How to fix seat sliders if I can't find replacements

[Redmond49]

I've been looking around for replacement seat sliders and they seem to be scarce.  Are these repairable? The passenger side is missing its bearings, and it was creatively repaired in the past. Both have cracks underneath. 

 

[casper50]

Weld up the cracks and replace the ball bearings.  I replaced the bearings for mine off of ebay.  Think I spent a total of $5.

[DonaldSmith]

Long ago, I got some old seat tracks and disassembled them, to get balls to install in my track,  Here, from the distant past:

From the distant past:  

 

seat track  2005, 12/10  DonaldSmith   Thanks to steve m, OXU762X29@aol.com for sending seat track, some door cylinders and door strike. Mailing token of appreciation.  Used ball bearings from his track. 

Description:

Track formed from two heavy gauge pieces, "CL" shape, with top of C touching the L. Pieces rotated 180 degrees to each other, forming two outer races for small ball bearings and middle race for large ones. Each end has two small bearings and one large one.  Travel of small balls limited by indentations in track. Travel of large balls restricted by heads of bolts to the seat, and heads of rivets that attach track to base that bolts to floor. 

Disassembly:

Remove lever from the handle on side of seat to latch under track. Drill out rivet that connects lever to latch.   Slide track toward each extreme position, and push out upper bolts at ends.  Drill out 4 rivets that attach base to track, making room for large ball to move.   (If large balls do not come out, drive large balls to center of track, to provide slack for popping out small balls.  3/8 drive extension works well.  Small balls visible in their race. Use large screwdriver or similar to pry tracks apart and pop the balls out.   With small balls out, the pieces will separate, releasing the large balls.)

Assembly:   Sort of reverse of disassembly.

Connect track to base with No. 10 machine screws at two middle holes. Leave end holes open.   Grease the race surfaces of track. Grease four small balls to hold them in place. Slip two pieces of track together.  Tape them, so they won't separate.  Drive large ball in each end.   Slide track toward each extreme, and install seat bolt and the end bolt to the base. Draw seat bolt home with nut and washer, so square end fits in square hole. 

 

 

Edited typos

Edited December 9, 2016 by DonaldSmith

[pflaming]

I just cleaned up a pair of rails. First I gave them a good soaking with Liquid Wrench, followed by a soaking of phosphoric acid, soaped it down with Super Clean grease remover. I let that all soak for an hour or so then cleaned it all with water pressure. Then I worked the rails loose and repeated the liquid wrench and Super Clean treatment to better clean the bearings. Finally I hosed it all down again then sprayed it all with silicone. Those rails just fly now. Sometimes it's easier to clean than to dismantle, sometimes. . 

[Redmond49]

Thanks, all, I'm going to work with what I've got, and have a resto shop fab some new legs and weld it up. The local hardware had the missing bearings.

[42dodgeguy]

I've done a couple sets of these, and it's one of those things that once you've done it you'll think it's easy. One set I did had a couple divots in the track that made them want to kind of stick at a certain point, so disassembled them, took a dremel tool, and kind of blended the divot into the surrounding metal, and after greasing and re-assembly they worked well

[tankwilson]

I have a good usable pair that I would sell

 

[rb1949]

Tank, PM the guy with such offers.