Sagging power seats
 

Anyone have a problem with their seat bottoms not coming all the way up?

Mine are starting to get pretty bad, and i need to fix them over the winter. I almost always sit when driving, and my 230 lbs sitting on the seat while pounding through rough water seems to have taken a number on the seat. The bottom only comes up to within about 2" of where it should, at the beginning of the summer it came all the way up. Same problem on the pass. side, just not as bad.

Anyone know how to fix this?

Re: Sagging power seats
 

Dave,

Not sure what year boat you are working with, but give this a read... might be the ticket :drink:

http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...hlight=bolster

Re: Sagging power seats
 

mines a '91 27 fever. from that thread it sounds like it's bent, that's what i was afraid of. Sounds like it's coming out and getting bent back with some gussets welded in. Is that all steel under there, or do i have to find someone with a TIG?

Re: Sagging power seats
 

You will probbaly find that the seat frame where the motor is monuted to is bent inwards (square tube of SS is crushed inward). Check that first ...

Re: Sagging power seats
 

In short, Fountain seats are made like crap. My 29 came with the screw "spike" in the motor for the passenger seat sheared. Vinnie at Mariners helped out and got me a replacement, along with new harware. After changing the motor which required sticking my arms in the back of the seat where staples used to tack down the foam pertrude, I was bleeding like a stuck pig. Hours later, grease mixed with blood all over - I cleaned up. Everything worked fine until a plus 200 lb buddy bent the thing when I came off a wave and landed hard. If you looked at the set up, it looks like Rub Goldberg designed the thing. I mean, what a piece of $hit. That along with the engine hatch which do not come with limits or stops which make it impossible to know when you are at the end. No, you must listen for the scream, grind and ca-chunk until you stop pressing the button. Eventually this beats the snot out of the stuff and then you get to fix them. But, a seat that can't hold a 200 lb guy off a wave.... Really.... Makes you appreciate Mc Cloud seats and wonder for the hundreds of thousands of dollers we pay, why we can't at least have a decent seat.

Call Vinnie (HPFOUNTAIN) and order the whole kit./ Bring bandaids, or let Vinnie do it for you....

Re: Sagging power seats
 

You can fix them. It requires removal of the bolster. Then strip it
down to the frame. You dont have to remove upholstery,it unbolts
in sections.You will find that the frame is bent where the hydraulic
cylinder attaches. You can straighten & reinforce it. There is also
some room for adjustment on the threaded rod.

Re: Sagging power seats
 

His doesnt have the motor in the seat. The older Fountains use a hydraulic cylinder & a remote (trim) pump in the
engine compartment. I agree though. They certainly
could build a seat that is a little more durable.......but I
do like the way they look.

Re: Sagging power seats
 

Whaaattt ???!!! A PUMP in the engine compartment!! :eek: Geeeeezzzeee!!! So it got better then? :evilb: There is hope!! :evilb: I mean really, not to bust on our boat leader to much here, if we can put a man on the moon...... I guess I am spoiled. I drive BMW's and maybe we should outsource the seat design to a german....... The F-in seat goes 16 different ways and always knows when to stop moving, regardless of what your doing with the button. If the boy's down around the Pemlico designed it, it would fall of the damn track if you went back to far... Or bust in the middle if you hit a pot hole.... LOL.... Sorry guys, bad day at the office I guess.... I just think the design boarders on the ridicules and absurd..

Re: Sagging power seats
 

Steve...get a grip! Your passion will be your undoing!!

G-

Re: Sagging power seats
 

Yea there's a hydraulic pump that operates it, it's under the rear seat.

I'm a bit over 200 lbs myself, and I have a tendency to hit the waves hard. When i bought the boat the pass. side sagged an inch or so and the drivers side was fine. pass. side is still down about an inch, drivers side is now down 2-3"

I can probably figure out the reinforcement myself, but what does HPFOUNTAIN offer?

Re: Sagging power seats
 

Sleeper...My '04 29 Fever had the same problem you do and the final solution was to have the factory ship a new (supposedly) beefed up seat frame. Again, Vinny, aka HPFountian, did the work and I have not had a problem since. He may be able to tell you where the frame was re-enforced and perhaps you could figure something out. It is possible that he may have pics of my seat both before and after...it can't hurt to ask. BTW, where do you boat? Good luck.

Gary

Re: Sagging power seats
 

:D Yah think??? :D

Re: Sagging power seats
 

My 93 broke where it hinges ( the seat pad and the base( on either side I had it reinforced last year it is not that difficult of a job like epeek said unbolt it and take it apart both of my side tabs are now twice as thick on my drivers seat this year i get to do the passengers side!!

Re: Sagging power seats
 

My seats didn't come up all the way either. As of now, they are both torn down to the frame. Dissappointing. The money spent for these boats and have to redesign weak points. The frames are bent at center of the rear tubing frame where the linkage attaches. The weakest point, not solid. Thought about cutting that rear tube in half and pressing a solid 1 3/8" x 1 3/8" into the two halves and welding back together. The seats NEED to have the linkages fastened near the corners away from the center, where it will be impossible to bend the tubing. That's my plan. Change it and make it bullet proof. :(

Re: Sagging power seats
 

FYI, when I first asked the factory about my problem they said it had happend only "once or twice" before...you guys been keeping quiet!!??

Re: Sagging power seats
 

I bet they say that to all the customers. ;) Been staring at the frame alot last couple if days. Not a very good place to add gusets that will clear the rest of the seat framing. Also, I'm wondering if installing gusets in the corners will tend to pull the sides in?

Re: Sagging power seats
 

It has happened to my 29 Fever I took the seat apart and bent the tabs back and welded abit of reinforcement to it.