Seat Frame: New Challenge, Reassembly & Seat Handle Rails Options

[914_7T3]

Looking to have my seat frames powder coated and need to remove the non-painted handle assembly as it contains plastic bushings that will melt at high temperature.

Any idea on the correct procedure and tools required for removal?

[bbrock]

Just a drift to drive out the roll pin that the spring hooks on. That also holds the cam piece onto the handle shaft. After that, it all comes apart easily.

[914_7T3]

Just a drift to drive out the roll pin that the spring hooks on. That also holds the cam piece onto the handle shaft. After that, it all comes apart easily.

Thanks Brent, that looks easy peasy and aligns well with my current skill set!

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[914_7T3]

Got the frames back from Powder Coating and cleaned up the hardware. Upon installation, not sure how to get the spring properly seated to the pin and inserted in the frame.

Can anyone chime in on the which side of the spring is installed first or if it is done simultaneously somehow after the pin is inserted?






Second challenge is how to remove the seat handle assembly from the rail. There is a single rivet at the back. Is there a simple way to remove and reinstall or would it be better to sand and rattle can the handle and just leave it attached?

[bbrock]

First. Make sure you have plenty of coins to put in the swear jar because you will use ALL of your words. Those little springs are almost as nasty as the trunk torsion bars and I damn near lost a thumb on the first one I did. Not sure if anyone has a better trick, but I wound up just using a needle nose vice grip on the hook part to reef it up around that pin. Hated to do it on a freshly replated spring but I tried many other approaches first, including the one that I think literally cracked the end of my thumb bone and another that resulted in a slipped screw driver and a nice scratch in my freshly painted frame.

On painting the handle, I'd also like to know how hard it is to take apart and put back together. I wound up leaving it on. I cleaned the rail really good and then masked it off to spray the handle satin black. It came out really nice. I'm guessing you could find a replacement rivet so you could just drill out the old one and separate the parts, but something about those rivets intimidates me.

[914_7T3]

First. Make sure you have plenty of coins to put in the swear jar because you will use ALL of your words. Those little springs are almost as nasty as the trunk torsion bars and I damn near lost a thumb on the first one I did. Not sure if anyone has a better trick, but I wound up just using a needle nose vice grip on the hook part to reef it up around that pin. Hated to do it on a freshly replated spring but I tried many other approaches first, including the one that I think literally cracked the end of my thumb bone and another that resulted in a slipped screw driver and a nice scratch in my freshly painted frame.

On painting the handle, I'd also like to know how hard it is to take apart and put back together. I wound up leaving it on. I cleaned the rail really good and then masked it off to spray the handle satin black. It came out really nice. I'm guessing you could find a replacement rivet so you could just drill out the old one and separate the parts, but something about those rivets intimidates me.

Ok, so does that mean securing the spring to the rail first and then wrapping it on the pin? You have to explain it like I'm 6 years old.

I opted not to replate the hardware under the seat frame as they have a bit of a chrome finish. Used steel wool & oxalic acid and they came out pretty clean, but still shows their age. As for the handles, I will do same and not bother over complicating it.

[mepstein]

Didn't 914rubber make a tool for winding or setting the spring?
Whatever it is, I bought one but it's tucked away somewhere.

[914_7T3]

Didn't 914rubber make a tool for winding or setting the spring?
Whatever it is, I bought one but it's tucked away somewhere.

@Mikey914 ?

[mepstein]

Didn't 914rubber make a tool for winding or setting the spring?
Whatever it is, I bought one but it's tucked away somewhere.

@Mikey914 ?

I was mistaken. It's for driving in the pin

https://shop.914rubber.com/Special-tool-for...m?categoryId=-1

[bbrock]

Ok, so does that mean securing the spring to the rail first and then wrapping it on the pin? You have to explain it like I'm 6 years old.

Yes, that's it. After you have it secured through the little hole in the rail, get a good bite on the hook that goes over the pin with the vice grips and brute force it into place. Have a screw driver or punch handy in case you need it to push the spring sideways over the pin. Be prepared to fail a few times and don't be a dumbass like me and let it bite your thumb. Mines still a little bruised a couple weeks later.

I opted not to replate the hardware under the seat frame as they have a bit of a chrome finish. Used steel wool & oxalic acid and they came out pretty clean, but still shows their age. As for the handles, I will do same and not bother over complicating it.

I did pretty much the same thing. I scrubbed them well with a red scotch brite pad. The chrome finish on one seat was worse than the other so on that one I sprayed the rails with cold galvanizing. It looks nice but not factory so that see won't be as comfortable as the other. I could have gotten by without plating the spring and lever but since I can do it myself now, I had to do it. The lever was a challenge because it doesn't fit in my plating bucket. I plated half while bobbing it up and down to kind of feather the plating at the solution line, then flipped it over and did the other half. I was really happy with the result.

