How To: Fix Recliner Lever for FREE

[parad1mg]

Today my drivers side recliner lever broke and since i had some free time i decided to go ahead and fix it with 3 screws and a l-bracket/frame bracket that i had lying around..

STEPS:

1. remove the seat from the car - 4 bolts, i torx screw and 2 electrical connectors

2. remove the plastic cover that holds the electrical switches - 3 screws and thats it..

3. grind down the rivet that the lever broke off of:

4. drill a hole between the first rivet and the second rivet that's attached to the spring. drill another hole right where the rivet that was grounded down to remove what was left of that rivet.

5. cut off what is left of the original recliner lever as close as possible to the back rivet (see pictures above on step 4)

6. cut your l-bracket into two. since it already has two holes, just line them up and make two more holes right at their side. attach one side to the broken recliner lever(you have to drill two holes in the lever). This is now ready to be installed to the recliner mechanism.

7. bolt on your "new" lever to the mechanism that you drilled holes into.. make sure that you use the same sized bolts with the holes that you made or you will have some play that will create slack that will turn into another broken lever..[/B]

full shot view:

full shot view with the platic handle installed:

close up:

plastic cover re-installed with multiple views:

top view peeking in so you can see the assembly with the bolts:

finished repair:

this is a quick and effective fix that costs almost nothing if you have the materials on hand (and if you dont, it'll cost you $5.00 max depending on the sales tax in your area).. there is no play on mine and it works like it never even broke off in the first place.

I hope this helps out to our other members!

 

[Bill_Kaufman]

You're a genius! I'm sure glad I didn't throw that old handle away!

 

[BrooklynBay]

I've added a link to this thread in the site's Useful Threads section. Thanks for taking the time to document everything, and post pictures!

 

[xdviper]

Ahh, there we go, my passenger side broke a little over a year ago, did the same thing, drilled 2 holes exactly the same as your setup and it works perfectly fine.. Thanks!!!!!!

 

[Turdle]

That is awesome Carlo

 

[Stic-o]

Mine is.t broken yet but keep folding over everytime I sit in it. It's just a matter of time. I'm hopeing to just replace the seat instead

 

[zackdeha]

mine did the same thing but i ended up just tack welding it back to the broken tab and havent had problems yet! but this way works too

 

[pardiville]

Mine is.t broken yet but keep folding over everytime I sit in it. It's just a matter of time. I'm hopeing to just replace the seat instead

Hey Stic-o if you do decide to buy a new seat I would buy your broken handle from you. I just bought my exp and had to put a new engine in and this piece is missing so let me know if don,t mind. Thanks Mike

 

[briwayjones]

Mine is.t broken yet but keep folding over everytime I sit in it. It's just a matter of time. I'm hopeing to just replace the seat instead

Sounds like you have a broken seat recliner bolt, it has been recalled and they will fix for free.

 

[pardiville]

I,ll have to call my local ford and see if they will honor it. Thanks

 

[Velvis]

Is the broken part replaceable by just removing the large bolt next to the Ford sticker? or is the handle some how welded to the seat frame?

 

[Toast]

Do I have to remove the seat to do this? Or can I do it with the seat on? Where are the three screws i remove to get the cover off?

 

[mgexplorer]

How to modify seat to fold forward

ok, i'll make things short since my computer froze up while i'm doing this write-up and my new glasses are making me dizzy so..

Today my drivers side recliner lever broke and since i had some free time i decided to go ahead and fix it with 3 screws and a l-bracket/frame bracket that i had lying around..

STEPS:

1. remove the seat from the car - 4 bolts, i torx screw and 2 electrical connectors

2. remove the plastic cover that holds the electrical switches - 3 screws and thats it..

3. grind down the rivet that the lever broke off of:

4. drill a hole between the first rivet and the second rivet that's attached to the spring. drill another hole right where the rivet that was grounded down to remove what was left of that rivet.

5. cut off what is left of the original recliner lever as close as possible to the back rivet (see pictures above on step 4)

6. cut your l-bracket into two. since it already has two holes, just line them up and make two more holes right at their side. attach one side to the broken recliner lever(you have to drill two holes in the lever). This is now ready to be installed to the recliner mechanism.

7. bolt on your "new" lever to the mechanism that you drilled holes into.. make sure that you use the same sized bolts with the holes that you made or you will have some play that will create slack that will turn into another broken lever..[/B]

full shot view:

full shot view with the platic handle installed:

close up:

plastic cover re-installed with multiple views:

top view peeking in so you can see the assembly with the bolts:

finished repair:

this is a quick and effective fix that costs almost nothing if you have the materials on hand (and if you dont, it'll cost you $5.00 max depending on the sales tax in your area).. there is no play on mine and it works like it never even broke off in the first place.

I hope this helps out to our other members!

Do you know how I can modify the passenger seat to fold forward completely on a 92 explorer

 

[Tavery1]

Question for you, can I just pull the bracket that the lever attaches to the spring with and work on just that piece and re attach it to the seat when I get the holes drilled or is that spring so tight that I wouldn't be able to re-attach it.

 

[melman]

The original driver's seat lever on my 98 became quite bent, but never broke.
There was a TSB on it, TSB 98-25-15 ("Conditions with the front seat back lever bent.")

My dealer fixed it back in 2000, and I posted this to the Explorer usenet group back then:
"The lever assembly has been redesigned. I took a look at the parts as the technician was installing them. I didn't write down the part number, but the (bent) part that was removed was revision "AA" and the new part is revision "BB". The part of the lever that was prone to bending seems to have been reinforced."

The lever in the pictures appears to be an old part.

 

[eoliva]

Sweet. That will work for sure! Now I can fix my seat! Do I really have to remove my seat to drill the holes and mount the modified lever with bracket though? Can't I just get away with removing the plastic covering? Thanks!

 

[ghosttrain2]

This is great-Mine just broke-Great write up!

 

[ragajungle]

I am beginning to think this might be a "fat guy problem" First I broke one in my 94Ex, then again in the BroncoII, then in my other B2, and now in my 99Ex... I have seen normal sized people seat reclining levers and theirs aren't all bent outward. Mine all bent outward before snapping off. Welp, I guess I'll have another Twinkie [sighhhhh]

 

[R Stokwell]

This worked great Thank you
you did a great job with the pictures it all came together great

 

[oblivionboyj]

Great fix!
Thanks, I will be doing this over the weekend