weird seat hardware?

[echecsqueen]

I removed my passenger seat in order to access the console housing the heater fan switches. Here is the hardware for the 6 bolts (4 rear and 2 front). Anyone know why each bolt would have a different fittings? Front two have "L" brackets that sat on top of rail, right side had additional short bar underneath. Rear bolts had these bars under the rails - longer on left than right) Do I put all of this back in ?
I could barely get the frontmost rear bolts out at all as the seat was in the way...is there a trick to this?
thanks

[wrxnofx]

You are missing one of the plates on the front left. The L shape bracket is the forward seat stop. The bolt threads into the plate under the tail. Look in the car - it's probably underneath the seat in the channel. Without that plate the bolt isn't threaded into anything.

My car also has a couple 4 hole plates and a couple 2 hole plates.

[echecsqueen]

Thanks - probably obvious to everyone but me. Glad to know the L brackets are the seat stops....i wouldn't have known which direction to put them back in. This is indeed a learning experience.
Cut up my hands a bit on this project - any secrets?

[wrxnofx]

Originally Posted by echecsqueen

Cut up my hands a bit on this project - any secrets?

Callouses

Here are some things I learned when taking my seat out/putting my seat back in on my '87:

1. The seat rails are parallel (obviously) but offset from one another in the fore/aft direction, which I still don't understand. That is, say the front edge of the left seat rail sticks out 1 inch from the front edge of the seat when lined up with the bolt holes on the floor. You'll find that the right one is not the same, like it's inches different, in order to line up with its holes. I have no idea why. It's just the way I needed to move the rails so that they lined up with the rails on the floor of the car.

2. I was not able to use a conventional ratchet and socket to get at the bolts because the seat is basically always in the way. Rather, I had to use a 90 degree allen wrench, and then use a socket extension with a socket on the end as a "cheater bar" for a longer moment arm.

3. There is always worry about stripping the allen socket in the bolt (I can't imagine how tough it would be to try and get a drill down there to drill a bolt out. Someone on here mentioned that you can take some grinding compound (like a gritty, sandy paste) and put some on the allen wrench for more "grip" of the wrench in the socket. I did this and it seemed to help. Purchased the grinding compound from my local auto parts store.

[Tremelune]

I like to wear a pair of mechanic's gloves...I cut the tips off the thumb, index, and middle fingers so I can actually do stuff with them.

Those bars are to spread the load in the event of an accident. I recently brought my car in to have some interior work done, and the shop found the seats were held in with bolts and washers. They wouldn't let me take the car until they installed new plates.

[echecsqueen]

Originally Posted by Tremelune

I like to wear a pair of mechanic's gloves...I cut the tips off the thumb, index, and middle fingers so I can actually do stuff with them.

Those bars are to spread the load in the event of an accident. I recently brought my car in to have some interior work done, and the shop found the seats were held in with bolts and washers. They wouldn't let me take the car until they installed new plates.

I tried to find some mechanics gloves but all of them were huge on my hands!

[echecsqueen]

Originally Posted by wrxnofx

Callouses

Here are some things I learned when taking my seat out/putting my seat back in on my '87:

1. The seat rails are parallel (obviously) but offset from one another in the fore/aft direction, which I still don't understand. That is, say the front edge of the left seat rail sticks out 1 inch from the front edge of the seat when lined up with the bolt holes on the floor. You'll find that the right one is not the same, like it's inches different, in order to line up with its holes. I have no idea why. It's just the way I needed to move the rails so that they lined up with the rails on the floor of the car.

2. I was not able to use a conventional ratchet and socket to get at the bolts because the seat is basically always in the way. Rather, I had to use a 90 degree allen wrench, and then use a socket extension with a socket on the end as a "cheater bar" for a longer moment arm.

3. There is always worry about stripping the allen socket in the bolt (I can't imagine how tough it would be to try and get a drill down there to drill a bolt out. Someone on here mentioned that you can take some grinding compound (like a gritty, sandy paste) and put some on the allen wrench for more "grip" of the wrench in the socket. I did this and it seemed to help. Purchased the grinding compound from my local auto parts store.

WORD! thanks - will try the compound...like the idea of the socket extension to get leverage