After much head scratching over a couple weeks and the removal of the seat and complete disassembly I came to realize the only thing aparently broken or missing was the nylon bushings on the inside shoulder bolt of both seats. Thus the snap I heard when I leaned back in my seat when it broke.
Well I couldn't find any original ones so got a good selection of various parts and tried them on.
All it took was a trip to Lowe's for 5/8"od x 1/2"id x 1/2"lg nylon spacer on the shoulder bolt with a 7/16"id hardened plain washer against the head of the bolt to stiffen the seat bracket more. The shoulder bolt bottoms out on the frame so you can't over tighten it and bend anything.
End of problem. At least for now? If it lasts a year I will consider it a permanent fix. If it doesn't it's a 5 minute job and didn't even have to take the seats out of the car to do it.
2 spacers and 2 washers and that fixed both seats. I already have a set of star sockets from a jeep I once owned so I didn't have to buy one.
Well I couldn't find any original ones so got a good selection of various parts and tried them on.
All it took was a trip to Lowe's for 5/8"od x 1/2"id x 1/2"lg nylon spacer on the shoulder bolt with a 7/16"id hardened plain washer against the head of the bolt to stiffen the seat bracket more. The shoulder bolt bottoms out on the frame so you can't over tighten it and bend anything.
End of problem. At least for now? If it lasts a year I will consider it a permanent fix. If it doesn't it's a 5 minute job and didn't even have to take the seats out of the car to do it.
2 spacers and 2 washers and that fixed both seats. I already have a set of star sockets from a jeep I once owned so I didn't have to buy one.