Bench seat cable

[focusedontheprize]

I am rebuilding my interior at the moment and noticed my seat frame did not come with a cable. Anyone know how long this cable is suppose to be?

[mknittle]

I don't know right off but I would make it a tad on the short side to compensate for stretching. Most of the ones we have around here the drivers side disengages and the passenger side doesn't or barely does.

[Zach B]

The latter ones had a rod and nobody can look at the seat and tell the difference. I would go with the latter setup because the cable does not work like it should. It gets stretched and does not do it's job properly.
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[focusedontheprize]

Originally Posted by mknittle

I don't know right off but I would make it a tad on the short side to compensate for stretching. Most of the ones we have around here the drivers side disengages and the passenger side doesn't or barely does.

Ok. Good info. Just need to get an idea of how much I need in feet.

[mr48chev]

Everyone I have had has had what looks like a length of wire made out of spring steel. Half of them didn't work.

[Bubba54]

I have one out in the garage somewhere. Its for a 54 GMC. Ill post some pics and dimension. I wont be using it , so if it will work your welcome to it.

[focusedontheprize]

Originally Posted by Bubba54

I have one out in the garage somewhere. Its for a 54 GMC. Ill post some pics and dimension. I wont be using it , so if it will work your welcome to it.

Thanks a lot Bubba.

[focusedontheprize]

Originally Posted by Zach B

The latter ones had a rod and nobody can look at the seat and tell the difference. I would go with the latter setup because the cable does not work like it should. It gets stretched and does not do it's job properly.
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Hmm, I will see if I can find pictures of this.

[Bubba54]

It will be after work today before I can Get the info. mr48chev is correct mine looks like a piece of spring steal.

[Bubba54]

Originally Posted by focusedontheprize

Thanks a lot Bubba.

Here is the pics for the seat slide rod.







If it looks like you can use it, send me a PM and Ill get it sent

Shawn

[Zach B]

That pick is the latter style. They started with those in 51 I believe.
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[mknittle]

Originally Posted by Zach B

That pick is the latter style. They started with those in 51 I believe.
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My 52 had the piano wire. It would be pretty easy to make a rod though.

[Gippetto]

I went out to the garage to measure mine whose seat is out of the truck. Not as simple as you would think. The good news is the length isn't fussy where it has a clamp at each end. Extra length is fine. The cable is about 75 1/2" long clamp to clamp. I wounld go with about 80". The bad news is the GM original cable is a hybrid thing with steel wire, 0.016" dia., wrapped around a woven string cord that measures about 0.08" dia. The overall diameter of the cable is 0.130", nominal 1/8". It fits snug in the pulleys. I bet they came up with this to get the right strength and flexibility. An all steel woven cable 1/8 diameter would be way stiffer than that on the trucks. You might find something at McMaster Carr's sight. They have stainless cable in a multitude of diameters and strand counts. They also advise the flexibility of each.
I will be up against the same thing. My cable is in place but broken.

[Gippetto]

I read the other posts and I think there are different designs out there. My truck is a '47 GMC which had alot of one time, first model year design issues. My seat seems more complicated that some of the later years posted. It has 4 - 2" pulleys that threads the cable from the seat adjustment lever forward about 9" then 180 degrees back to rear corner pulley then across to right rear corner then forward to a front RH pulley, around that then to a clamp about 4" behind. Sorry if this is a RED HERRING

[Gippetto]

I read the other posts and I think there are different designs out there. My truck is a '47 GMC which had alot of one time, first model year design issues. My seat seems more complicated that some of the other posts. It has 4 - 2" pulleys that threads the cable from the seat adjustment lever back, across then forward to a front RH pulley, around that then to a clamp about 4" behind. Sorry if this is a RED HERRING

[mknittle]

That's interesting I haven't seen one with pulleys yet. most just pull straight across the length of the seat. some have the wire and sometime later a rod was used. I looked around and I have trucks with both styles.

[focusedontheprize]

Originally Posted by Bubba54

Here is the pics for the seat slide rod.

Attachment 1126021

Attachment 1126022

Attachment 1126023

If it looks like you can use it, send me a PM and Ill get it sent

Shawn

Shawn - thanks a lot. I am actually out of town until next week, but will have a look when I get back.
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