I didn't really notice until two days ago, but the drivers seat, outer bolster seems... broken maybe? It's splayed out towards the door unlike the inner one or the passenger seat.
I've google'd it, and it's a pretty common problem but I haven't seen a fix for it.

Anyone else have this problem/know how to fix it?

Thanks in advance.
Dave/DChamp

I've never heard of that one, I know about the bladders not working. The frame must be bent somehow....

Searching the web, it does seem to be a common problem.
Just wondering if anyone else has had this problem.

You find anything out on this yet? Or tore apart your seat? I'm curious as this new to me!

Tim

Not yet, but I've spoken to the local Corvette Specialist place in my state, and they want me to bring it in to check it out.
More as I find out.

When I was getting new seat covers installed they found my drivers seat bolster was broken, what the installer did was cut a new piece of metal and installed it with rivets, the reason this happens is when you get in and out of the car you put pressure on the bolster thats next to the door every time, I hope this helps you. :thumbsup:

Thanks Dusky... I hope the Corvette shop will be able to fix this (Actually, I know they can.. they're real good at things like this)

Well, I still haven't heard anything, I've searched and it seems others have had the problem, but nobody has the fix yet.

Still waiting for a nice weather Saturday to take it to the local Vette Shop to take a look at.

(praying it's not too expensive!)

Dave,

Are you SURE it's actually the bolster or is it that the seat back is actually 'leaning' that direction. That is, is the seat back 'twisted'?

The reason I ask:

I had this, apparently, same issue on my passenger's seat and it turned out that the latch wasn't 'caught' on both sides of the back (down at the bottom).

I released the seat back, tipped the seat back forward, released it again, and tipped it back to the normal position. Problem solved.

Man I hope that's what's wrong with yours.

Jim

Dave,

Are you SURE it's actually the bolster or is it that the seat back is actually 'leaning' that direction. That is, is the seat back 'twisted'?

The reason I ask:

I had this, apparently, same issue on my passenger's seat and it turned out that the latch wasn't 'caught' on both sides of the back (down at the bottom).

I released the seat back, tipped the seat back forward, released it again, and tipped it back to the normal position. Problem solved.

Man I hope that's what's wrong with yours.

Jim

I'll triple check Jim, but I highly doubt it. Even outside of the car, I open the door and see the right bolster is in the right position, and the left one (near the door) is like it's not inflated at all, but I believe it to be. If I inflate/deflate, I can watch the right one move, the left one doesn't move. I'll check though.

I just noticed that I have the same problem on my driver's side seat... Hmmm. Interested to see what you find out before I tear it apart.

Good grief! Maybe I better check mine!

Tim

You're not allowed Tim. I checked, it's in the rules.

:smack:

Jim (with the seat backs that don't lean NO MO)

You're not allowed Tim. I checked, it's in the rules.

:smack:

Jim (with the seat backs that don't lean NO MO)
DAMN!!!!! Well you're in Neu Yawk... can you come down here and fix it for me?

damn it! I had to back and respell NEU YAUK! LOL

oops.... Yawk... that is

Well, sure. I'm just that kind of guy.

Let's make sure that Dave's is allright now first. After ALL, he was the first jannow.

Jim

Fine! He's in CT so I'll load my welder and pick you up on the way to his place....

Dave have you taken the center cover and seat foam off to inspect the bolster wing? I forget exactly how to do it now but the cover and bladders are fastened with those plastic push pins...

Tim

But TIM, that would mean I'd have to ride with YOU and we all know how dangerous THAT would be.

Oh, wait, you can drive, I'll do the directions and drink beer. Works for me.

But what if *I'm* right (I know, I know) and it's just the latches on the seat back? Stranger things have happened you know...

Jim (anyone have any good recipes for crow?)

Oh hell.... I give up! I forgot what his problem was!!!!!

:lol:

Tim

I just noticed that I have the same problem on my driver's side seat... Hmmm. Interested to see what you find out before I tear it apart.

Well, as soon as I get a "nice" Saturday, I'm taking it to our local Corvette shop which is about 10 miles away.

I'm one of those people that doesn't drive my Vette in the rain.. *LOL*

Dave

ps, Tim, did yours have that problem too?

Fine! He's in CT so I'll load my welder and pick you up on the way to his place....

