supported by 2 or 3 hooks, which seems insufficient, ours have 5 along each side.

For info:

• The rails are 43 cm apart
• The diaphragm is 42 cm long
• There are 5 hooks along each side, @ 9 cm spacing

I'll keep looking to see what I can find, as suggested I could try tracking down the suppliers and see if they are interested in making something bespoke.

[rbgosling]

I've sent a request off to Newton Commercial, who do a lot of different Classic Car interior stuff (including replacement seat covers for Elans), and do manufacture a lot of stuff themselves rather than just being a dealer. Let's see if they are interested...

[rbgosling]

I've sent a request off to Newton Commercial, who do a lot of different Classic Car interior stuff (including replacement seat covers for Elans), and do manufacture a lot of stuff themselves rather than just being a dealer. Let's see if they are interested...

Nope.

[Pete Boole]

The estimate I was given by a company who make rubber mouldings was about £100 each - after the £5000 moulds had been made!!!

Pete

[rbgosling]

OK, this doesn't look like a viable route to go down then!