Sliding out of the driver's seat

[IgotTwo]

Is anyone else annoyed with the driver side seat tilt lever?

The one that bends down and out everytime you get out of the car? You know, it pulls out the seat's side plastic shielding about 1in which looks "so attractive?"

If I bend that stupid thing back one more time, I know its going to snap off in my hand.

I was thinking of tacking a piece of metal to the lever, but it seems the weak point develops close to the pivot rivet, I'm not sure if it will work.

Anyone with the same problem and find a good way to beef that thing up?

No "fat a^^" or "use the running board" jokes, pls (just kidding)

 

[Flounder]

I hated it... until mine broke off. I'm not overweight, chubby, etc. 6'0, 165 lbs... Just you can only bend it down then back up so many times before it gives way. Only down side is you can't recline... which only seems to come in handy, well, you know, when you have company.

 

[Heath]

I am a fat a$$ (6'3" 330 lbs.) and I haven't had a problem with this yet...

Now that someone has mentioned it I'm sure I will start though...

 

[BajaXplorer]

I know there is a replacement lever part # F77Z-9862649-AA thats supposed to be a fix for this. You have to drill the rivet out, and replace the handle. Im going to do this soon, Im sure you probably replace the rivet with a nut and bolt(if possible?)

 

[IgotTwo]

Well its good to know I'm not the only one!
This one seems to know no weight boundaries.

Thanks for all the "get backs"
I think I'll run down that replacement part.
I was going to "jerry rig" it without drilling out the rivet but it looks like it may have to go. (a cutting torch would be easier but then again there is the seat fabric and the rug)

My best guess is a bolt with locking nut replaces it??
When I get the info and price for the thing, I'll put a post out.

These are the type of things we should have a poll on.

Ford loves this part so much, it costs:
A. More than $100
B Less than $100 but greater than $50
C. Less than $50 but not by much
D. All of the above

The Winner gets another Explorer "what da ya call it" icon next to his\her name.

 

[Rhett]

I don't know if my 94 has the same type of lever you are talking about, but one time I did bust the plastic shield piece that fits around the base of the driver's seat.

I was wearing these pants and they got hooked on the end of the plastic piece when I was getting out of the truck one time, and it cracked the plastic to where it's about to come off. It looks like you-know-what with that big crack in it.

 

[IgotTwo]

You have to stop wearing bell bottoms (just kidding)

I got a 94 too and it is different but "I feel you pain"

The next "pet pive" is the outside door handle on the 94's. The driver's side?... the one that gets so loose you're not sure if it is going to fly right out your hand and end up 10 feet away in the bushes when you open the door.
Let's save that for another thread.

PS I think I'm about to break 200. Maybe I'll get another "thinga ma gig" icon..... or who knows, they may even take one away. It doesn't matter.

 

[IgotTwo]

Follow up on seat lever part number:

For those who selected "B" - right you are - $54 big ones. It is the whole lever assembly.

Ford does love its parts!

 

[Gina]

You guys are reading my mind

I was just going to post a question about this same subject, but you beat me to it. I just got my '94 explorer about 4 days ago and I'm starting to find all the "personality" querks. What is up with that driver's door handle??? Any fix on that? My seat recliner lever hasn't bent or busted off...yet. My problem is that my seat is kinda lost its oompf and whenever I get into or out of the car, I shank my leg on the metal lever. I'm developing a mighty bruise. Any way to re-stuff the seat or fix this? I may be able to re-learn how to sew. Lately I've just been hauling myself up and over by the steering wheel.

 

[BajaXplorer]

Torrie has the part for $37.99 & takes a day to order.

http://www.fordpartsnetwork.com

 

[Rhett]

You can have your seat base re-stuffed. That's what I did, because mine was sagging a little and on long trips that started to hurt my back (too much snowboarding and soccer I say). I took it to a shop that does upholstery, and specializes in car interiors. They charged my $50 and it's better, but not perfect, now. It's still a little too saggy for me, it still bothers my back on long trips.

 

[IgotTwo]

Well I got so sick of that bent lever and the plastic side panel dangling .....I tried this and it seems to work

Let me see if I can do this without a picture:

Got a piece of metal about 3" long and 3/4" wide
Cut a angle on the top to match the angle of the plastic handle.
Drilled a hole in the piece the exact size of the top rivet - about 3/4 of the way down on my little handy work.

A slight bend in the piece made it lay flat on the outside of the metal that bends ..... the top rivet on the seat goes through the hole I made.

