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The spring on the 51-54 is attached to the track itself, this is HD pedal return spring I used as the original one had broke.:

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Ok J.R Here are some photos.

The seat is out of the car complete with the tracks which bolt to the floor. The seat and the back rest are off and the whole lot now cleaned up ready to de-rust and paint.

It appears to me that the seat runners (bolted to the floor) and the track (fixed to the seat frame) are stuck together (rust ?) The car prior to me starting the restoration was stood for about 25 years or so and obviously the seat was not moved in all that time.

Its 22.55pm over here now so it will have to be tomorrow to try and free the two parts.

Meanwhile any more comments, particularly on the photos would be appreciated.

Best regards and many thanks Michael

P.S PHOTO : F : Is the handle in the right slot to operate the track - it does seem to be stuck, so just a thought that maybe its not set up right - also note the very tiny spring in Photo A - not a bit like the giant spring in BigKev's photo !!

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Hi Barrie

Thanks for your submission on my seat problem.

You'll see I'm working things through ?

Do you think looking at Photo F that the "delicate" lever could be in the wrong slot to be able to move the seat in the track ?

Many thanks and Best regards to you Michael

Hi JD

Thanks for the input to my problem - the photo helps a lot.

As you see I'm trying to work though this problem with the help of you all at Pack.Info. - you are all part of an ace team.

If you can find the time to compare your parts with the photos I've submitted of my seat mechanism that might well help solve my problem.

Many thanks and Best regards Michael

Yes, please do acknowledge the others gentlemen here, too, as they also have great input (better than mine!). If you have any more questions about anything else, please feel free to contact me through the site, e-mail, or another thread. I'm very glad to hear that your project is going well. I hope you were able to find the headliner that you needed. Please post any other questions, as we all are very happy to help fellow enthusiasts!

Michael,

Thanks for your photos. I see that you removed the seat by disconnecting the sliders from the vehicle floor. I took a different route and removed the seat from the sliders due to the machinations of a slightly looney prior owner. I then removed the sliders (three days work due to the eccentricities of the prior owner).

OK... so pull up (gently) on the release handle and see if the lever moves the detente/stop completely out of the slot on the driver side slider (see photo/example [1]). If it does... then there is no problem with the release mechanism.

If it doesn't... find out why, for example lubrication, rust, alignment etc.

Don't expect anything to happen with the seat out of the vehicle. If you pull up on the handle all you can expect is that the detente releases correctly. Once re-installed with the 'return' spring re-attached (see photo/example [2]), pulling up the release lever should cause the seat to pull rearward forward.

While you have the seat removed, I'd suggest (as others have), that you remove, clean and lubricate the sliders (making sure you take note of how the whole thing re-assembles )

Edit: 03/23/2011 1253AM CDT Oops. Based on a post from HH56 below I went back and checked the photos of the 'return spring'. It is fastened to the floor at the front of the seat and not the back. Therefore it pulls the seat forward and not rearward.

Best Regards

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Interesting the way the return spring is installed. Guess I never paid attention to them so what am I missing in why they do it that way. Going backwards you have the tracks sloping downward, your weight and the legs to push. It would seem the spring would be more beneficial helping the seat forward. Does anyone need more room on entering so just lifts the lever on getting into a car? Having the seat go backwards only with spring assist in that scenario would be the only benefit I could see.

Howard, I think the spring assist is correct. The spring is stretched as the seat moves backward (to the right in the picture), and "assists" with return as the seat moves forward (to the left in the picture).

Just like how the spring action works on the 51-54 seat tracks, except each track has it's own assist spring, instead of a central assist spring.

If you pull up on the handle all you can expect is that the detente releases correctly. Once re-installed with the 'return' spring re-attached (see photo/example [2]), pulling up the release lever should cause the seat to pull rearward.


Howard, I think the spring assist is correct. The spring is stretched as the seat moves backward (to the right in the picture), and "assists" with return as the seat moves forward (to the left in the picture).


Maybe so. I can't see enough of the 48 spring attachment to figure it out and all the Packards I've had with seats I remember were power.

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Good catch Howard. You are right.

Post corrected.