Bucket seat latch return spring?

[bull]

One of my two seat latch return springs was broken and I'm trying to collect all the parts I need to finish them up. Is there a source for these things I'm not thinking of? I've checked a bunch of the usual outlets but no luck yet. About the only thing I might be able to do otherwise is get a piece of spring steel wire and make one. Watcha got?

[bull]

That's what I figured. Funny thing is I tried helping another member out with the same problem more than a year ago. Now I'm in the same boat: http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,77852.0.html Looks like it's time to take a trip to the wrecking yard.

FWIW, the part number is 2888582. Collector's Auto Supply stocks the left side (2888583) but not the right, and the right side is the one I need.

[bull]

For the past week and a half I've been searching for this part; and nobody has it... literally. Not even Bubba in the Alabama wrecking yards has one for $50 this time. So I started looking at other torsion springs and thinking "modify" was the only way to go. Today marks my fourth attempt at modifying a spring to work on the passenger side seat and it finally worked. I found a couple of old springs, snapped one in half and spent about 45 minutes tweaking it into shape. It fits correctly and does what it's supposed to do.

[E5 Charger]

Great job! It not only works, but looks enough like the original that no one would notice unless you told them.

[tan top]

   clever stuff    nice job 

[440]

Can you get piano wire and bend it up? I suppose now that you have one that works there is no need to continue.

When can we start placing orders ?

[bull]

Can you get piano wire and bend it up? I suppose now that you have one that works there is no need to continue.

When can we start placing orders ?

Funny you say that. Just last night I modified a second passenger side part (below) from what was left of the spring above and it turned out even better. This stuff doesn't seem quite as hard as the Ebay Toro lawnmower spring I used on the third attempt. That one was snapping left and right.

I was thinking yesterday that a car radio antenna might work too. I wish I had some sort of jig for this because my hands are getting sore.

[69rtse4spd]

You can buy spring winding kits, we have one here at work. Clamp in a vise & bend away, we use to make most of our own springs for work. Look in McMaster & Carr, if you got an origanal spring you do not need to use right away, send to me & I can see what I can do for you, if you want.

[bull]

You can buy spring winding kits, we have one here at work. Clamp in a vise & bend away, we use to make most of our own springs for work. Look in McMaster & Carr, if you got an origanal spring you do not need to use right away, send to me & I can see what I can do for you, if you want.

Do you bend them by hand usually when using these kits?

[36 Dodge Brothers]

Lucky you bull. I just took my seats apart to install the new foams and Legendary covers and when I took the hardware off so that I could stick the frames in my sandblast cabinet I found both sides broke. I did a google search for the springs and it lead me to your post so I guess I am out of luck. It's no big deal the seats have been that way for who knows how many years and I never noticed it before, actually now that I know I am bothered by it!

Marco

[lasvegas69charg]

hey bull.  I'm in the same situation. My driver side is missing and I  can not locate one. I would be happy to pay you if you can reproduce me one. Let me know...thanks.

[FLG]

Oh boy Curtis, calendars and springs now 

[bull]

Oh boy Curtis, calendars and springs now 

The calendars got much easier since I started doing them through Shutterly.

hey bull.  I'm in the same situation. My driver side is missing and I  can not locate one. I would be happy to pay you if you can reproduce me one. Let me know...thanks.

Still thinking about the best way to approach this. There are some jigs you can buy but money is pretty tight right now. But when something happens I let you know.

[lasvegas69charg]

ok. Just let me know.

[bull]

ok. Just let me know.

I started making one by hand last night with some new material. Looks like it will turn out pretty good.

[bull]

Well, I decided there was enough of a need to look into reproducing these things so I had a bunch of them made out of stress-relieved 302 stainless steel. Megaparts now sells them: http://www.megapartsusa.com/proddetail.asp?prod=MP%2DSHS6869