I currently have a 328i, but am looking for a 5 series as a second car for myself and my college age daughter. I really like the timeless look of the E34 series!

Anyhow... we looked at and drove an 89 535 that is need of some work, but might be a good prospect for purchase. The big problem is the drivers seatback is so twisted that when yoiu sit in the car, it feels like your are facing the drivers side mirror. Looking at the seatback you can see how severe the twist is.

At first I though it was bent, but I came home and searched the forums to learn of the dreaded seat twist. My question is if twist can be really this bad, and if there is a way to tell it is seat twist and not a bent frame.

I will be heading back this weekend to take another look and drive it on the highway to check for any suspension shimmy....

Any help is appreciated!

Trumpeter

I can get really bad.


But, is rather easily fixed. Just do a search. this has been discussed oh so many times.

I have searched and read many discussions, but if you square your back into the seatback you are almost looking out the side window!

I did not bother to check the recline function to see what that would do. I'm guessing it would tell me much....

Trumpeter

i didn't know my car was afflicted w/ this until i noticed it in my sig pic. the passenger seat was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in the picture (for cleaning). doh!

It won't get any worse, it feels like a bent frame but it's not. There are various methods to fix it, but I think my method works the best. Should only take 10-15mins to fix.
It involves cutting the plastic sheath and removing a 1/4" band and then taping the 2 plastic sheaths back together again. You will not have to deal with unscrewing the cable at the motor, and it can be done w/o removing the seats.
There's another good method wheras you insert a 1/4" piece of a hanger and inserting it where the cable meets the motor.
Do a search over here for a better explanation.
Hth's
Fred/Houston

It won't get any worse, it feels like a bent frame but it's not. There are various methods to fix it, but I think my method works the best. Should only take 10-15mins to fix.
It involves cutting the plastic sheath and removing a 1/4" band and then taping the 2 plastic sheaths back together again. You will not have to deal with unscrewing the cable at the motor, and it can be done w/o removing the seats.
There's another good method wheras you insert a 1/4" piece of a hanger and inserting it where the cable meets the motor.
Do a search over here for a better explanation.
Hth's
Fred/Houston


and then the tape stretches or falls off and your back to square 1

and then the tape stretches or falls off and your back to square 1


Yub, first hot day and the tape will let go.

Do it up right once.

pull the seat and...

just remove just two screws from the motor and rotate it till it releases the cables.

heat the end caps to remove them, trim @13mm off the jacket, round out the end caps with a dowel or old drill bit. This compress the little teeth back so you can just re crimp it back on to the cable.

Re time the seat using a cordless drill...be gentle too much torque and you could FUBAR a gear box.

recrimp end cap, pop the cables back into the motor, replace screws and remount the seat...have a few beers now.

Thanks guys. If anything it should be a nice negtiation tool to lower the price...

Trumpeter

Yub, first hot day and the tape will let go.

Do it up right once.

pull the seat and...

just remove just two screws from the motor and rotate it till it releases the cables.

heat the end caps to remove them, trim @13mm off the jacket, round out the end caps with a dowel or old drill bit. This compress the little teeth back so you can just re crimp it back on to the cable.

Re time the seat using a cordless drill...be gentle too much torque and you could FUBAR a gear box.

recrimp end cap, pop the cables back into the motor, replace screws and remount the seat...have a few beers now.

I put just one strip of tape around the cut to stop the gear grease from squeezing out, then I used a bead of Gorilla glue where the splice was. After that I used heat-shrink tubing to bond the splice. It survived all summer in Houston heat and it will not come apart. I did roughen up the ends of the plastic cables to be sure the glue got a good bond.
I don't know why anyone would want to go through so much hassle when they can get a perfect fix in 15 mins?
The "right way" is time consuming, if the splice method is so much faster and the cables never come apart again we need to redefine "right way"?
...no motors to pull, no need to take out the seat, can it be any easier?
Once done either put the back seat all the way back or all the way forward to even out the bad side of the seat, this is done before you apply the heat-shrink tube.
I've done 8 cables on 3 cars and they all work fine.
I'm not trying to be a Dweeb, just trying to make things a little easier.
Fred/Houston

The "right way" is time consuming, if the splice method is so much faster and the cables never come apart again we need to redefine "right way"?Fred/Houston


My way is always the right way...ha ha haaa.:stickoutt

Naw, I usually go for an "untouched" look, thus the extra work.

My way is always the right way...ha ha haaa.:stickoutt

Naw, I usually go for an "untouched" look, thus the extra work.



+1.


Once youve done it, its actually pretty easy. Dont even need to fully take the seat out. But you really need the right set of ratchet wrenches. The real trick is to only undo half the motor mounts, and let the motor "swing" out.



Fred, what part of Htown are you in? I think im goin down there to visit my good friend in the next week or two. Any where close to Cypress?

My way is always the right way...ha ha haaa.:stickoutt

Naw, I usually go for an "untouched" look, thus the extra work.

LMAO! That is too funny.
For the 'untouched look"...what Bob said.
CWB, Cypress is in Houston, I'm in NW Houston off HW290, it would be great to hook up. We can have a seat cable repair race! :)))
PM me before you leave.
Fred/Houston

If you have the seat out do ALL the cables while you are there. It will save you time later. I did have a bad seat gearbox effecting the tilt on my 540I. Thank god for parts cars. That probably would have been expensive!

