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Could use some input on a minor issue with my car. Am debating a solution to the problem of the horizontal actuator motor riding the carpet. This is the Caribbean open frame seat. When all the way back it's so-so but with seat forward, because of the tunnel the motor is actually bent upward.

Am thinking since the car was new the motor has rubbed since it had added shims not called for on 56's. It's been an issue since I've had the car. Now with the new repro carpet from Dwight which is even thicker the problem is more pronounced. Adding thicker shims to the existing didn't help much.

Am debating drilling new holes in the bracket and moving the roll pin mount and motor assy up. That may not solve anything since it can't move much & will probably still rub -- just start a bit further forward.

Another option is replacing the assy completely with a new unit which has limit switches and a smaller footprint. Since the original actuators are inevitably getting harder to find, making the brackets to adapt a modern replacement to the seat mounts might be a good approach for someone down the road.

A couple of new actuators look very promising. One has the motor to the side but not quite as wide and the other has it pointing toward rear so half the space. Either could be tilted to use less width than originals. Overall length is about same but these have 6" travel which is 1/2" more than original. Am thinking 150 or 200lb force is adequate. Anyone know the force spec on originals?

Any comments or other suggestions to try.

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Having cussed that assembly several times myself, I wish I could make a valuable suggestion, but I can't.

I do not have a 56 Caribbean, so not familiar with them. What kind of shims were they? I had a 56 Clipper that used wood shims at the back of the seat frame. I assume it was to pitch the seat forward. It was a manual seat.

These are 3/8" wood shims at the front. Packard spec'd 2 shims for 55's but I see no mention of any called for on 56. Maybe on 56 it was an "if needed" thing.

You might be right, the shim might have been in the front. That is interesting that it was a factory shim. I will have to look at the 55's now for the shims.

For anyone who might be interested, the rubbing problem has been "massaged" to the point it is no longer much of an issue except for the last two inches of forward travel. It does still rub at the front -- just not as badly as before. Don't expect the seat to move that far while I have the car so will live with it.

Hardest part was removing the roll pin. Made the tool Packard suggested to guide the pin. Since there was no room to swing a hammer and beat it into submission with seat still in the car, made a press to push it out by modifying a C clamp. IMO, the roll pins in those locations are an example of Packards not better ideas.

The motor and actuator was raised the max amount possible before interference with the vertical adjust bar passing over the motor would have caused an issue. Worked out to just over 1/2 inch & done by drilling new holes in the support bracket. Thank goodness for right angled drills and machine length bits. And yes, that was a modification -- two in fact. The new holes and then a bolt instead of the roll pin back in.

A roll-pin in that location was really a bone-head idea. I've suffered thru that myself. Not sure about 55 but 56 Caribbeans had wooden shims.

I've decided to play with the actuator some more. Am thinking I will go ahead and figure out a new modern replacement option -- at least for myself. The same unit is used on all V8s so would there be any reason to figure out a replacement and spend the time to document it for posterity or is the feeling these are still available and plentiful and inexpensive enough so no interest in modern.

The moving of the assembly upward mentioned earlier did the job adequately as far as motor and carpet clearance but I ran into something else unexpected today. Went to move the seat and the motor just grunted. Figured I had dropped something which had fallen into track and was binding but I was wrong. The problem turned out to be the actuator worm and tube assy was bound up.

As some of you know, there are no limit switches so the travel is full and at max power until you let off the switch. The tube and worm had been driven together into the end of worm where it attaches to mechanism. The weld or worm attachment had stuck inside the end of tube. Got it freed but it was in very tight. Without some preventive action, can easily see it happening again.

Here are the questions for today.
1) Was there some kind of cushion on the actuator worm to keep the tube down or away from the end a bit. I didn't find any broken pieces. The actuator has always slammed hard or goes until it can't drive and motor stops -- both ends so figure it is normal.
2) If a replacement, what strength would you guess is appropriate. Good ranges for a relatively easy fit are 150, 200, or 400 pounds but can go way down or way up. Unless someone knows, I have no way to measure what was original. Speed I will keep around 6/10 inch per second. Maybe a little slower than factory but adequate.

Thinking of fitting a stock unit but the company will customize one and can almost duplicate the stroke and mounting dimensions for an additional $50. That would bring the cost to around $200. Packard was 5". The stock unit stroke is 4 or 6 inches. 6 would be an issue and would have to be limited somehow to 5. 4 would lose an inch of travel but not sure that would be an issue enough to justify customizing. Comments??

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The horizontal actuator on my '55 Patrician is jammed up tighter than the one in your first picture - there is not even a trace of the worm showing. For the want of a "stop".

It looks like to me that the Packard guys hadn't quite switched over their thinking from hydraulic to electric on these seats.

I'm going to try and remove the bolt (I presume) holding the end of the horizontal tube to the floor and unwind it that way. The vertical unit isn't quite so bad as I can actually see the worm on it.

Most engineering on option items like these seat actuators is done by vendors, the "solution" usually walks itself in the door of engineering via a salesman. Once the process starts the auto companies will get involved and suggest or demand changes.