Doh!!!!! Stupid seat bolt nuts!!!!!!
07-07-2005, 12:59 AM
#1
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Join Date: May 2005
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Doh!!!!! Stupid seat bolt nuts!!!!!!
You read, research and pay close attention to detail and what happens... the inevitable!
Learn from my stupidity here. You do not want to repeat this mistake.
The front seat tracks have studs that go through the seat support that is an upside down box welded to the floor pan, and you access the nuts from underneath the car by removing plugs and using an extension with a deepwell socket that goes through holes in the floor pan. In the case of a convertible (like mine) there is a torque box right below that, and the plugs are in the torque box plate.
Long story short, make sure you completely unthread the nut, then carefully lower the socket with the nut through the hole(s). If it falls out and lands in the floor pan you are doomed to hours of torture trying to fish the little $^*&^^ nut back out.
Just in case you're thinking "...hey just get another nut and don't worry about the old one". It will rattle around in the box until it makes you so mad you'll want to rip the thing apart.
What a freakin' nightmare!!!
Learn from my stupidity here. You do not want to repeat this mistake.
The front seat tracks have studs that go through the seat support that is an upside down box welded to the floor pan, and you access the nuts from underneath the car by removing plugs and using an extension with a deepwell socket that goes through holes in the floor pan. In the case of a convertible (like mine) there is a torque box right below that, and the plugs are in the torque box plate.
Long story short, make sure you completely unthread the nut, then carefully lower the socket with the nut through the hole(s). If it falls out and lands in the floor pan you are doomed to hours of torture trying to fish the little $^*&^^ nut back out.
Just in case you're thinking "...hey just get another nut and don't worry about the old one". It will rattle around in the box until it makes you so mad you'll want to rip the thing apart.
What a freakin' nightmare!!!
07-07-2005, 02:26 AM
#2
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Tyler, TX
Posts: 508
RE: Doh!!!!! Stupid seat bolt nuts!!!!!!
Man, I hear ya.
I spent about 30 minutes trying to get one bolt out of that box when I replaced my carpet. I had to use a coathanger to get it close enough to the edge to grab with my fingers. PITA!
I spent about 30 minutes trying to get one bolt out of that box when I replaced my carpet. I had to use a coathanger to get it close enough to the edge to grab with my fingers. PITA!
07-07-2005, 02:49 AM
#3
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Join Date: Apr 2005
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RE: Doh!!!!! Stupid seat bolt nuts!!!!!!
ORIGINAL: nualln
Man, I hear ya.
I spent about 30 minutes trying to get one bolt out of that box when I replaced my carpet. I had to use a coathanger to get it close enough to the edge to grab with my fingers. PITA!
Man, I hear ya.
I spent about 30 minutes trying to get one bolt out of that box when I replaced my carpet. I had to use a coathanger to get it close enough to the edge to grab with my fingers. PITA!
07-08-2005, 01:01 AM
#5
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Magnet
After 26 years doing this stuff for a living I've got some pretty good retrieval tools including magnets. Turns out Nualln is pretty spot on. I ended up using something similar to "sweep" it to the edge. The magnetic tools (first ones out of the box) wouldn't work in this application.
Of course a coat hanger is cheap. I had to use a super heterdyne quasi monofiliment Super Secret Squirl $2,000.00 Snap-On tool.
Because no real pro uses a hanger
. Probably wouldn't have taken as long using a hanger though, as the fur on the Super Secret Squirl tool kept getting caught in the cracks. 
Of course a coat hanger is cheap. I had to use a super heterdyne quasi monofiliment Super Secret Squirl $2,000.00 Snap-On tool.
Because no real pro uses a hanger
. Probably wouldn't have taken as long using a hanger though, as the fur on the Super Secret Squirl tool kept getting caught in the cracks.
07-08-2005, 12:37 PM
#6
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Join Date: Oct 2004
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RE: Magnet
Hey Scott.....I know the feeling. Just the other day as I was working on Old Yeller, my ratcht fell between the radiator and the grille. With a coat hanger and several explitives, I finally wrestled it to a position where I could grab the end of the handle with some long nosed pliers. Now, I swear I will always use a table beside the car to put my tools on instead of on the battery or the radiator. Nah!!!! It will happen again. I never learn. 
07-09-2005, 02:24 AM
#7
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Join Date: Apr 2005
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RE: Magnet
ORIGINAL: Soaring
Hey Scott.....I know the feeling. Just the other day as I was working on Old Yeller, my ratcht fell between the radiator and the grille. With a coat hanger and several explitives, I finally wrestled it to a position where I could grab the end of the handle with some long nosed pliers. Now, I swear I will always use a table beside the car to put my tools on instead of on the battery or the radiator. Nah!!!! It will happen again. I never learn.
Hey Scott.....I know the feeling. Just the other day as I was working on Old Yeller, my ratcht fell between the radiator and the grille. With a coat hanger and several explitives, I finally wrestled it to a position where I could grab the end of the handle with some long nosed pliers. Now, I swear I will always use a table beside the car to put my tools on instead of on the battery or the radiator. Nah!!!! It will happen again. I never learn.
07-09-2005, 11:42 AM
#8
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RE: Doh!!!!! Stupid seat bolt nuts!!!!!!
It will rattle around in the box until it makes you so mad you'll want to rip the thing apart.
07-09-2005, 01:03 PM
#9
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RE: Doh!!!!! Stupid seat bolt nuts!!!!!!
[/quote]
You need to get a louder car....I thought a heard a rattle once while I was driving....but it was just something loose in my head.
[/quote]
[sm=icon_rofl.gif] Almost lost my coffee on that one!
I'm working on the "louder" part, right after the stopping and handling part. Actually the little six is so quite even the A/M radio drowns it out! I may have to get one of those big 5" tachs with a shift light... yeah, that's the tickect!
Talk about shorting batteries. At one point someone must have put the wrong battery in with the positive post closest to the right front corner. I found a terminal nut "welded" to the inner fender by just one little corner. Bet that scared the crap out of someone!!!
You need to get a louder car....I thought a heard a rattle once while I was driving....but it was just something loose in my head.
[/quote]
[sm=icon_rofl.gif] Almost lost my coffee on that one!
I'm working on the "louder" part, right after the stopping and handling part. Actually the little six is so quite even the A/M radio drowns it out! I may have to get one of those big 5" tachs with a shift light... yeah, that's the tickect!
Talk about shorting batteries. At one point someone must have put the wrong battery in with the positive post closest to the right front corner. I found a terminal nut "welded" to the inner fender by just one little corner. Bet that scared the crap out of someone!!!
07-09-2005, 01:21 PM
#10
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Join Date: Jun 2005
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RE: Doh!!!!! Stupid seat bolt nuts!!!!!!
I know the feeling. When I was installing my shaker hood scoop, I had to drill through the bottom hood skin to attach the bolts for the applique, Well I lost a few of the nuts in between the two layers drove me crazy. I guess you really can't hear them rattle around if you are in the passenger compartment, but it worries me to wonder if other people can hear nuts and bolts rattle as I go around turns. Still have no idea how to get those out with out cutting new holes. Oh well. I definatly learned something.
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