Rear bench re-installation

[02sahara]

Hey, I was only able to find this misplaced article without solution, so I'm give it a try here.

 

" I cannot seem to get the rear bench seat to click into place. I am wondering if there is a tool or technique for this. I can almost do it myself but it may require 2 people. If I stand inside the cabin and push with my shins the clips come to within 1/2 - 3/4" from the back of the kick plate. "

 

That's my problem too.

Upholstered the bench and now it seems that something is blocking it rear center. I already reduced the cushion to a minimum there so the backrest (tightness) is not the problem. But I struggle to find out what it is.

 

Edited March 13 by 02sahara

[Mike Self]

You have to push really hard to engage the clips at the front edge of the rear seat cushion.  If you had the seat back re-stuffed and the shop was over-enthusiastic with the stuffing, it makes reinstallation even more difficult. 

 

You could try bending the clips on the cushion just a little so they'll go over the riser a little easier, then once you have them in position, sit on the seat to pop the clips in place.

 

mike

[68gretchen]

And be sure the sheetmetal the clips engage with hasn't bent down (should be a square corner).

Ask me how I know...🙃

[Son of Marty]

Push on the front bottom "rail" of the seat frame to get the clips back behind the sheet metal. 

[JKKH]

My new-to-me ‘73 (restored with new stuffing, too) arrived with the seat bottom unclipped and I’ve been wondering the same, @02sahara.  I’ve only fiddled, but from what I can tell, @Mike Self’s italics are well founded.  I’m gonna need to get in there in use all my “huggability” to pop it.  Better to do that one side at a time, or from the center?

[02sahara]

@JKKH I would try from center, but that's because I do have a square tail-lights '76 one that has a center metal thing where a screw will secure it. As far as I've read, the earlier models don't have that, so might be up to you.

 

I'm gonna get some help this weekend and hope for the best to get it back in as I finally finished the upholstery and partly new seat cover (only renewed the ripped fabrics with Alcantara) and kept the vinyl on the sides. (I don't wanna go through that process again, I can tell you.)

[JKKH]

1 hour ago, 02sahara said:

@JKKH I would try from center, but that's because I do have a square tail-lights '76 one that has a center metal thing where a screw will secure it. As far as I've read, the earlier models don't have that, so might be up to you.

 

I'm gonna get some help this weekend and hope for the best to get it back in as I finally finished the upholstery and partly new seat cover (only renewed the ripped fabrics with Alcantara) and kept the vinyl on the sides. (I don't wanna go through that process again, I can tell you.)

Let me know how it goes!

[02sahara]

Alright, thanks for the hint @Son of Marty, paired with the help of a friend we've been able to generate some extra push to get it back in. 

[JKKH]

Reviving this for future searches.  In my 73, I have the inertia rear belts, which were installed close to horizontal (pointing at the outer hip of the front passengers.  Try as I might, couldn't get the bench bottom to clip in.  I ended up loosening the outside (the male inertia belt) belts, pulling the the bottom corner of the seat back out and tucking the rear portion of the plastic inertia cover back up under there so they are pointing up towards the top fronts of the pop-out side windows (a bit above 45 degrees) and tightening them down.  That allowed the rear bench bottom to 'get on in there' and pop in place.  It still took some cranking, but with the belts "down", they wouldn't go at all.  Hope this helps a new '02er down the line!