C5 Seat Rebuild - Better than new

**timfitz63** · 03-15-12, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by GFLVETTE2

I had 3 bladders, 2 for the lumbar and 1 on the seat base. They are Sport Seats. I do know that the base did get firm when I hit the button, now it don't raise. There are 4 switches on the seat. Thanks and please advise.

I've got the sport seats in both of mine too, but there are (as you noted) only three bladder-type adjustments: upper lumbar, lower lumbar, and the side 'wings' of the seat back. These are controlled by the three toggle switches shown in your photo.

There are no bladder-type adjustments for the seat pan; only positional adjustments (fore, aft, up, down, front & rear tilt). The seat pan adjustments are made through the long 'slider' bar shown in your photo.

Are you certain you weren't confusing the seat tilt for a bladder-type adjustment in the seat pan? If you pull upward on the rear of that 'slider' bar, the back half of the seat pan should tilt up, and it might feel like it's engaging a bladder-type adjustment.

**GFLVETTE2** · 03-15-12, 10:18 AM

Originally Posted by timfitz63

I've got the sport seats in both of mine too, but there are (as you noted) only three bladder-type adjustments: upper lumbar, lower lumbar, and the side 'wings' of the seat back. These are controlled by the three toggle switches shown in your photo.

There are no bladder-type adjustments for the seat pan; only positional adjustments (fore, aft, up, down, front & rear tilt). The seat pan adjustments are made through the long 'slider' bar shown in your photo.

Are you certain you weren't confusing the seat tilt for a bladder-type adjustment in the seat pan? If you pull upward on the rear of that 'slider' bar, the back half of the seat pan should tilt up, and it might feel like it's engaging a bladder-type adjustment.

Maybe I'M wrong about the base? maybe it was the side bolsters?? anyway one of the smaller switches makes noise like its working but does not fill. Thanks Buddy.

**timfitz63** · 03-15-12, 10:42 AM

Originally Posted by GFLVETTE2

Maybe I'M wrong about the base? maybe it was the side bolsters?? anyway one of the smaller switches makes noise like its working but does not fill. Thanks Buddy.

Hmm. Well, if the pump is running, the switch must be OK; maybe a pneumatic line came off...? I'm trying to remember from my experiences with these things; I had the passenger side go out entirely on my '04, and it was replaced under warranty. I seem to remember them telling me the internals of the seat back are partially adjusted by electrically-driven components (aside from the pump) and partially pneumatic. But I'm going on about 4-5 year old memory on that...

**GFLVETTE2** · 03-15-12, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by timfitz63

Hmm. Well, if the pump is running, the switch must be OK; maybe a pneumatic line came off...? I'm trying to remember from my experiences with these things; I had the passenger side go out entirely on my '04, and it was replaced under warranty. I seem to remember them telling me the internals of the seat back are partially adjusted by electrically-driven components (aside from the pump) and partially pneumatic. But I'm going on about 4-5 year old memory on that...

OK Thanks

**Mez** · 03-15-12, 09:32 PM

Originally Posted by GFLVETTE2

Maybe I'M wrong about the base? maybe it was the side bolsters?? anyway one of the smaller switches makes noise like its working but does not fill. Thanks Buddy.

The base has no blatters. There are two on the back that pinch in around your waste and one in the middle to increase lower back support.

Its good you hear the motors. Then its a matter of taking the back apart to find if a hose came off the compressor or blatter or the blatter has tear in it.

**GFLVETTE2** · 03-15-12, 10:45 PM

Originally Posted by Mez

The base has no blatters. There are two on the back that pinch in around your waste and one in the middle to increase lower back support.

Its good you hear the motors. Then its a matter of taking the back apart to find if a hose came off the compressor or blatter or the blatter has tear in it.

Thanks Mez, I did that today and found a broken coupling leading to the side Bladder. It is a relitavely fix now. I just need the neoprene coupling (I hope). Having guys like you here on the CAC is great .I thank you for your advice and I'm sure your helping others like me to do
these tasks without much fustration. Thanks again. I'm sure you'll be hearing from me in the near future.

