Seat bolts

stinger440 · Post by **stinger440** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 9:06 pm

I was trying to take off my seat tonight. I started turning the nuts under the tunnel and it appears the entire bolt is spinning. What is the best way to fix this problem? Do I have to cut them or is there a good trick to remove them so I can take the seat off.

The front bolts were already broke and I got a nice mouse nest out from under it. Including mice!!!

opsled · Post by **opsled** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 11:03 am

If they are already turning you will probably end up cutting them off. Don't use a torch as they come through the plastic trunk housing and you will ruin it with heat. I would use a die grinder with a cutting wheel and take your time so it doesn't get too hot. A spray bottle with cold water in it to spray on the bolt while you are cutting it will keep the bolt from melting the plastic trunk. Just alternate cutting and spraying to keep the bolt reitivly cool. Once you get it off you can loosen the seat cover on the corners, pull them up and fab up a new bolt with retainer then staple the cover back down. It's fairly self evident what needs to be done once you get a look at it.
Good Luck

stinger440 · Post by **stinger440** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 11:35 am

Thats what I was expecting. Thanks

On that note, The threaded fittings that hold the front of the seat down, can they be replaced? One of mine has a bolt broke off in it and th other is extremely crusty.

opsled · Post by **opsled** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 2:16 pm

It's very common for those bolts to break because of rust. They will usually come right out with heat. I would either remove or shield the gas tank first then heat the nut part of that bracket and screw the bolt through the bracket by grabing it from the inside with a vice grips. Those bolts usually stick through the nut and will turn through if you can get ahold of them. They might even come loose with just some wd-40. Replacing them is a real pain. The rivets holding them in are almost impossible to drill out so I usually just clean them up as goog as possible, tape them off and repaint them in place.

tfin · Post by **tfin** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 3:20 pm

Another thing to do with the rear bolts is to hold the threads you can see with a vise grips and turn the nut. Either way, you will have to refasten the head once you get the seat off.

A nut splitter will also work if you can get it in there.

stinger440 · Post by **stinger440** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 11:56 am

Just an update on this. I used a dremel with a cutoff wheel and got the bolts out. Seat is off. Now I need to replace the metal on the front part of the seat. The wood in the middle and the bolts at the back. Good thing the seat cover is in good shape.