Car Seat Replacements - New Z owner

[zrl]

is the 350z seat too big? how much is it? anyone?

[ardKore]

i think the 350Z seats would be pretty heavy and add unecessary weight to the 240Z. especially if they're power seats. weight=bad

[grnskyline]

hey shoudt,

I heard that seats from an mazda MX5 or miata, will fit in nicely, not sure about the sliding mechanisms. I wanted some for my 260 as theres no support left in the seats. The wreckers wants $250 a pop, bit pricey. let us know what you decide on.

cam

[260Zed]

grnskyline, ive been looking at mx5 seats too, found a pair for $350 but still weighing them up on my to-do list...

[240Z-freak]

I just bought myself a 240, and i love the thing, but not the seats, . You should get some "del slow" seats, they are comfy and not too hard to put in, they are pretty cheap if you go to a junkyard and find ones in good condition.

[shoudt]

Thanks for the input. I have decided to use replacement covers. I got the first one on OK. I am still trying to get one of the screws off of the other seat bottom so I can recover it. That screw won't budge.

I have soaked it in Liquid Wrench and WD 40. Tapped it with a hammer. It will not budge.

Any ideas how to free that one?

[abas]

I am still trying to get one of the screws off of the other seat bottom so I can recover it. That screw won't budge.

Any ideas how to free that one?

I had the same problem. Brace the seat frame and use an impact screwdriver. As you are replacing the seat covers it shouldn't matter if you damage the old cover when you hit it. If that doesn't work then it must be well seized and you will have to drill it out.

Just out of interest where did you get your replacement seat covers from? I got some from toointense, but I'm not 100% happy with them.

regards

AndrewB

[lordbiotree]

Shouldn't You would want to set up vibration and twist at the same time.

NEVER USE IMPACT TOOLS. They do more harm than good.

Get a good set of sockets. If you don't have a breaker bar (a 1/2 ratchet with about a 2 ft handle) take a steel (anything that's medal) pipe and put it at the end of your wrench. Then twist while your hitting it with a 3 LB sledge or at least a 22 oz hammer. The regular 16 oz homeowners hammer's SUCK. You'll learn that if you ever been in the construction business.

Hope you under stand. if not I'll clear things up a bit.

-Brandon

71 240Z

[abas]

For clarification – impact driver looks like a fat screwdriver with interchangeable bits that go in the end – about $10 at a tool shop: you hit one end and it provides a twisting force to remove a stuck screw)

NEVER USE IMPACT TOOLS. They do more harm than good.

Personally I think an impact driver is an indispensable tool ( and frequently the only way) for removing seized cross head screws, which I think is what Shoudt is dealing with. Perhaps I have misunderstood, but I don’t see how a socket set would help.

[Z Kid]

As someone who swears by an air impact ratchet to undo seized on bolts, why is hitting them with a hammer any better, the force from a hammer is often not in the right plane, and less accurate than the good old rattle gun?

[abas]

Agreed but I and I assume many others do not have access to air tools. An impact driver at $10 is 'cheap'.

For fairly 'beefy' items hitting them with an impact driver will not harm them. That includes z seat frames as I have been there. But I would not use one on unsupported sheet metal for instance.

Would an 'air hammer' deal with a seized cross head screw? Wouldn't it chew up the screw head if you didn't hold it REALLY tight against the screwhead? The beauty of an impact driver is that it forces the screw bit into the head of the screw it is to hold and as such is ideal to remove seized SCREWS.

I agree that for seized BOLTS an impact driver should be un-necessary. A breaker bar and socket ( or air hammer if you have one) is far better.

Just my opinion. Each to their own

Andrew

[SteveK]

I recenly refurbished my 240Z seats with some new covers and had exacly the same issues with the aforementioned screws, I used an impact driver to good effect after shearing the kamaza bit I was using (on the end of a ratchet and bar)

An impact driver if used properly is a very effective tool.