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wiferdill
Samba Member
Joined: February 13, 2006
Posts: 85
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 Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2025 9:00 pm Post subject: floor pan seat track removal |
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| The teeth on my '53 Zwitter, drivers side seat track are rusted off. Anyone have a good way to remove the old one and bolt in a replacement. I already have an original replacement that needs to be removed from a donor pan. I know there are lots of spot welds to undo. Any of you done this before? I know it will take patience, brute force and more patience. Right now my seat moves from front to back with little effort. Makes for some interesting stops and starts. Thanks |
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johnshenry
Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2001
Posts: 9418
Location: Northwood, NH USA
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| Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2025 3:56 pm Post subject: Re: floor pan seat track removal |
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I've done it. You just have to drill out the spot welds and use a chisel between the pieces to pop them apart. Quite a few welds, but not a crazy amount.
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John Henry
'57 Deluxe
'56 Single Cab |
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wiferdill
Samba Member
Joined: February 13, 2006
Posts: 85
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| Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2025 7:18 pm Post subject: Re: floor pan seat track removal |
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| Thanks for your reply. I've been told the early 1950's seat tracks are two pieces. I have a theory about what the two pieces are. One piece might be the seat rail that the seat actually slides on. The second piece might be the size of a postage stamp and have two or three teeth and attached by separate spot welds. I have an early doner, drivers side, pan with the complete seat track and teeth still in place. It is so dirty and rusty it is impossible to see exactly what it looks like, but, I'm about to clean it up to see if my theory has any merit. I'll report back. |
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johnshenry
Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2001
Posts: 9418
Location: Northwood, NH USA
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| Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2025 5:35 pm Post subject: Re: floor pan seat track removal |
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Here's some pics of some work that I did years ago. Pans were from a '54, freshly sandblasted. I was removing the rails and converting them to standard pans with the wing nuts and clamp studs. Thought they might be helpful here.
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John Henry
'57 Deluxe
'56 Single Cab |
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wiferdill
Samba Member
Joined: February 13, 2006
Posts: 85
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| Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2025 8:37 pm Post subject: Re: floor pan seat track removal |
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| I used a quality spot weld removing bit to "drill" out about 15 weld spots. from the back side of the doner floor pan. It worked like a charm and left the 70+ year old track undamaged and very useable. Now, how to attach it to the car. I'm thinking of the sealer called 5200. After reading the caution on the tube, I think it would be perfect, as long ss I never need to remove it. If a couple holes line up between the old track and the new one, I could bolt it on through the pan and 5200 to seal it up. |
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splitjunkie
Samba Member
Joined: April 04, 2006
Posts: 4228
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| Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2025 9:10 pm Post subject: Re: floor pan seat track removal |
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| wiferdill wrote: |
| I used a quality spot weld removing bit to "drill" out about 15 weld spots. from the back side of the doner floor pan. It worked like a charm and left the 70+ year old track undamaged and very useable. Now, how to attach it to the car. I'm thinking of the sealer called 5200. After reading the caution on the tube, I think it would be perfect, as long ss I never need to remove it. If a couple holes line up between the old track and the new one, I could bolt it on through the pan and 5200 to seal it up. |
Given how dodgy VW seat rails are and prone to giving way during an accident, especially a rear end collision, no way in hell would I glue in seat rails. This is not an area to cheap out on. Find a good welder who can weld them in properly.
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Chris
You know, a lot of these scratches will buff right out... Jerry Seinfeld |
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wiferdill
Samba Member
Joined: February 13, 2006
Posts: 85
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| Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2025 9:18 pm Post subject: Re: floor pan seat track removal |
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Splitjunkie
I hear you regarding how to attach the seat rail. In my defense, you should try 5200 sealer. It is like welding something together. |
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finster
Samba Member
Joined: May 26, 2012
Posts: 10616
Location: not far from the madding crowd
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| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2025 1:20 am Post subject: Re: floor pan seat track removal |
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like splitjunkie, I would be concerned about the strength of glueing the rails and whether it could also invalidate any insurance in a claim.
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"we're here on Earth to fart around" kurt vonnegut
nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect... |
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wagen19
Samba Member
Joined: November 16, 2007
Posts: 923
Location: germany
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| Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2025 2:03 am Post subject: Re: floor pan seat track removal |
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| finster wrote: |
| like splitjunkie, I would be concerned about the strength of glueing the rails and whether it could also invalidate any insurance in a claim. |
I´ve seen some beetles till 7´70 with only slight accidents, rear end collisions.
The L-shaped seat rails are really not solid, independend, if welded in or glued on. Think also about the rails, affixed to the seats.
The T-shaped seat rails with doubled material and more often welded on, 8´70 till 7´72 were a big improvement in that view.
The seat construction, rails from 8´72 on, were more or less top end that time and a common international construction.
Don´t worry too much, a car 50 years plus, can hardly be a "safe" construction.
Imo, it´can be a question, if a "glue-on" solution is a resto or a modern kind of repair.
Is there and if so, how long is there a warranty for a "glue-on-solution"?
Is the plan to glue painted parts together? How strong holds the paint on the parts and what about possible rust the next years?
(who really want´s, can install, weld in, or glue on 8´72 onwards floor pans and the modern seats with high back, etc., etc., etc.) |
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wiferdill
Samba Member
Joined: February 13, 2006
Posts: 85
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| Posted: Thu May 01, 2025 1:42 am Post subject: Re: floor pan seat track removal |
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My faulty seat track came out today. Steps I followed;
1. Make a template to make sure the replacement goes in exactly the same place .
2. Use a good pointed punch to get a starting spot.
3. Use a quality spot weld remover. I accidentally drilled too far and now have a small hole under some of the welds.
4.Slow and easy on the bit and they will come out without too much hammering with a chisel between the track and floor panel. Not as difficult as I anticipated.
Waiting for the new track to arrive from Holland.
To get a clean surface, I used paint remover and brake clean. The welds were very easy to see. |
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