1996 180BR Signature Series Back to Back Seats

[kci5477]

We cannot figure out how to lay down the back to back seats. On the one side of the seat is a small plastic handle with a bolt attached. Do you have to remove that bolt to have the seats lay down? On the driver side seat that bolt has been broke off. How do I get into the bottom of the seat to repair the broken bolt? How do they slide on the rails I can see?

They do not open like standard seats. It looks like they have drawer type glides. One has this t handle with a bolt attached that you can unscrew. I did not unscrew it as I only have a deposit on the boat which is pending an inspection. The other side this bolt has been broke off. How does the seat lay down. What do I do about the broken bolt.

Kemper​

 

[src]

If they are like the seats in my '97 175BR, you just lift the seat at the front and slide it (obviously, for both sides).

 

[kci5477]

If they are like the seats in my '97 175BR, you just lift the seat at the front and slide it (obviously, for both sides).

We have tried that. Its as if something is holding them down. We have tried pulling on the front and rear of the seats and they do not budge. I do not want to break something. I have really pulled on them hard. Again it might have something to do with that plastic handle with the bolt attached. Just trying to find someone that has a Sea Ray that has that plastic handle with a bolt attached that goes into the side of the seat. But the problem is that this bolt has been broke off. The problem is this bolt with a handle on it goes in from the side that is near the edge of the boat. You can barely get your hand in there. I cannot get a drill in there to drill out the bolt and re-tap. I hope someone out there has see this problem and can guide me to a fix and how to operate the back to back seats.

 

[src]

You would need to get under there with a light/mirror/whatever to see what is going on. They could be corroded, jammed, have something stuffed under them (PO stuffed life jackets under ours), etc. Are you sure they are the OEM seats? Perhaps a prior owner had replaced them.

I checked the brochure for that boat on SeaRay.com, and they are supposed to be lounger seats. If they aren't working, then (again) a close inspection of the mechanism is called for.

 

[twomad]

there is a small latch on the slide that you have to pull out. make sure it locks back in place when you fold back up. the latch will be on the side of the seat towards the middle of the boat. if you look at the rail or slide under the cushions you will see the latch

 

[Lazy Daze]

Twomad is correct - look for a stainless steel latch that you pull out about a half inch with your finger - right in the middle between the two seats (front/aft facing). There are also (should be) TWO of those black handled "tensioners" on the outboard side of the seats. One for the forward facing, one for the aft facing. If there is only one, the other is either missing or broken off (hopefully it's not broken off). The nice thing about this setup is that (with the tensioners loosened) you can slide the whole seat forward and aft a bit for comfort.

 

[kci5477]

Lazy Day, Yes it looks like port side seat only has one tensioner. The starboard seat tensioner has been broken off. Any suggestions on how to fix the broken bolt? You cannot get a drill in there to drill it out and re-tap.

Kemper

 

[Lazy Daze]

I'm not sure I'm following you - there should be (2) tensioners for the stbd seat (one for the front seat, one for the aft seat) and (2) tensioners for the port (same setup). Are the tensioners simply missing, or are they broken off (which can be figured out by whether or not the seat can be slid/moved or opened up by loosening what tensioner is there and opening the "clip".

If one is missing, no big deal - one tensioner will hold the seat in place. The only thing you won't be able to do is "slightly" open the seats to a partly reclining positon.

If a tensioner is broken off, you'll need to remove the whole seat (look inside the base and you'll see (if memory serves) six screws that hold the seat base to the floor. Again, going only from memory, you may also need to remove the track assembly. You may/may not have to remove the whole base - but it does give you more working room. I'm being vague, but it's only because I don't have the seat in front of me to see exactly what steps are needed to gain proper access. Once you take a good look at things, it should become clear, though - it's a pretty simply system.

 

[kci5477]

No they are broke off. Only one of the four is operational. I got in between the sidewall and the seat. I can see were the bolts are broke off. I wish there was at least a 1/4 inch of the bolt sticking out. I could then use vise grips and rotate them out. This is not the case. If I release the latch that is in the middle of the seat I still cannot move the seats. I did see some screws that might be holding the glides in place. I will start taking out screws I can see from the outside. Thank you for all your help. Kemper

 

[kci5477]

Now that I found the latch I can slide the front half of each seat forward. The back tension bolts are broke off. With the seats slid forward I can reach these four posts with aircaft (nylon nut) nuts. The question is, there is no way to get to the back side of these bolts. If i start to unscrew the locking nut will the bolt start to spin? Is it a carriage bolt? It is sealed in the floor with fiberglass? Has anyone tried to remove these nuts so you can remove the seat box from the floor?

Kemper

 

[kci5477]

Update - I removed the aircraft nuts and the bolts (posts) were fiberglassed into the floor. They did not turn nor fall into the hull. I removed both seats and had to drill out the broken copper tensioner and use an easy out to remove the broken bolt. Replaced with a stainless steel bolt and I am good to go.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Guess I'm late to the party so telling you that the bolts are "captured" in the floor doesn't do any good, now! :smt001 But, glad you got it figured out.