Help. Seat springs needed.

[General23cmp]

Both my driver and passenger side, long side springs (weird shape) are broken as well as the small springs that connect to them near their midpoint on my 72 seat bottom. Can anyone please please help me find these? I don't think typical seat upholstery springs are the same. These seem still and less bend-able than them.

[General23cmp]

I meant "stiff" not "still".

[LockDoc]

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I would try an automotive upholstery shop. They usually have replacement springs.....

LockDoc

[General23cmp]

Can they usually make an odd-shaped spring with good stiffness? I can probably make my own, but there's no way it would be as stiff as the original.

[Ed F]

Originally Posted by General23cmp

Can they usually make an odd-shaped spring with good stiffness? I can probably make my own, but there's no way it would be as stiff as the original.

I believe you are talking about the taller narrow springs at each end. Mine were not broken but were weak. I took some 2"x2" foam and cut it to fit in an around those springs. Then I added about 10" of 2" foam to either end under the factory foam. It sits like a new seat. I should have taken some pictures.

[General23cmp]

Yes. Those are the ones. Mine are broken, but I plan to add foam once repaired.

[SoCoC10]

I think these are the springs that the OP is looking for.

[General23cmp]

Yes. That spring and the small one that ties into the center of it. Both sides.

[SoCoC10]

Here is what I used to fix mine. A local upholstery shop had a huge roll of this generic "S" curved spring. I think they charged me $3 for 1 1/2ft of it. Hope this helps.

[SoCoC10]

Another angle...

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by SoCoC10

Here is what I used to fix mine. A local upholstery shop had a huge roll of this generic "S" curved spring. I think they charged me $3 for 1 1/2ft of it. Hope this helps.

Yep, that's exactly what I was talking about....

LockDoc

[General23cmp]

Thanks. Looks like there are good options besides original springs.

[General23cmp]

Any advice on getting old spring clips off and reinstalling?

[Grumpy old man]

Use a pair of side cutters to open the spring clips and after straightening them a bit you can use a set of small vise gripes to reinstall .

This thread reminds me I promised to pull some springs for other members and I guess I just forgot it's probably finally time to start writing everything down in one of those old man pocket notebooks ? I hate getting old when the body still looks 35 Haha !

[General23cmp]

Also three of the 4 Phillips head screws that held the top to the bottom seat frames were locked on there with rust. Between that an the old Phillips screw head, I had to drill the head off to separate the top from the bottom. The top bracket looks fine. Question, how would you recommend me drilling the threaded parts left out of the nuts welded to the back of the frame (I assume the nuts are welded on)? I would like to preserve the nuts so I can reuse them with new screws.

Also, does anyone have advice on where to get new screws that are the correct size? They are very unique-looking.

I'm almost to the point of finding another seat bottom (between these screws and the broken springs), but dang they are kinda expensive lately.

[General23cmp]

Pic of seat bottom prepped for new cover. Needs long, raised side springs on both sides and the shorter springs that support them.

[General23cmp]

Another

[General23cmp]

One more

[Grumpy old man]

That's a full foam seat base , the springs from the standard seats are different and won't interchange . The smaller springs is just a generic s spring and any auto or even furniture upholstery shop has those cut to length with a small set of bolt cutters

[General23cmp]

Thanks. It's my understanding that this is the common seat of the two types. When I look in the catalogs for foam, it's the only foam they reproduce.

[Grumpy old man]

Don't buy replacement foam ,repair what you have the replacements are just crazy expensive and your butt won't be able to tell the difference between the original and a correctly repaired seat foam

[General23cmp]

Oh I agree. I'm using the originals. I was just commenting that the seat frame I have seems to be the more common version. I really need new side springs as mine are broken.