fixed my rocking passenger seat...
02-22-2003, 09:15 PM
#1
AudiWorld Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 186
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
fixed my rocking passenger seat...
... with duct tape!
My passenger seat had, since my 2000 S4 was new, rocked slightly when no one was in the seat. This slight rocking made a very annoying knocking-type rattle when I went over bumps, braked, or accelerated. Lots of people on the forum have complained of this problem. Unfortunately most dealers either won't fix it ("within specs") or only effect a fix via seat frame replacement (something I didn't wanna waste my time trying to convince my dealer to do).
The reason the seat moved was because the plastic bushing for the left-rear rail runner wasn't quite touching the rail, resulting in about 2mm of up/down movement. This movement was magnified to about half an inch at seat-shoulder height, resulting in the seat rocking. The noise the seat made was magnified by the fact that the rail is welded to the frame of the vehicle.
Here's a drawing of what I saw when I looked at the seat rail end-on from the rear of the car (which I did with a small mirror):
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/2123/seatframe_before.jpg">
When I first examined the rail, I couldn't make out the bushing, so my first attempt at a fix was trying to bend the seat rail to clamp the runner more tightly. This didn't work. The rail was too strong for my meager tools.
Next, I took the seat out (a *major* headache, I'd advise anyone without black carpet to avoid this procedure). Once it was out, I found the plastic bushing, which I felt a little more confident about modifying. Here's what I did:
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/2123/seatframe_after.jpg">
I removed the bushing, wrapped the runner in a few layers of duct tape, and replaced the bushing. The duct tape deforms the bushing *just* enough to make it fit tightly against the seat rail.
Voila! No more rocking, no more knocking!
My passenger seat had, since my 2000 S4 was new, rocked slightly when no one was in the seat. This slight rocking made a very annoying knocking-type rattle when I went over bumps, braked, or accelerated. Lots of people on the forum have complained of this problem. Unfortunately most dealers either won't fix it ("within specs") or only effect a fix via seat frame replacement (something I didn't wanna waste my time trying to convince my dealer to do).
The reason the seat moved was because the plastic bushing for the left-rear rail runner wasn't quite touching the rail, resulting in about 2mm of up/down movement. This movement was magnified to about half an inch at seat-shoulder height, resulting in the seat rocking. The noise the seat made was magnified by the fact that the rail is welded to the frame of the vehicle.
Here's a drawing of what I saw when I looked at the seat rail end-on from the rear of the car (which I did with a small mirror):
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/2123/seatframe_before.jpg">
When I first examined the rail, I couldn't make out the bushing, so my first attempt at a fix was trying to bend the seat rail to clamp the runner more tightly. This didn't work. The rail was too strong for my meager tools.
Next, I took the seat out (a *major* headache, I'd advise anyone without black carpet to avoid this procedure). Once it was out, I found the plastic bushing, which I felt a little more confident about modifying. Here's what I did:
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/2123/seatframe_after.jpg">
I removed the bushing, wrapped the runner in a few layers of duct tape, and replaced the bushing. The duct tape deforms the bushing *just* enough to make it fit tightly against the seat rail.
Voila! No more rocking, no more knocking!
02-22-2003, 10:24 PM
#4
AudiWorld Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,965
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
EXCELLENT! - i was planning on eventually...
... investigating the rocking in my driver's seat. So, its good to see what is going on in there and that something can be done about it. I have a question though: how much does your seat get used (sat in/adjusted) and what kind of wear did you see on the plastic bushing. And how with your mod - do you think it will accelerate the wear of the bushing? (not like it will really matter, just add more duct tape down the road.)
(BTW, awesome illustrations!)
(BTW, awesome illustrations!)
02-23-2003, 03:07 AM
#7
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2001
Posts: 1,618
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Depends on what you need fixed...
Stereo loose? Duct tape it. Seat broken? Duct tape it. Engine mounts broken? Make one from Duct tape. Exhaust hanger broken? Duct tape the Duct tape holder around the exhaust and Duct tape that around the car. Tire flat? Make a Duct tape tire. Bent a rim? Shove enough Duct tape in the bend to make it round again.
There's only 1 tool in my toolbox... Duct tape!
There's only 1 tool in my toolbox... Duct tape!