**Junkman2008** · 03-21-12, 11:28 AM

A lot of times, those bladders go bad. GM wants $800 to replace them (parts only). When I refurbished my seats, I replaced those bladders with some medical bladders that are a little more stout that the stock ones. They work like a charm and give excellent support. I also reinforced my seat but I didn't buy any kit. I just made it up. It's funny how a kit mysteriously showed up on Corvette Central. You can make your own for less than $10 bucks. That's some serious Corvette tax that they are charging!

Here are the old bladders and the bladders that I used as a replacement. The old, leaky ones:

The replacements (cost was around $49)

Here's how I reinforced the seat. I covered the fiberglass edge and taped the hell out of it so that it would no longer bust through the bolster after replacing the foam and leather:

For the bottom, I bought some really hard carpet like you would find at the front door to the unemployment office and laid it on the springs. That was over 3 years ago and my seats are showing no wear in those problem areas. I drive the hell out of my car so it gets a lot of use.

Don't pay that Corvette tax!

**GFLVETTE2** · 03-21-12, 12:41 PM

Thanks for the Post. What kind of foam did you use to replace the old foam. Thanks.

**Junkman2008** · 03-21-12, 12:47 PM

Originally Posted by GFLVETTE2

Thanks for the Post. What kind of foam did you use to replace the old foam. Thanks.

I used GM foam. The old guy that sold me my seat covers told me that there was no foam better than the original GM foam. He looked like he had been making seat covers since the Model T. I found some at Superior Chevy in KC. They gave me one hell of a deal compared to what everyone else wanted.

**Deke** · 02-13-13, 02:47 PM

Does anyone have a solution for the seat back falling forward on hard stops?

Thanks D

**Junkman2008** · 02-13-13, 02:59 PM

Originally Posted by Deke

Does anyone have a solution for the seat back falling forward on hard stops?

Thanks D

That's the ol' rocking seat issue. Click here. You may also want to look at this thread.

**Deke** · 02-13-13, 06:19 PM

The entire seat does't rock forward, just the seat back. Of course the driver's seat doesn't fall forward because I'm sitting in it. Step on the brake with just a little firmness and the passenger seat flops forward then back.

**Junkman2008** · 02-13-13, 06:44 PM

It is supposed to move a little bit but you really have to stop hard. The only other seat issue that I can think of that you may be experiencing is the twisting seat issue. That issue is covered in this TSB. If what you are saying is that the entire back of the seat flops forward on hard deceleration, that's something that I haven't seen or heard of before. The seats are locked into place when in the upright position. Are your seats stock? You should NOT b able to raise them forward without using the lock release tab on the back of the seat. Are your lock release tabs present?

**Deke** · 02-14-13, 07:57 AM

Originally Posted by Junkman2008

It is supposed to move a little bit but you really have to stop hard. The only other seat issue that I can think of that you may be experiencing is the twisting seat issue. That issue is covered in this TSB. If what you are saying is that the entire back of the seat flops forward on hard deceleration, that's something that I haven't seen or heard of before. The seats are locked into place when in the upright position. Are your seats stock? You should NOT b able to raise them forward without using the lock release tab on the back of the seat. Are your lock release tabs present?

The seat does't flop all the way to the dash, seat lock and release mechanism prevent that, however, it does fall forward enough to obscure vision through the passenger window. Is this the "little bit" you refer to? The lever at the top of the seat must be pulled to allow the seat to move all the way to the dash. Examined the lock mechanism where seat back meets seat cushion, there seems to be about a half inch of play that causes this forward movement on braking, otherwise locking mechanism works. Is this just the way GM designed these seats to work? I'm hopeful you"ll say something like "No, you've lost a small bushing that slips over tab on locking mechanism."

Dave

**Junkman2008** · 02-14-13, 08:11 AM

The movement I'm talking about is ONLY a inch or so. Definitely not enough to block your view and you really have to stand on the brakes to get that. How far is yours moving forward? If it does it when you brake hard, you should be able to move it the same amount while sitting still and using your hand. Can you?