Anyone had any seat mounting points fail?
03-19-2006, 06:08 PM
#1
Anyone had any seat mounting points fail?
I spent this morning with a buddy of mine at www.tuxedoparkracing.com fixing my 03 Enthusiast.
Sometime early last year we had a seat bolt fail, driver's side rear. We had to provide a quick fix and rigged together a drywall anchor to try to get the seat to stay in place, we were out of town with limited tools and only a home depot for parts. That rigging worked alright for a few events, but had to be redone a few months later.
The problem caused by a mount bold mount failing is that the seat mounted at only 3 points twists and causes the track to come free and the seat will move forward and back while driving, not a fun experience when competing.
Today we found the cause of the bolt mount failing. I removed the carpeting from the driver's side of the car, and underneath this carpet found that the nut that used to fill the hole had broken free of the four spot welds. We ended up welding it back into place, and as I reassembled the car I actually found that the passenger side rear bolt on the drivers seat wouldn't thread. So I had to take the car apart again and found the same thing to have occured. I'm glad it occured right there, and not during a 2006 event.
Steven welded the the nut back in place and the seat is amazing now! No more squeeks!
How did this all actually occur? I'm going to have to assume that one of the dealers who had worked on the seat in the past didn't properly tighten the bolts down, and the seat was able to move around causing extra stress on the welds. Hopefully for 2006 we've got all of our seat issues squared away!
Sometime early last year we had a seat bolt fail, driver's side rear. We had to provide a quick fix and rigged together a drywall anchor to try to get the seat to stay in place, we were out of town with limited tools and only a home depot for parts. That rigging worked alright for a few events, but had to be redone a few months later.
The problem caused by a mount bold mount failing is that the seat mounted at only 3 points twists and causes the track to come free and the seat will move forward and back while driving, not a fun experience when competing.
Today we found the cause of the bolt mount failing. I removed the carpeting from the driver's side of the car, and underneath this carpet found that the nut that used to fill the hole had broken free of the four spot welds. We ended up welding it back into place, and as I reassembled the car I actually found that the passenger side rear bolt on the drivers seat wouldn't thread. So I had to take the car apart again and found the same thing to have occured. I'm glad it occured right there, and not during a 2006 event.
Steven welded the the nut back in place and the seat is amazing now! No more squeeks!
How did this all actually occur? I'm going to have to assume that one of the dealers who had worked on the seat in the past didn't properly tighten the bolts down, and the seat was able to move around causing extra stress on the welds. Hopefully for 2006 we've got all of our seat issues squared away!
03-25-2006, 01:36 PM
#2
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We had to weld in plates on all 4 drivers side mounts a couple of months ago 
The floor pan had completely ripped out and pulled the nutplates through or broke them off between the subfloors.
Bryan
The floor pan had completely ripped out and pulled the nutplates through or broke them off between the subfloors.
Bryan
03-27-2006, 07:11 AM
#4
Registered User
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Severn, ProMD
Posts: 617
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Chris, I know this is a little off topic but did you install a lap belt for your seat. I was going to do that this weekend but when I noticed that the buckle for the factory 3 point was attached to the seat instead of the car body I backed out of the install. I did not want to interfere with the stock buckle as I use the Z as my daily drive...
Kirk
Kirk
03-28-2006, 02:25 PM
#6
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What were you racing? We were at Hallett on Sunday Kay was running the 350 in the High Speed Touring group and I was racing the 240Z. Took a 3rd place finish home for the first race of the season 
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Lt_Ballzacki
Brakes & Suspension
39
08-06-2021 06:19 AM