Seat bolt captive nut replacement | FerrariChat
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Seat bolt captive nut replacement

Discussion in '308/328' started by dflett, Feb 21, 2011.

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  1. dflett

    dflett Formula 3
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    Jun 24, 2005
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    NY
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    David
    #1 dflett, Feb 21, 2011
    Hello everyone. I have been doing small jobs on my 78 GTB over the winter without trouble but now I think I need some advice and/or insight from more experienced 308 owners.

    The captive nut for the seat is rotating in the cage below the floor. I dropped the floor pan yesterday and the cage is quite mishappen and now seems too soft to hold enough torque. I suspect the thread on the nut has been damaged in the past and is the root cause of the problem. (since the bolt looks fine). Therefore, I think I need to replace the nut.

    Has anyone done this repair before? I am thinking I need to grind off the existing cage, replace the nut, bolt the seat back in and then weld the replacement nut to the chassis?

    Any other ideas?

    Thanks in advance for any input.

    David
     
  2. ramosel

    ramosel Formula 3

    Sep 11, 2004
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    Meadow Vista, CA
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    R Moseley
    #2 ramosel, Feb 21, 2011
    Sounds like a good plan. I did two of mine that way.

    Rick
     
  3. bill brooks

    bill brooks F1 Veteran
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    bill brooks
    #3 bill brooks, Feb 22, 2011
    Last edited: Feb 22, 2011
    although i've never investigated, would it be possible to take a hole saw
    the same diameter as the inspection hole under and behind the driver's
    seat, and drill a hole under your seat bolt(s)?

    that way you could use standard nuts and tighten them in place with a
    wrench,etc. the hole could be closed off with a new rubber inspection
    cover. also you would still have flexibilty in the future to re-position
    the nut if necessary.

    on my car i've noticed the seat rail bolts looking damaged after loosening
    even though i chased the threads with a bottom tap. a couple of them
    feel pretty chancy if i'd applied too much torque.
     
  4. dflett

    dflett Formula 3
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    David
    #4 dflett, Feb 22, 2011
    Rick, thanks for the confirmation that I'll be able to fix it by welding.

    Bill, an inspection hole was my second thought, and I'd much rather Ferrari had designed it that way in the first place! It would definitely be possible.

    The captive nuts are a design weakness in my view. My other three feel secure enough... for now. What I did notice when I jammed a screwdriver in the cage to lock the nut to withdraw the bolt was how easily the cage deformed with very little torque. They are made from very mild steel.
     

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