Dave have you taken the center cover and seat foam off to inspect the bolster wing? I forget exactly how to do it now but the cover and bladders are fastened with those plastic push pins...

Tim

Nope, I haven't done it.. but while I'm at the Corvette place, I'm going to ask about a new seatback (the black leather piece). On my left bolster, there's a "spot" where someone tried to sit by sliding down the seat and something caught on the leather. It's tiny, but I'd just like to see how much to get the leather seatback replaced while they do the wing problem.

Yeah I just checked mine, it seems fine. Here are pics I borrowed from vetteessentials...
http://www.vetteessentials.com/instructions/full_seat_covers/P1010046r.JPG
http://www.vetteessentials.com/instructions/full_seat_covers/P1010047r.JPG

Unfortunatly I can't tell if the wing is metal or fiberglass.... :willy_nilly:

Tim

Yeah I just checked mine, it seems fine. Here are pics I borrowed from vetteessentials...


Unfortunatly I can't tell if the wing is metal or fiberglass.... :willy_nilly:

Tim

Yeah, they look like plastic of some kind. Tomorrow's supposed to be nice, so I'll bring the Vette to the Corvette Center nearby and see what they say. I'll write back about it.
Thanks Tim.

Hey Dave,

Did you go out and check on the seatback deal that we talked about?

Jim (hardly Tim)

Hey Dave,

Did you go out and check on the seatback deal that we talked about?

Jim (hardly Tim)

Sorry Jim, yes, I did check it out and it's not that sadly. It looks like nice weather tomorrow morning so I'll be taking the Vette to the local Corvette Center http://www.corvettecenter-ct.com
I hope they have some answers for me... without it costing a fortune.

Sorry Jim, yes, I did check it out and it's not that sadly. It looks like nice weather tomorrow morning so I'll be taking the Vette to the local Corvette Center http://www.corvettecenter-ct.com
I hope they have some answers for me... without it costing a fortune.

Ya DC you make dam sure the weather is just right befor you take that little yellow vette for a drive you dont want it to get sick or catch a cold. LOL!!:cheers:

Sic 'em Dusky, sic 'em.

Poor Dave, broken bolster AND grief.. what's a guy to do.

Kind of like my being abused all the time by Tim. sniff.

:nopity:

Jim (considering therapy now)

:banghead: No Respect... I get No Respect! *LOL* :thud:

And it appears I'm abusive!!!!! And he hasn't even been my passenger yet!!!!!!!! :rofl:

Tim

I just called my insurance agent.

To quote Coco:

"Ain't NO EFFIN way I'm gonna cover you if you ...." and we all know the rest. She said something about erratic driving reports, APBs in Pennsyltucky, general mollycoddling and bruhahahahs.

So, guess I ain't doing no ridin' with The Timster, no how.

Jim (safe in my booster seat)

I found this for you Dave...

"
The plastic bladders push on a plastic hinged plate that is riveted to the seat body. Mine had pulled the rivets out. I replaced them with small bolts/nuts and everything worked fine. Good luck. "

Tim

I didn't really notice until two days ago, but the drivers seat, outer bolster seems... broken maybe? It's splayed out towards the door unlike the inner one or the passenger seat.
I've google'd it, and it's a pretty common problem but I haven't seen a fix for it.

Anyone else have this problem/know how to fix it?

Thanks in advance.
Dave/DChamp

What has most likely happened is your foam has come off the seat frame. Check out this picture:

http://www.pc-surgeon.net/images/cforum/seat_bolster3.jpg

What has happened is your foam has come off the seat frame. That seat frame is made of some very tough fiberglass so it's not like you could have broken it unless you weigh more than a hippo. What you need to do is remove the center section of your seat (I'm big time assuming you have sport seats), unbutton the outer seat cover and put the foam back on the seat edge. You don't even have to remove the seat from the car. It would probably take me 10 minutes to fix it, but only because I have throughly dissected my seats and covered them with new leather.

http://www.pc-surgeon.net/images/cforum/seat_bolster4.jpg

The instructions for stripping your seat down to this point can be found here. (http://www.vetteessentials.com/instructions/seat_covers/upload_seat_cover_removal.html)

Start at step 6a, but do not totally remove the center section. Just get it out of the way so that you can remove the Christmas tree plugs. Then you can peel the bolster leather back and re-seat the foam. :thumbsup:

From now on, quit being lazy like I was doing and placing your hand on the bolster to help yourself out of the car. If not, the next issue you will be facing is the bolster rip issue. Ask me how I know... :willy_nilly:

My new seats:

http://www.pc-surgeon.net/images/cforum/seat_covers.jpg

The Junkman

Unfortunatly I can't tell if the wing is metal or fiberglass.... :willy_nilly:

Tim

Fiberglass.

