fearofweapons Posted May 9, 2020 Share Posted May 9, 2020 Hello, some time ago we recovered the front seats in out 1989 110. At some point during that process the seat base got out of true. The side with the reclining handle on 'slipped'. This means that when the seat is bolted to the seat base in the car the back is twisted; the left-hand side of the back is pulled forward. If I take the seat out of the car and place it on a flat surface the left-hand seat rail is raised at the front if the right hand rail is bolted flat. (Once my phone has some charge, I can take a photo and show you.) Now I have some spare time on my hands I am trying to get the seat back into alignment and failing. Basically, I need to get the reclining teeth to engage at a different point (I think) but cannot for the life of me work out how. Any help, as always, gratefully received. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted May 9, 2020 Share Posted May 9, 2020 Surely you can just sit on it and pull the lever... back against it will then let it all settle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fearofweapons Posted May 9, 2020 Author Share Posted May 9, 2020 Yeah you would have thought so.... but apparently not. 😥 Here are some photos... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted May 9, 2020 Share Posted May 9, 2020 Stick the seatbase back on it and sit it on a flat surface, its how I did mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fearofweapons Posted May 9, 2020 Author Share Posted May 9, 2020 Thanks - tried that, and I'm no lite weight!, but no joy. 🤔 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted May 9, 2020 Share Posted May 9, 2020 I can't see any way the mechanism wouldn't allow it to go back doing that way. You may need to pull the handle and then sit on it (probably with difficulty as it closes up). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted May 9, 2020 Share Posted May 9, 2020 Do you mean you bent something, or just that one of the sliding rails moved so they’re not even? If the latter, then just bolt the front ends of the rails to the body, slightly loose, and leave the back free, so that you have something to pull against. Then you can just lif the handle and skew the seat tracks back to square and even. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutley Posted May 10, 2020 Share Posted May 10, 2020 Looking at the 1st. Photo the seat rails are uneven by one notch!?! Lift the rail sliding bar and pull one or push one rail until they are the same length. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mutley Posted May 11, 2020 Share Posted May 11, 2020 These are NOT evenly protruding and will likely be the cause???...…….Lift the slide bar and push or pull one of the rails, I would guess x1 notch/click until they are the same length of protrusion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fearofweapons Posted May 11, 2020 Author Share Posted May 11, 2020 Thanks for pointing out the seat rails are not the same length. That is not the cause. They became mismatched while trying to resolve the issue. As can be seen in the photo Mutley has ringed the inner front corner is higher than the outer front corner - that is the issue I'm trying to fix. It's very frustrating. If I fold the seats flat forward the rails sit flat and square. Once I put the seat into the upright position they do not - so something to do with the ratchet mechanism. Which seemed to 'slip' when I was recovering the seats. I've checked as best I can, using set squares / flat bar, and nothing appears to be bent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted May 11, 2020 Share Posted May 11, 2020 Every Defender seat I've fitted has been like that, the mechanism doesn’t really work properly outside of the car. When bolted down they work fine and everything is held in line. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted May 11, 2020 Share Posted May 11, 2020 Yep, mine are like that too. You can try bending them back if it bothers you - it’s the frame along the back that has twisted a little, the steel angle that runs underneath the back cushion. Mine are like that to varying extents, common like Retro says, and also like he says they work normally once installed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fearofweapons Posted May 12, 2020 Author Share Posted May 12, 2020 Thanks for the replies and confirmation this is a common / normal thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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