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  • kevin_tbird
    Experienced
    • Jun 12 2011
    • 157

    1960 power seat - mechanical

    I'm putting back together the front seats (I have power seats on the drivers side). One of the two rails moves very loosely, the other is pretty tight. I found what looks like a flat spring that may have came out on the loos side. Note both tracks run on roller bearings. Does anyone know how this flat spring should be installed?

    Thanks
    Kevin


    I'm just full of questions right now - The bird is going back together finally!
  • jopizz
    Super-Experienced


    • Nov 23 2009
    • 8308

    #2
    The only spring I'm aware of is connected to the handle which locks one side of the track. The other track doesn't lock as far as I can remember and is loose as you described.
    John Pizzi - Squarebirds Administrator

    Thunderbird Registry #36223
    jopizz@squarebirds.org 856-779-9695

    https://www.squarebirds.org/picture_gallery/TechnicalResourceLibrary/trl.htm

    Comment

    • Guest

      #3
      Hey Kevin,
      Are we talking the power seat or the manual? I have a power seat rail I will have to dig out and look at, if that is what you are talking about
      Richard D. Hord

      Comment

      • kevin_tbird
        Experienced
        • Jun 12 2011
        • 157

        #4
        power seats Richard

        Thanks

        Comment

        • jopizz
          Super-Experienced


          • Nov 23 2009
          • 8308

          #5
          Kevin,

          Sorry, I thought you were talking about the manual seat. I have a spare power seat track that I just looked at and the one side is loose. I don't see any spring.

          John
          John Pizzi - Squarebirds Administrator

          Thunderbird Registry #36223
          jopizz@squarebirds.org 856-779-9695

          https://www.squarebirds.org/picture_gallery/TechnicalResourceLibrary/trl.htm

          Comment

          • simplyconnected
            Administrator
            • May 26 2009
            • 8778

            #6
            Hope this helps:
            Member, Sons of the American Revolution

            CLICK HERE to see my custom hydraulic roller 390 FE build.

            "We've got to pause and ask ourselves: How much clean air do we need?"
            --Lee Iacocca

            From: Royal Oak, Michigan

            Comment

            • Tbird1044
              Super-Experienced
              • Jul 31 2012
              • 1346

              #7
              Originally posted by kevin_tbird
              I'm putting back together the front seats (I have power seats on the drivers side). One of the two rails moves very loosely, the other is pretty tight. I found what looks like a flat spring that may have came out on the loos side. Note both tracks run on roller bearings. Does anyone know how this flat spring should be installed?

              Thanks
              Kevin


              I'm just full of questions right now - The bird is going back together finally!
              I know this is an old post, but I now have the same predicament. On my drivers rails, one rail has ball bearings in it and the other does not. There is a piece of spring steel in the track where I can see the bearings used to ride on it. I am lucky that I also have a passenger power seat, and when I checked it, it does have bearings on both sides. Has anyone come accross this and been able to repair/replace the bearings? If they came out without the rivets loosening up, I would think they would go back in, unless they were so badly worn.
              Also, thanks to the TRL, I was able to take the motor apart, clean it and put it back together. Haven't run it yet, but am hoping it will be fine.
              Nyles

              Comment

              • Tbird1044
                Super-Experienced
                • Jul 31 2012
                • 1346

                #8
                If anyone else has come across the situation where the ball bearing are missing from one or both of your seat rails, I have a solution. I took my "good" rail apart to measure the ball bearing size. It is a standard 5/8" (.625") bearing that I was able to buy from Ebay for a few $$. I did have to grind out the front rivet from the seat rail to get access, but was able to reinstall it and it seems tight. My second one might go back together using a 1/4" allen head cap screw, if I can't find a new rivet. This is only one of 4 rivets, so I am not concerned about it coming apart.
                Nyles

                Comment

                • Tbird1044
                  Super-Experienced
                  • Jul 31 2012
                  • 1346

                  #9
                  Power Seat Track Rebuild

                  Originally posted by Tbird1044
                  If anyone else has come across the situation where the ball bearing are missing from one or both of your seat rails, I have a solution. I took my "good" rail apart to measure the ball bearing size. It is a standard 5/8" (.625") bearing that I was able to buy from Ebay for a few $$. I did have to grind out the front rivet from the seat rail to get access, but was able to reinstall it and it seems tight. My second one might go back together using a 1/4" allen head cap screw, if I can't find a new rivet. This is only one of 4 rivets, so I am not concerned about it coming apart.
                  Nyles
                  Well, I am pretty close to finishing my power seat tracks and getting them ready for upholstery. Never would I have thought this would take 2 weeks. Cleaned 4 motors, 4 relays, 2 switches, 4 gearboxes and and 2 complete set of tracks. The challenging part came when I found that one track was missing the 2 ball bearings. I bought some on Ebay and got them installed in the track. Seems to work like it should.
                  I'm not sure about the little piece that runs on the acme thread of the gearboxes. The passenger seat seems to slip a little in the forward/back actuator. I have never seen these as a replacement, but one of mine was obviously replaced as it is a different style.
                  Next, I am on to my rebuilding my window regulator/motor assemblies. I am hoping they won't be as bad, but we'll see.
                  Nyles
                  Attached Files

                  Comment

                  • tbird430
                    Super-Experienced
                    • Jun 18 2007
                    • 2648

                    #10
                    Good work "Tbird1044".