I found this for you Dave...

"
The plastic bladders push on a plastic hinged plate that is riveted to the seat body. Mine had pulled the rivets out. I replaced them with small bolts/nuts and everything worked fine. Good luck. "

Tim

I believe DC this is what I told you awhile back, ( about the rivets ):Yawn:

What has most likely happened is your foam has come off the seat frame. Check out this picture:

http://www.pc-surgeon.net/images/cforum/seat_bolster3.jpg

What has happened is your foam has come off the seat frame. That seat frame is made of some very tough fiberglass so it's not like you could have broken it unless you weigh more than a hippo. What you need to do is remove the center section of your seat (I'm big time assuming you have sport seats), unbutton the outer seat cover and put the foam back on the seat edge. You don't even have to remove the seat from the car. It would probably take me 10 minutes to fix it, but only because I have throughly dissected my seats and covered them with new leather.

http://www.pc-surgeon.net/images/cforum/seat_bolster4.jpg

The instructions for stripping your seat down to this point can be found here. (http://www.vetteessentials.com/instructions/seat_covers/upload_seat_cover_removal.html)

Start at step 6a, but do not totally remove the center section. Just get it out of the way so that you can remove the Christmas tree plugs. Then you can peel the bolster leather back and re-seat the foam. :thumbsup:

From now on, quit being lazy like I was doing and placing your hand on the bolster to help yourself out of the car. If not, the next issue you will be facing is the bolster rip issue. Ask me how I know... :willy_nilly:

My new seats:

http://www.pc-surgeon.net/images/cforum/seat_covers.jpg

The Junkman

Wow, love your new seats Junikmak!!!
Thanks for the input, I may just have to give this a try.

I reached in this morning, between the seatback and bolster and was able to see the bottom Xmas Tree Plug was out, so I maneuvered it back in for now, but soon I'll try what you suggest.
Keep in mind, I'm probably one of the LEAST car-technical people here, so giving it a try is a major undertaking for me. Kinda like asking other people to do brain surgery on their own kid!
I'm a 20+ Year computer specialist and can tear down and repair anything on a PC... but cars, I shudder at. Suffice it to say, some people are handy like that, some aren't.

Thanks again,
Dave

Wow, love your new seats Junikmak!!!
Thanks for the input, I may just have to give this a try.

I reached in this morning, between the seatback and bolster and was able to see the bottom Xmas Tree Plug was out, so I maneuvered it back in for now, but soon I'll try what you suggest.
Keep in mind, I'm probably one of the LEAST car-technical people here, so giving it a try is a major undertaking for me. Kinda like asking other people to do brain surgery on their own kid!
I'm a 20+ Year computer specialist and can tear down and repair anything on a PC... but cars, I shudder at. Suffice it to say, some people are handy like that, some aren't.

Thanks again,
Dave

Dave, you just don't know how parallel you and I are. I'm a 45 year old computer guru (http://www.pc-surgeon.net) who couldn't tell you which way to turn the oil bolt in order to drain the pan. That was a year ago. I got on these forums and started asking questions. The Corvette community has a great bunch of guys and gals who are willing to help you with any aspect of your Corvette. I have learned so much in one year that now, that I will attempt to repair any problem my Corvette could have. So far I have been very successful. If you can learn computers, this stuff is easy. The Corvette is a very throughly thought out assembly and its operation for the most part makes a lot of sense. We both know that this cannot be said for that crap coming out of Redmond.

I have DIY all over the place of all the crap I've fixed. If I can do it, you should have no problem because I am truly what you would call a "shade tree mechanic".

Thanks Junkman... I'm still worried but now that I know someone else has been in my shoes, it makes me feel better.
Are you the "PC Surgeon"?

Nice site.. I'll have to poke around after I'm done here.

I'll let you know what happens.. not sure when I can get around to this, but I will try it.
Dave/DChamp

Yes, I am the Surgeon. Only thing is, I don't get sued when I leave parts inside my patients. :lol: