Collapsed Seat

[Stef]

After 18 years the driver's seat in Blipi has finally sunk.

There was a kinda crunching sound a couple of times from getting in and out but now it is clear the base of the seat had lost support.

Before I take the seat out I wondered if anyone can say what it is that has gone and the best suggested repair?

I figure it's likely some webbing but if it is more complex then I shall hold off taking bits out untill I can be betetr prepared to fix it.

Cheers!

[dapinky]

It sounds like the rubber diaphragm has given up the ghost.

It is one of the parts Lotus ditched on the S2, replacing it with a metal sheet instead!

Luckily, the diaphragm and fixings are (or at least were!) available on the Aftersales list for £11 each.

It is a fairly straightforward fix - take the seat out, turn it over and replace from underneath!

It is obvious what you need to do when you look at it.

Alternatively, jam a bit of foam rubber under the seat for now (or replace the diaphragm with a bit of plywood???).

[Stef]

Cheers!

Sounds like it won't be too complex to sort then.

When there is some room in the garage I'll take the seat out and decide on best option.

Thanks for the help!

[BFG in the BRG]

I had the same thing ,

It might be the diaphram or it might be the clips that attach the diaphram to the frame - clips are available from Lotus at around 73pence each.

If you go for the plywood option it will make the seat more comfortable but you will lose the shape,

See the following discussion thresad 10 below this one: Car Seat foam base/Momo seats?

Good luck with it - by the way - you may also have snapped the wire that operates the seat adjustment - £23ish for a replacement from Lotus, or get some thin chain/cable and hash something together.

[Stef]

Thanks for the advice.

When I get the chance to take a look I'll see what's actually happened. I'll check the cable too.

Ta!

[dermotbell]

When I had my seats out to lower them quite a few clips had gone. This is almost 100% what happened. Easy fix for the next ten years.

Never found out if there is a way to S2 them.

[tweetdriver63]

As you'll see from this thread, my driver's seat just did the same. You'll also see my solution, albeit probably a temporary one. I could have made it permanent, and it may be, but I'm planning to re-trim the seats soon with covers from kmckmc's source, so I'm also going to have the local guy who installs the new covers fix the seat permanently.

If the rubber thing has broken, like mine, getting it all out isn't as easy as the first reply you got makes it sound. In fact, it's easy to get to most of the clips to remove them, but toward the back of the seat, the only way to get at them seems to be to disassemble the seat. The runner have to come off, and maybe even separate the seat bottom from the back (I'm not sure because there's no way I was getting in that deep). That rubber thing isn't just attached by the clips down the sides. It's also attached in some way directly to the top side of the rear frame (where I wedged in the aluminum strips). I released all of the clips except the rear two on each side (because I couldn't get to them) in order to attach the aluminum cross-pieces.

[inkitin]

Chris

In fact, it's easy to get to most of the clips to remove them, but toward the back of the seat, the only way to get at them seems to be to disassemble the seat.

Yes, that is what I found as well.

The runner have to come off, and maybe even separate the seat bottom from the back (I'm not sure because there's no way I was getting in that deep).

Again, yes. Further though the foam cushion, with it's cover, has to be removed from the seat frame to get at the two back clips.

That rubber thing isn't just attached by the clips down the sides. It's also attached in some way directly to the top side of the rear frame (where I wedged in the aluminum strips). I released all of the clips except the rear two on each side (because I couldn't get to them) in order to attach the aluminum cross-pieces.

The rear of the diaphragm is held by 5 "rokut rivets" which plug through holes in the diaphragm and into holes in the seat frame. I think they are there more to stop the diaphragm moving forward rather than providing additional tension . Again, you cannnot get at these without partially dismantling the seat.

Do you need a new rubber diaphragm? They're only £11 ($22) each from the aftersales list.

Roland

[dapinky]

If the rubber thing has broken, like mine, getting it all out isn't as easy as the first reply you got makes it sound. In fact, it's easy to get to most of the clips to remove them, but toward the back of the seat, the only way to get at them seems to be to disassemble the seat. The runner have to come off, and maybe even separate the seat bottom from the back

Appologies to both Stef and Chris - you're correct

I forgot that the seat back had to be seperated from the base and the runners taken off before fiddling with the rivets at the back.

I was dismantling the seats to repair the stitching anyway, so i didn't equate it to part of the diaphragm replacement, but now you mention it, it wasn't as quick as i made it sound (still not too hard though!)

[Stef]

Although not ready to tackle this yet (and currently poor Blipi is out of action as she has a hole in her cambelt ) can I ask a probable dim question as to where the Aftersales number is?

I hope I can get JB into an enthused fixing mode to help with this! And set aside the day...

[tweetdriver63]

Although not ready to tackle this yet (and currently poor Blipi is out of action as she has a hole in her cambelt ) can I ask a probable dim question as to where the Aftersales number is?

I hope I can get JB into an enthused fixing mode to help with this! And set aside the day...

go here: http://www.grouplotus.com/cars/lotus_parts.html

The links are down at the bottom right of the page.

[Jackonicko]

There's a link for the form, still, but not the list.

You need:

1 x C100U0117F Diaphragm Seat (S1 Cars) Elan 89 on, £11.00

[Stef]

Thanks guys.

I should have the info I need now, just need to find the time!