                    On a side note, the 1958-60 T-Birds NEVER had a power passenger front seat option. Somewhere along the way someone, in the past, has retrofitted an extra driver's seat track to your Bird's right front seat.

                    This is why you are having a hard time finding parts offered for a passenger front seat.

                    -Jon in TX.
                    sigpic
                    The 1960 Ford Thunderbird. The WORLD'S most wanted car....

                    VTCI Member#6287.

                    Comment

                    • Tbird1044
                      Super-Experienced
                      • Jul 31 2012
                      • 1346

                      #11
                      Jon:
                      I figure that someone replaced the passenger seat with a power unit. It is an identical clone to the drivers seat. Just need to reverse a few wires on the motors to get the switch to be correct. In the 1960 Ford shop manual, there is this statement on page 15-5. "If BOTH front seats are power operated and one seat is inoperative, the source of the trouble is between the junction block and the inoperative seat mechanism." Kind of made me wonder a bit.
                      Since both seat mechanisms are the same, parts are not really a problem, other than the 2 ball bearings in the track that were missing. Ebay took care of those, once I knew the size. The other part that seems really hard to find is the "ball nut" that rides back and forth on the acme threaded shaft. One is slipping a bit and I need to figure out if they can be serviced or if anyone has a replacement. One is totally different already, so I know at one time it was replaced. Has anyone ever had to replace one of these ball nuts?
                      Nyles

                      Comment

                      • tbird430
                        Super-Experienced
                        • Jun 18 2007
                        • 2648

                        #12
                        I personally have never had one that far apart.

                        Just had the motors refurb'ed years back...

                        Good luck on your restoration,
                        Jon in TX.
                        sigpic
                        The 1960 Ford Thunderbird. The WORLD'S most wanted car....

                        VTCI Member#6287.

                        Comment

                        • YellowRose
                          Super-Experienced


                          • Jan 21 2008
                          • 17188

                          #13
                          1960 power seat - mechanical

                          Yessss, it WAS possible to get a 1960 Squarebird with the 4 Way Power Passenger Seat option! Look at the 1960 Optional Equipment listing and you will see it there as a new option for 1960.

                          http://automotivemileposts.com/tbird...equipment.html

                          As for that "ball nut" you need, send Carl Heller ~ partsetal a PM. He has a lot of Squarebird parts and I would be surprised if he could not come up with what you need!

                          Ray Clark - Squarebirds Administrator
                          The Terminator..... VTCI #11178 ITC #6000 Yellow Mustang Registry (YMR) #12188
                          Contact me via Private Message for my email address, or Call (Cell) 210-875-1411

                          https://www.squarebirds.org/picture_gallery/TechnicalResourceLibrary/trl.htm
                          Faye's Ovarian Cancer Memorial Website.
                          https://faye.rayclark.info/index.html

                          Comment

                          • Tbird1044
                            Super-Experienced
                            • Jul 31 2012
                            • 1346

                            #14
                            Thanks Ray for the link. So my passenger p/s could be factory. Not sure how I would ever know, maybe the VIN. The wiring from driver to pass. seat almost looks factory, but there are a few other things that make me suspicious of it being added later. Oh well, I got it, and it works. ;-)

                            Nyles

                            Comment

                            • YellowRose
                              Super-Experienced


                              • Jan 21 2008
                              • 17188

                              #15
                              1960 power seat - mechanical

                              Hi Nyles, there are several options here. One is that the car was special ordered from the factory with the power passenger seat. The other is that it was added at the car dealership when it was bought, at the buyers request. Or that it might have been added by a previous owner sometime after it was bought. If you have the Build/Rot Sheet, it might have an indication on it that it has the 4 Way Power Passenger Seat installed. If you are one of the lucky ones who has found their sheet, see what it says. The VIN # would not tell you anything about it, but the Build/Rot Sheet should have an annotation on it if that power seat was installed at the factory.

                              Ray Clark - Squarebirds Administrator
                              The Terminator..... VTCI #11178 ITC #6000 Yellow Mustang Registry (YMR) #12188
                              Contact me via Private Message for my email address, or Call (Cell) 210-875-1411

                              https://www.squarebirds.org/picture_gallery/TechnicalResourceLibrary/trl.htm
                              Faye's Ovarian Cancer Memorial Website.
                              https://faye.rayclark.info/index.html

                              Comment

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