Drilled a small hole to "sister" them together with a samll stainless screw and bolt.

"It ain't going no where"
Drill press and grinder helped.
15 minute job

The plastic side piece on the seat snapped right back into place.
Restored to its original grandeur!!!!!!
Its a wonderful beautiful thing.

 

[Crankcase]

I think the problem lies only in the higher end seats. I have noticed the lever digging into me when I try sitting in the lumbar seats.


I don't have a problem with my seats at all, because they are the mid range cloth seats.

 

[IgotTwo]

I'm not sure about your reference to "high end" but, maybe a few more words will help:

On my 97 -
I have the cloth, "that come with the basic XLT package seats"
My sister also has two explorers, 95 and 97, XLTs, with the same seats. Both driver side tilt levers broke on hers as well.

My 94 has a different set up and doesn't seem to be in the way so much when you slide out of the driver's seat

 

[410Fortune]

Oh just wait until you lift it! My BII has seats from a 94+ (nit sure the year) Eddie Bauer power leather buckets.
The handle on the drivers side lasted about a month.
The handle on the passenger side id getting ready to go. IN a 2 door BII this makes it really hard to get in to or access the back seat. NO I try to be really careful, problem is I sit on the drivers side, so I try to get my passengers to be careful. My Fiance gets sick enough of hearing about my truck so trying to explain to her to be careful is like a lost cause, so what do I do? I lift the damn truck another 2" (almost 5" now) and BAM!!!!!! The first time she climbs in and out it's bent about 60 degree's.....

I could replace these baby's with the "Ford Fix" for $40 per side and have them bend and break again, or I am thinking of some sort of a "pull strap" that is nicely out of the way when your climbing in and out....

I'll take some pictures when I get around to making my fix.....

Ford must have made 2 million bucks last year on replacement Explorer door handles, center console hinges, and these baby's alone!

 

[IgotTwo]

Yeah, I wish I took a picture of what I did. It was real easy........and the tilt work great now.
I'm also not sure how the "picture thing" works on the site any more....

Believe me, "I feel your pain" on this one.
Its one of those small, but very annoying things.

 

[Crankcase]

Originally posted by IgotTwo
I'm not sure about your reference to "high end" but, maybe a few more words will help:

There are very distinct seats in the 91-94's:

Vinyl stitched bucket seats.

Regular cloth buckets or bench seat with built in armrest. (stripe pattern on 91-92, angle pattern on 93-94). Underneath is a little catch for the track.

Then, the high end....Power/non power lumbar seats that have a horizontal bar underneath the front for adjusting the seat forwards or back wards. They have two little "bumps" on either side of your "bum".

The top of the line is leather. They are made in the same stle as the top cloth versions.

Hope that helps.....

 

[BigZac]

Seat Lever/Seat

I'm probbly the newest person here, so bear with me. I did a search and ran across this string and another similar. This string seems to be the best place to post this.

I have a 99 Sport and pulled the lever up to lift the seat so i could hang dry cleaning in the back. When I returned the seat to its former position and sat down... *WHAM* I was laying down in the back seat before I knew it. Something popped in the recline lever area and now my seat will catch in either the "not enough room between the steering wheel and my balls" position or the "laying down in the back seat" position. I haven't had time yet to yank the plastic housing off the side (that holds the power seat controls) to see what's going on down there, and have since propped a box behind me to hold me up. My back is as sore as hell from riding like this...

I found a sharp little crescent-shaped piece of metal in the rear floorboard. It looks like the end of a bolt that was sheared off by my fat butt when I went flying backwards. I have a sinking feeling (no pun intended) that I will need to replace the whole lever assembly, but like I said, I haven't looked down there yet. Does anyone have any resources that they can point me to that will show what it is *supposed* to look like? I have a Chilton's book... but pfft... no help there.

I'm pretty new to the whole do-it-yourself thing, but this is my first truck and I want to fix this myself. Please help.

Thanks!

 

[Audio_1]

mine broke off like a year ago, i tryed jb weld with no prevail. thats why i carry a screw driver in the door pocket and when i need to recline or adjust i just use the screw driver to press it and it works like a charm

 

[IgotTwo]

I thought I had mine fixed with a "jerry rig" but no luck.

There is always a bright side:
I have the tilt set for myself and tell my daughter and wife: "If the seat is uncomfortable ....don't drive my car"

That part is working.....so far