Rear Seat install questions.

by Joe73 Sun Feb 25, 2024 3:15 pm

Ive been messing with this for a couple hours now. Trying to install the rear seat in my chevelle. Seat back hangs on well but Im starting to think its not all the way down. Its locked on and difficult to remove but I'd like to hear what you guys think. The top of the seat back is just a pinch higher than the package tray and it looks good. I seem to remember that it used to be almost even but Im not sure. Flat metal mounting tabs on the bottom line up with the Torx bolt holes but I know that the thin metal could be bent easily especially being stored all these years.

When installing the seat bottom, the front loops that secure it to the floor are flush up to the "crossbrace" and ready to install the bolts. So I know its all the way back but it appears the seat bottom is pushed up against the seat belt retractors and cant go any further back. Im left with a gap on the left and right side of the seat bottom. I dont have any of the original "tar paper" and jute insulation on the floor. Just dynamat. I know the factory insulation wouldnt raise the rear of the seat enough to close the gap.

So my thinking is this. Seat bottom appears to be where it belongs, loops butted up to the crossbrace and seat all the way back touching the seat belt retractors.

For some reason, I seem to recall the retractor bolts being very difficult to get to, hence I had to pull the seat back vinyl up to see the torx and insert the tool. As you can see in the pics, the torx bolt is readily accessible.

Could it be that my seat back is not all the way down? Seems like it has to go quite a bit to close the gap between the seat back and bottom. But it might make sense if it went down then it would be harder to access the torx.

Looking for any help or opinions before I tear it all apart again. LOL. Thanks fellas.

by 76Chevelle2Tone Sun Feb 25, 2024 4:01 pm

There's nothing unusual in the Fisher Body Manual concerning the rear seats. Yes I would wonder also if the back cushion is all the way down. Did you check the alignment of the brackets and hangers or do any refurbishment to them?

by Joe73 Sun Feb 25, 2024 4:11 pm

The hangers just below the speaker deck are original and not touched. When you look at them they are like an arrowhead facing up. The wire on the seat back hooks on and can go quite a bit lower than the arrow head itself. But there no way of seeing if its all the way down. As for the flat metal tabs on the bottom of the seat back, they line right up with the torx bolt hole. The bolt holes on the floor are original, no welding done on the floor. My memory seems to think I had to pull the vinyl up to get at the torx bolt and that is not the case now. Just a thought.

by Joe73 Sun Feb 25, 2024 4:15 pm

My fisher body manual shows the retractors the way I have them in my pic. Bolt it above the retractor. Maybe the retractor has to be above the bolt???

by 76Chevelle2Tone Sun Feb 25, 2024 4:22 pm

Joe73 wrote:The hangers just below the speaker deck are original and not touched. When you look at them they are like an arrowhead facing up. The wire on the seat back hooks on and can go quite a bit lower than the arrow head itself. But there no way of seeing if its all the way down. As for the flat metal tabs on the bottom of the seat back, they line right up with the torx bolt hole. The bolt holes on the floor are original, no welding done on the floor. My memory seems to think I had to pull the vinyl up to get at the torx bolt and that is not the case now. Just a thought.

I seem to remember something about that from somewhere. I think someone fashioned a diy tool of of a PVC pipe with a notch to get it snug.

by Mcarlo77 Sun Feb 25, 2024 5:20 pm

Had this issue when I reupholstered my seats on the Laguna. Sold it soon afterwards, but my thinking at the time was that maybe I compressed the fabric/foam too much when pulling the fabric using the hog rings at the bottom of the upper cushion (and, maybe at the back of the lower cushion, too) and that was the cause of the gap? Upon looking at the factory seat cushions on my Monte, the upper cushion is pretty snug against the retractors and would require compressing them to access the torx mtg bolts as you remember.

by Joe73 Sun Feb 25, 2024 7:04 pm

Hmmm. I dont think the foam is compressed too tight. The covers went on real easy on the original foam. Im also thinking the seat back needs to come down way closer to the retractors.

by impalamonte Tue Feb 27, 2024 10:43 am

Joe ,

Mine is "most" like what have you described too.

I have the sound deadener in there and nothing extra like you. I never thought about it too much.

by Joe73 Wed Feb 28, 2024 10:06 pm

Alright. I went out and messed with it today. I checked the seat back and it was properly in its hooks. I can actually slide it up and down about 3/4". It wont come out because of the arrow head hooks just below the package tray.

I put the retractors back in and then tried the seat. Slid right in and the gap was closed up. I dont know what the issue was and I tried it several times. Today, first shot and it was in. I put the two securing bolts on the bottom front edge and left it alone.

Thanks for all the replies and pointers.

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