Hi everyone,
Can anyone tell me approx. how much fore/aft travel is in the drivers (LH ) seat? Mine is too close to the steering wheel (which of course has seized so no in/out adjustment is possible) and the seat only travels back and forth about 3 inches. I'm only 5' 6" tall, and it is still to close for me. Do things get jammed up under there or is this how it's supposed to be.

Also, any idea how to un-seize the collapsing steering wheel mechanism?

 

It should travel a lot more than that. Near the bottom front edge of the seat there is a single screw. Remove that and jiggle underneath and a little metal clip will fall out. Then lift up on the front of the seat bottom and it will lift out. Get a flashlight and check to see if anything has fallen down in the track blocking it.

As to the steering wheel, I assume you loosened the flutted ring that locks it. Ill let others more qualified than me take it from here.

 

Obviously there's a lot of things that could bind and prevent travel.
Having spent a lot time working with seat tracks the ball bearings can bunch together and limit travel. If you can see there is no physical obstruction. Run the seat as far forward and while sitting in it run it hard backwards and note if it travels further it should start to move further with each try.

 

It could be that it needs a little lube, try some WD40 spray it into the tracks
with a tube extender from WD40 can to get it into the tracks.

It should move about 4" at least.

Walter

 

Thanks for the info on the clip. I'll sure give that a try today. As for freeing up the steering wheel - still looking for advice!

 

Put a rubber pipe strap on the black knurled knob and turn it CCW... will loosen it enough so you can pull it out and push it in. Then tighten with hands only.

 

Roger,
I can loosen the locking ring all the way, but the sliding shafts seem to be seized together. I'm concerned about distorting the steering wheel if I pull/push any harder. Whats the worst that could happen if I slacken the ring and drive the car in an attempt to free it up - other than the wheel becoming a bit sloppy fore/aft? I've never pulled the wheel, but if I did, can I squirt WD40 into the shafts?

 

You can see the splines, lubricant will not hurt.

 

measure how far the back of the steering wheel center is to the plastic "nacelle" / cover center.

There are two half-moon "keys" at the back of the adjustment section that if placed backwards, they will not allow any forward or backwards movement of the adjustable section of the steering column.

This adjustable section is a separate section from the steering column, it can be removed and replaced at will, not exactly an easy job but it is designed to be removable.

I have a complete spare unit but I doubt yours is bad, there simply isn't anything there that could be damaged. I can only suspect that the half-moon keys were re-fitted incorrectly?

To find out, you need to remove the steering wheel. Not difficult to do. Then the "keys" will be at the rearmost part of the steering shaft, you can see them because they will fall out of the shaft. You "glue" them back with a little grease or vaseline on the part that touches the shaft. They are "cone" shaped, and the widest part of the cone goes towards the front of the car, the smallest part of the circle that they form, goes towards the steering wheel.

SEAT TRAVEL: At least 11 inches towards the rear until it stops.

1) is the seat Height motor working?

2) have you looked under the seat and both tracks, front and rear, with a bright light to see if anything is visibly stopping movement?

3) are you pulling the seat's unlocking bar and keeping it raised as you push the seat back?

4) does the unlocking bar go back down hard when you release it?

5) does the front passenger seat behave different?

 

Thanks Jose,
Will check the wheel.
1) Motor working, but switch operation seems to be reversed.
2) Will have a peek today - not pleasant as garage is at 6 degrees Centigrade!
3) Bar seems to work correctly and I'm holding it up.
4) Bar goes down firmly and seat locks.
5) Will check - suiting up now!

Someone's been at the wheel and seat I believe.

 

if the up / down function of the seat height switch is reversed, pull the switch complete with wires connected and turn it around, it comes off easily.

 

Removed the switch and reversed it so now it works correctly.
There is nothing preventing the seat to go further backwards and it matches the Passenger seat for travel so I guess that's how it is designed. Don't understand how a 6 footer could be comfortable unless they were to rake the seat back rearwards.

Got the steering wheel to move rearwards by at least 1 1/2" so it's much more relaxing to drive now.

Thanks for the tips.

 

I measured from the front of the adjusting pull-bar to the brake pedal in my car:

18" inches with seat at maximum to the rear.
10" inches with seat at maximum to the front.

I believe there is a way to make it go farther to the rear, it has to do with where the seat tracks are first engaged when re-installing the seat, I found this out by mistake so I can't remember what I did.