Tips on Triumph TR7 seat removal

gorann24 · Postby **gorann24** » 01 Mar 2017 16:17

Hi ALL,
I am in the process of taking the seats out and have run into a problem with the passenger seat. I removed the drivers seat no problem, but when I went to move the passenger seat forward to remove the rear two bolts it would'nt budge. I have sprayed oil around seat runners , had a good look under seat to see if anything has jammed the slider and cant see anything, anybody any ideas ?
thanks,
Gordon

busheytrader · Postby **busheytrader** » 01 Mar 2017 16:37

IIRC the front bolts have to be completely removed or screwed fully in to enable the seat to be slid completely forward to get at the rear bolts. Again IIRC, There's not a lot of clearance between the bolts and the sliders and the original bolts take a torx (stir shaped) bit to undo them. Maybe a PO has changed the bolts to a cap head / Allen key headed bolt that's sitting too high and fowling the slider. I'm going from memory so may be wrong.

I'm assuming that your sat in the seat itself when trying to slide it forward. I always found that more successful than pushing it from outside the car. Hope this helps and I'm not talking bo??ocks.

It's been a long time since I last removed the seats but will be reacquainting myself with them shortly.

Adam

gorann24 · Postby **gorann24** » 01 Mar 2017 17:22

Hi Adam.
Went out and had a look at front bolts as you said. I got one out that was a torx head bolt. The one in at transmission tunnel is allen head bolt and it's proving to be hard to move. I am soaking it for a while, but looking at the state of the floors I think the slider mechanism is rusted to the runners.
Thanks
Gordon

FI Spyder · Postby **FI Spyder** » 01 Mar 2017 18:37

Sliders are probably rusted. It may take a while for them to free, spray try let it sit, patience required. My seats/bolts where like new straight out of the factory (other than the age of original grease). However, the rear outside bolt on he passenger seat was rusted in solid (only the threads). Spray, try, sit, repeat. It took a week to come out (there was no way I was breaking it off to have to drill). I don't know how it could be rusted solid when the others looked new, it was like somebody spilt Coke on it to start the rust process. An anomaly. I replaced it with a readily available Allen head that works fine (with anti seize). I find when lifting them out they are better balanced with the seat back released forward.

gorann24 · Postby **gorann24** » 01 Mar 2017 18:59

Hi F1 spider.
It looks like thats the only way to go. I noticed on other threads on this forum that the bolts should be high tensile torque bolts.
The one's I removed from the driver's seat were standard Allen head bolts and didn't have the square washer's
So should I replace the bolts with high tensile one's when I go to put them back in.
Thanks
Gordon

Beans · Postby **Beans** » 01 Mar 2017 20:58

It could be that you didn't pull the slide handle up far enough. They have a tendency not the release fully when pulled up on one side.
I always use both hands (one each side) and pull the handle as far as possible when moving the seats.
And yes use the correct high tensile bolts to fit the seats.

carlton · Postby **carlton** » 02 Mar 2017 06:39

Hello. What size are these bolts, one on the rear of passenger seat is missing?

Stag76 · Postby **Stag76** » 02 Mar 2017 08:08

The bolts that secure the slide to the floor are 8mm.

busheytrader · Postby **busheytrader** » 02 Mar 2017 22:25

gorann24 wrote:Hi Adam.
Went out and had a look at front bolts as you said. I got one out that was a torx head bolt. The one in at transmission tunnel is allen head bolt and it's proving to be hard to move. I am soaking it for a while, but looking at the state of the floors I think the slider mechanism is rusted to the runners.
Thanks
Gordon

The bottom of these bolts are exposed under the floor pan so a good soaking from underneath as well as above may help. A good coating of copper grease upon refitting will help disassembly in many years time if needed. Our seat belts stalks are fixed to the seats themselves, so I'd fit original specification high tensile mounting bolts everytime. I don't fancy the the seat base being ripped out of the floorpan by the seat belt if I have a head on crash.

sonscar · Postby **sonscar** » 04 Mar 2017 20:42

Sadly it is less simple to access the bottom of the bolts as they are retained in a possibly rusty box section of chassis on top of the floorplan and are virtually inaccessible.Be careful as breaking them loose of their retaining cage brings on a new dimension of grief.Good luck,Steve...

Anonymous