Stuck Seat Bolts

[ThisVelologist]

So I picked up some nice condition EGT seats yesterday and I am in the process of installing them but I can't get the seats out of my Festiva! The inner rear bolts (nearest the back of the center console) on both sides are seized! I've hit them with several coats of PB blast and a wire brush and tried to "rock the bolt" to no avail. Left a generous amount of PB Blast on it today before going to work. I guess buying a longer rachet wrench would be useful. I only have the standard 3/8 rachet.

[Brennan O]

Super frustrating!

I snapped a seat mount bolt when removing mine a few days ago. All of mine were rusty and gross.
Starting to think the interior was flooded at some point before I got it.

[ThisVelologist]

I got em! After lots of PB blast my roommate recommended the 'ole length of pipe over the wrench trick. A little more leverage and they came right out.

[nonamekid]

I got em! After lots of PB blast my roommate recommended the 'ole length of pipe over the wrench trick. A little more leverage and they came right out.

Awesome! I have wrecked some 3/8" ratchets doing that. Also snapped a 1/2" breaker bar. But maybe yours just need a little more leverage to encourage it to come out.

[Onree]

Do you take the seat bolts out from under the car or from inside the car?

[ThisVelologist]

Inside the car.

[Pu241]

Do you take the seat bolts out from under the car or from inside the car?

:banghead:

[navdoc101]

:banghead:

He He

[WmWatt]

The seat bolts go through and stick out under the car. That's where I would go with the wire brush to clean the threads and help them get started, as well as soaking the tops inside the car and giving them some good hits with something hard and heavy to try to break the rust around the threads. Putting a socket on the top and hammering on it is one way of shocking them without damaging the head of the bolt. When using an extension to break a bolt or nut free when it snaps I know something broke and always hope it's the rust rather than the bolt.

[Onree]

The seat bolts go through and stick out under the car. That's where I would go with the wire brush to clean the threads and help them get started, as well as soaking the tops inside the car and giving them some good hits with something hard and heavy to try to break the rust around the threads. Putting a socket on the top and hammering on it is one way of shocking them without damaging the head of the bolt. When using an extension to break a bolt or nut free when it snaps I know something broke and always hope it's the rust rather than the bolt.

Thanks for your helpful post. That makes sense, BUT the picture in the 1990 shop manual (page 41-02-2) really looks like the seat bolts come up from the bottom. That's why I asked this apparently stupid question.

[Pu241]

Thanks for your helpful post. That makes sense, BUT the picture in the 1990 shop manual (page 41-02-2) really looks like the seat bolts come up from the bottom. That's why I asked this apparently stupid question.

So you have three Festivas and you trust the manual to tell you everything?
Sometimes its worth the 3 minutes to just go look.
Of the ten cars you have, how many have seats bolted in from under neither the car?

[nitrofarm]

Hey here is s little trick if you have impact tools for ANY bolt that has threads exposed underneath the car. Especially Seat Belt bolts(like the ones that you need a Torx) or Seat bolts like our Festys. Obviously you guys know you need to wire brush the threads. But what really helps is getting the PB Blaster to run down the bolt from inside not just spraying the bottom. Them with an Impact you Reverse & Tighten the bolt with the impact on a low setting. The bolt will start to heat up,keep the threads wet from the inside & bottom. The bolt will get warm and you'll feel it start to free up. Just dont run it all the way out keep working back and forth. I haven't had any problems since I started using this method. Just takes a little more time. You can soak the bottom of threads till the cows come home. But if you dont get the oil into the "Nut" portion it wont really do anything.You can use this method with hand tools it just takes a LOT more energy. The bolt getting Hot really helps the oil penetrate.

[bravekozak]

Twenty inches should be good enough!

If it still won't budge, be prepared to watch the sheet metal of your floorpan start to twist and deform!

[F3BZ]

also don't forget to clean up the threads and lube em if you're re-installing the old bolts. or even new ones.