I've done 8 cables on 3 cars and they all work fine.
I'm not trying to be a Dweeb, just trying to make things a little easier.
Fred/Houston


Hey Fred, how'd you like to drive an M5T for a few hours after fixing my cables on two seats, and one passenger head rest? I will gladly trade you a FM2222 romp out to Lake Travis for a twisty seat lesson. Come on up to Austin and jump into Barton Springs too.

Hey Fred if your going to be fixing all these guys seat twist i'll slide mine in there too, i work off of 290 and Hollister, Htown representing!!!!!!!!!!

LMAO! That is too funny.
For the 'untouched look"...what Bob said.
CWB, Cypress is in Houston, I'm in NW Houston off HW290, it would be great to hook up. We can have a seat cable repair race! :)))
PM me before you leave.
Fred/Houston


Lol, I know Cypress is in Houston, just wondering how close you were to that area b/c thats about the general area where my friend lives. Its still kinda up in the air, but if I did come down there it would be within the next few weeks. Ill definitely give you a holla if im going down there.

HAHA, seat repair race! How about just a race? We have the same car, unless yours is a i6.



Hey Fred if your going to be fixing all these guys seat twist i'll slide mine in there too, i work off of 290 and Hollister, Htown representing!!!!!!!!!!

ha, somebody is a hoe:stickoutt (fred)


Maybe we could have a mini-meet when I come down and tear apart some of those Ricers I hear about

Hey CWB, i got to gravy train it, my twist is not horrible yet, but it will be soon

Hey CWB, i got to gravy train it, my twist is not horrible yet, but it will be soon

lol, its any easy fix. Little, if no, mechanical skill required. You just need about 4hrs to do it for the first time. There are several, very detailed, threads. Official E34 Seat Twist Fix Thread (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=404774&highlight=e34+seat+twist)

follow the two links in the first post for more info, especially if you have the rocking problem too

GL

Oh crap! Now I have to fix it the "right" way because all the electrical tape came off and I didn't want to admit it on the internet. lol
What the hell, if anybody brings their cars over, I'll do the repair. If you want to do it the "right" way and remove the seats, you will be helping:)
Elekta, be careful what you ask for. My Momma didn't raise no fool, hell yeah I'll drive your car. Unluckily for you I expect to be in Austin some day between the 23rd & the 29th.
CWB, let's definatly kick butt!:)
Fred/Houston

just use some fuel line and hose clamps instead of the tape. and the seat twist will get as bad as however long you hold down the button and keep it twisting.

I just did this on my 92 E34 I just purchased. It really wasn't to hard to do. Use a short 8mm end wrench (my socket seemed to "bounce" off of the head due to it being so shallow) to undo two of the four fasteners for each motor. Pretty slick. I do have one bad gear box on my drivers seat. Probably caused by the previous owner trying to overcome the seat twist. I did manage to get the seat in position, so I'll just leave it there.

I'm curious, what causes the seat twist? I have a '90 535, and want to avoid it if I can.

Not trying to hijack this thread but...

Blutarsky; I just looked at the link in your sig...that M5 of yours is sick! Did you buy it that clean? If not, do you have before and after pics posted somewhere?

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l287/Bin_jammin/DSCN0783.jpg

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l287/Bin_jammin/DSCN0784.jpg

My twisties. Gonna be a-fixin' my passenger's seat soon I reckon.

I'm curious, what causes the seat twist? I have a '90 535, and want to avoid it if I can.

Not trying to hijack this thread but...

Blutarsky; I just looked at the link in your sig...that M5 of yours is sick! Did you buy it that clean? If not, do you have before and after pics posted somewhere?

SEARCH, or why try not to thread-skim?


There are several, very detailed, threads. Official E34 Seat Twist Fix Thread (http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=404774&highlight=e34+seat+twist)

follow the two links in the first post for more info, especially if you have the rocking problem too

GL

SEARCH, or why try not to thread-skim?

You're right CWB...I usually do quite a bit of searching before asking questions. I got lazy. Sorry.

My twisties. Gonna be a-fixin' my passenger's seat soon I reckon.


yeouch, thats as bad as mine was.



sorry man, but I think your leather has seen better days. And what up with the back seat?

yeouch, thats as bad as mine was.



sorry man, but I think your leather has seen better days. And what up with the back seat?

I pulled it out to look under it. Other than that the leather needs a serious redying. Unless I'm missing something...?

Yub, first hot day and the tape will let go.

Do it up right once.

pull the seat and...

just remove just two screws from the motor and rotate it till it releases the cables.

heat the end caps to remove them, trim @13mm off the jacket, round out the end caps with a dowel or old drill bit. This compress the little teeth back so you can just re crimp it back on to the cable.

Re time the seat using a cordless drill...be gentle too much torque and you could FUBAR a gear box.

recrimp end cap, pop the cables back into the motor, replace screws and remount the seat...have a few beers now.

What I don't understand is how to "time the seat using a cordless drill"? Sorry, I am a shop newbie, and leaning as I go. I cut the cable jacket, exposing the proper amount of cable, inserted back into the motor, hooked motor back up and reclined the seat back all the way back to re-align and the cable stretched again and the twist got worse.

you use a drill to drive the cable and move the seat (clamp the cable into the chuck of the drill). then reinsert cable into the motor once it's in the correct position.

Thanks Ian, makes sense.

What I don't understand is how to "time the seat using a cordless drill"? Sorry, I am a shop newbie, and leaning as I go. I cut the cable jacket, exposing the proper amount of cable, inserted back into the motor, hooked motor back up and reclined the seat back all the way back to re-align and the cable stretched again and the twist got worse.


Is it the same side twisting?

I usually do both sides for good luck