[914_7T3]

Ok, so does that mean securing the spring to the rail first and then wrapping it on the pin? You have to explain it like I'm 6 years old.

Yes, that's it. After you have it secured through the little hole in the rail, get a good bite on the hook that goes over the pin with the vice grips and brute force it into place. Have a screw driver or punch handy in case you need it to push the spring sideways over the pin. Be prepared to fail a few times and don't be a dumbass like me and let it bite your thumb. Mines still a little bruised a couple weeks later.

I opted not to replate the hardware under the seat frame as they have a bit of a chrome finish. Used steel wool & oxalic acid and they came out pretty clean, but still shows their age. As for the handles, I will do same and not bother over complicating it.

I did pretty much the same thing. I scrubbed them well with a red scotch brite pad. The chrome finish on one seat was worse than the other so on that one I sprayed the rails with cold galvanizing. It looks nice but not factory so that see won't be as comfortable as the other. I could have gotten by without plating the spring and lever but since I can do it myself now, I had to do it. The lever was a challenge because it doesn't fit in my plating bucket. I plated half while bobbing it up and down to kind of feather the plating at the solution line, then flipped it over and did the other half. I was really happy with the result.

Looks really nice! I'm going to wear two sets of eye protection. That shit scare me....

However, just saw this on the 914 Rubber website, "Note that I do sell a complete kit with 2 bushings, the 2 other main guide bushings, new roll pins. Best of all it comes with a custom roll pin install tool that will make the job easier."

Wonder if the spring can go over the roll pin tool and then use the vice grips....

Might just give that a go as I have two sets of seat frames and melted one set of black bushings....didn't even realize they were there.

[914_7T3]

Didn't 914rubber make a tool for winding or setting the spring?
Whatever it is, I bought one but it's tucked away somewhere.

@Mikey914 ?

I was mistaken. It's for driving in the pin

https://shop.914rubber.com/Special-tool-for...m?categoryId=-1

@mepstein It is sold as a kit as well!

https://900designs-container.zoeysite.com/s...ter-rebuild-kit

=

[bbrock]

That kit is what I installed. The roll pins that come with the kit are too big. You either have to drill the holes in the levers larger or grind the pins to make more clearance for them to close to a smaller diameter. I decide to just reuse the old pins. The special tool is like Mark said, it is just to help you set the depth of the pin. It's just a piece of round stock with a hole drilled in it. You put the pin in the hole and then drive it in with the tool. When the tool bottoms out, the pin is at the correct depth.. ish. I had to tap mine in a little more.

Anyway, the kit is good, but don't get too excited about it making the job easier.

[Mikey914]

Yes the tool holds the pin so you can get it installed without trying to use something else to hold it. As far as the roll pins I actually used the ones in the kit for my seat. Perhaps some variation? Let me know the size you used and I can include a set of them also so regardless of the one you have you'll have the pins you need. Again one more variation where I thought there wouldn't be one.

[bbrock]

As far as the roll pins I actually used the ones in the kit for my seat. Perhaps some variation? Let me know the size you used and I can include a set of them also so regardless of the one you have you'll have the pins you need. Again one more variation where I thought there wouldn't be one.

Interesting. I just reused the original ones so I'm not sure what size. They were only slightly smaller diameter and had a noticeable taper on them. The taper might have just been from being compressed for 47 years. When I started to drive the pin that came with the kit in, it compressed to close the gap before it squeezed small enough to drive into the hole. I thought about using my Dremel to just grind a little more clearance in the gap, but I had the originals handy and they were still in good shape. I don't remember who, but somebody else recently mentioned running into the same issue. Next time I have the seats out, I'll try to remember to measure the diameter of that pin.

[Mikey914]

Either way I'll take a look too this next week. Roll pins are cheap, so easy to add in.
Mark

[Olympic 914]

Bolted the seat rails to work table and used a wire and a turnbuckle to pull the spring back.

Its then easy to drive the pin in.






just snip the wire off to remove it.

[mepstein]

Bolted the seat rails to work table and used a wire and a turnbuckle to pull the spring back.

Its then easy to drive the pin in.



just snip the wire off to remove it.

That was going to be my plan. I like using mechanical leverage.

[914_7T3]

Bolted the seat rails to work table and used a wire and a turnbuckle to pull the spring back.

Its then easy to drive the pin in.






just snip the wire off to remove it.

Ended up going with a variation on the theme, albeit a bit ghetto style.

An old shoe lace and a pry bar were the tools of choice here...worked like a charm.

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