How To: Fix Recliner Lever for FREE

[Team Chepsk8]

I too have to do this fix!

Good Thread!

 

[Teepee]

Parad1mg for President

Thank you for this great write-up
I tackled the drivers seat today and other than a few Hurdles (read below) everything went exactly as you said . I actually looked like I knew what I was doing.

Hurdles
1: there is a seatbelt track that runs parallel to the seat that travels when you move the seat forward and back to keep the seatbelt receiver in place relative to the seat. I did not realize that I had bent it until I had reinstalled the seat and the seat would not travel forward or back. Once I removed the seat and straightened the track , forward and back travelled smoothly.
It seems that if there is any resistance the motors will not force the seat to move.

2: Once I reinstalled the seat again , it seem that the up and down now is experiencing some resistance , They mostly work but seem like really struggling so it looks like out again and check for obstructions and clean and grease the drives..

I put a meter on the seat plug in the car and it looks like a constant 12 volts. So I can test back in the garage with a 12 volt DC supply instead of running back and forth to the car. I wil post that question elsewhere on the forum.
Again
Thank you for this write-up / Tutorial.
Tony

 

[sferg12790]

Nice thread.

Had this break on me last fall, and was afraid of what was involved in fixing this. I will be doing this soon, as I now do a lot more driving than when this first broke.

 

[parad1mg]

I'm glad this is helping our forum members in some way.

If I come up with a bracket more fitting as a fix, I'll post the diagrams to make them here and maybe an updated installation procedure.

 

[Steeda04SVT]

Glad I saw this thread. Mine broke and am gonna try to fix mine this weekend. Hate having broken stuff on my X.

 

[grefra]

My is also broken. I called the Ford dealer and he could not find the part.

The fix is beyond me. I need to know the part number is anyone has it or can find it, for the handle to the bolt. Ford wanted to sell me the whole mechanisn for $340.

I have searched online for the part number but cannot find it.

Thanks

 

[grefra]

Well, since my 98 explorer only has 75000 miles and in perfect condition, decided to bite the bullet. Ordered the whole mechanism form Ford for $330, and get it installed in two days for $245 labor. Yep a lot of money consider is is a poor design, but it will be original.

 

[Ozz1967]

Well, since my 98 explorer only has 75000 miles and in perfect condition, decided to bite the bullet. Ordered the whole mechanism form Ford for $330, and get it installed in two days for $245 labor. Yep a lot of money consider is is a poor design, but it will be original.

Ouch...

I just bought my Explorer and the handle is completely broken off. Going to check Ebay before anything, but I"m not paying $400+ for it...

 

[Scotsman01]

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!

I followed your suggestion and repaired my seat handle. with a spare handle that I had available. If anyone follows your system the mechananism is up and running.

Thanks from me , I thought my only alternative was to buy a mechanism from the states ($ 30+ $60 freight) or purchase a second hand chair ( $150).

 

[J_C]

That piece isn't terribly complex. I wonder how much it would cost to just have someone laser cut a new lever out of plate steel, and perhaps a grade thicker so it holds up better then grind down the end that the plastic needs to slip over, OR use double plates until the portion where the bend is for the handle portion.

 

[bobflood]

Another alternative - I just had my broken handle welded by a friend of mine (maybe I will learn to weld after I retire!!) Removed the seat from the vehicle and the assembly from the seat; took the plastic handle off the broken metal piece; took him less than 10 minutes with a MIG welder to weld the broken parts back together.

 

[dr fildo]

Geeze, I thought this problem was so random that there would be no info available on a fix.

This is great!!

 

[masospaghetti]

I would recommend welding the handle back together instead of using the bolts like this, its just mild steel, it welds extremely easily. Would result in a stronger and more elegant solution. Just my two cents.

 

[Jake100146]

I have drilled out both of the rivers and the big Spring has seemed to untension itself?? It is still attached though I cannot recline the seat anymore..

How can I fix this?

 

[Fish4Peru]

This is great! I came here for a broken lever.. but the actual plastic handle is what I'm looking to replace. Can't find it ANYWHERE. Any help would be appreciated. I assume it is a whole assembly. I need both Driver and Passenger. I don't know if they're that cheap, or if we're that rough on them. Both snapped in the same year.