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Topic: Front seats, front bolts (Read 703 times) previous topic - next topic

Front seats, front bolts

So apparently when I last went to put the seat back in the car after wiring up the transmission, both bolt threads in the floor became stripped (how this happened with a 4" ratchet, who knows - it must have had a problem previously). Anyways, both bolts get pulled up when leaning back on the seat. The metal here that while not incredibly thick, it isn't that thing either. Should I just tap the threads one size larger and use new bolts? I don't know how hard it will be enlarge those holes but I assume not too difficult - it must not be the strongest of metal.

Is tapping them the only logical way to fix this or is there a better way? I'm not sure if one size up would be enough or if I need to try two. Also how come I can't find a single additional thread on this problem anywhere online with fox vehicles? I don't have a tap and die set myself and apparently no one will do it for me so I'm going to have to pick it up myself.
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Front seats, front bolts

Reply #1 –
Just get a longer bolt and put a nut on the bottom of it. You've gotta do that with subframe connectors with seat braces anyway :hick:
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

Front seats, front bolts

Reply #2 –
Use big thick washers on the bottom  as well.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Front seats, front bolts

Reply #3 –
I'll have to look again but I didn't see how the bolt would go through to the floor pan? I only looked for about 10 seconds though to see that the holes were stripped. Anyways, I do have Chuck's seat braces, just not installed yet on the subframe connectors.
1988 Thunderbird Sport

Front seats, front bolts

Reply #4 –
Actually, now that I think of it, the front bolts don't go through the pan. It's the rear bolts that go through the floor (and SFC's). The front bolts go horizontally into a cross brace, which is a blind hole (no access to the other side). About your only option is to tap the hole larger and use new bolts.
2015 Mustang GT Premium - 5.0, 6-speed, Guard Green - too much awesome for one car

1988 5.0 Thunderbird :birdsmily: SOLD SEPT 11 2010: TC front clip/hood ♣ Body & paint completed Oct 2007 ♣ 3.55 TC rear end and front brakes ♣ TC interior ♣ CHE rear control arms (adjustable lowers) ♣ 2001 Bullitt springs ♣ Energy suspension poly busings ♣ Kenne Brown subframe connectors ♣ CWE engine mounts ♣ Thundercat sequential turn signals ♣ Explorer overhead console (temp/compass display) ♣ 2.25" off-road dual exhaust ♣ T-5 transmission swap completed Jan 2009 ♣

Front seats, front bolts

Reply #5 –
I haven't had the carpet up in the Tbird in a couple years, so I don't remember how they are laid out.

IIRC on the '80 there were 2 holes.  One with the threaded insert and then a square one off to one side.  What I wound up doing was removing the insert (read: pounded out with a hammer and punch) and then used U-nuts since the access hole was already adjacent to the seat mount hole.
Double-check what is there, and if you want to go that route, I have some extra U-nuts.  Even if you have to drill another hole next to the mounting hole it won't be too bad.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo - '85 Marquis LTS - '86 LTD Wagon

Front seats, front bolts

Reply #6 –
Yeah, at first I thought it may have been a u-nut that wasn't in place when bolting it back down but it ended up being solid floor metal that the threads were part of. Due to thickness, I don't think a u-nut will fit if I drilled the hole out or anything. The bolts are more vertical than horizontal but they are slanted slightly going in aiming towards the rear of the car.

I just don't see how or when those could have stripped out. Even if someone started them in wrong, it would take a lot of ratcheting at an incorrect angle to strip all those threads. Both holes stripped too? When putting them back in, I thought I had grabbed the wrong bolts so I pulled one out of the passenger side - still went in loose.

I'll have to find a tap that will go larger than these bolts - I think standard kits don't go up large enough. Any idea what the stock bolt size is? I think it takes a 1/2" socket...I assume the taps are based on the thread width so I should be fine. This would be a stock 3/8" thread I think?
1988 Thunderbird Sport
 

Front seats, front bolts

Reply #7 –
Alright, well I picked up a tap and die kit - who knows how good the parts are but they'll work on fixing this. It's going to snow this weekend so who knows when I'll get around to doing this but it should work out well. I'm just not sure if I should try to do this with the seat out or through the holes in the carpet - the oil would just sit on the floor pan if I don't clean the underside up.
1988 Thunderbird Sport