Seat Frame Repair
If this is better off being added to the other topic on seat frame repairs, please can it be moved there!
The seat frame in my car was broken, as in snapped, and the frame had twisted, the details below are in the order I should have done the job, not necessarily the order things were done in....
The picture below shows the break, but not the twist in the frame.
Remove the leather seat cover and rubber base support - mainly spring clips/hooks etc. - some of the seat foam is glued to the frame - I removed that as the frame will go off for powder coating.
The tube was no longer round where it broke - a tapered drift was used to get it back into shape, and the powder coating around the area to be repaired was removed.
I drilled a couple of holes in either side of the crack for puddle welds.
A 60mm long 19mm (3/4") diameter pipe was cut ( I had to turn what I had down to fit) and forced into the frame - there is a punched hole in the tube for the rubber base hooks that requires some force to get past....it should go into this part of the frame first so it can be knocked into the frame with the necessary force.
I then maneuvered the frame - it can flex a fair amount - to get the other end over the insert - a sash clamp and some wiggling did the job. This is when the frame can be tweaked back into shape - removing any twists and making sure it is all square. A vice and long levers are helpful here.
I welded the insert in place through the holes drilled earlier, and the crack was welded using short tack welds - the idea being to try and not weaken the insert too much with the weld penetrating too far - I believe the original weld around the tube is what caused the weakness in it. The weld was then ground down and cleaned up and I cut a bit of 3mm thick angle iron to shape to add to the frame for a belts and braces approach....
Final result after more cleaning up - green lines are where I welded - red arrow is where I avoided welding.
Now to replace the rubber base support, sort out the leather etc. and the seat is done.....
Neil.