Seat Motor & Gear Advice Requested for my 1996

[Matt42]

The power driver seat in my 1996 is acting like it's 24 years old. It'll go backward, slowly, bumping and growling when I'm sitting on it. But it'll only move forward if I'm standing outside and helping along by pushing on the seat. Up and down motion is just about gone. I can't tell if it works at all, and I'm not sure if I hear any sounds.

Replacement seat motors and gears are available. I'm asking people that have replaced these, were the motors AND the plastic gears bad? Or was it one or the other? I'd like to have the parts on hand when I get started, and so the repair once.

I've done the gear job on a Town & Country minivan, so I'm guesstimating that it's going to be similar. Any thoughts and advice are appreciated.

 

[B.G. Smith]

I replaced the up/down front motor on mine. Yes it was the gears, best I remember the gears were about half the price of the whole motor so I went with the motor. bg

 

[Wayne M.]

I did Geno’s front lift motor on my 04. I didn’t do any forensics inside but I would assume the gear stripped out. No regrets getting the whole unit, and if I need to do another, that’s how I would proceed.

 

[Iron Duke II]

The power driver seat in my 1996 is acting like it's 24 years old. It'll go backward, slowly, bumping and growling when I'm sitting on it. But it'll only move forward if I'm standing outside and helping along by pushing on the seat. Up and down motion is just about gone. I can't tell if it works at all, and I'm not sure if I hear any sounds.

Replacement seat motors and gears are available. I'm asking people that have replaced these, were the motors AND the plastic gears bad? Or was it one or the other? I'd like to have the parts on hand when I get started, and so the repair once.

I've done the gear job on a Town & Country minivan, so I'm guesstimating that it's going to be similar. Any thoughts and advice are appreciated.

Did you have chance to sort out the issue with your power seat? I'm attempting to do so with my seat now. If so. could you share guidance for removing the motor and roll pin holding the motor to the seat bracket?

 

[Iron Duke II]

I came across the following from the TDR that may be of assistance.
https://www.turbodieselregister.com/threads/power-seat-motor-new.226676/#post-2185153

 

[Matt42]

I came across the following from the TDR that may be of assistance.
https://www.turbodieselregister.com/threads/power-seat-motor-new.226676/#post-2185153

This is interesting and useful to me, because I have not done the repair yet.

Edit: Having read the link, there doesn't seem to be anything about the roll pin. So, if it has to come out, it will probably require a pin punch, a ball peen hammer and some tapping. It'll go back in the same way, unless a bolt is used instead. But the roll pin was used for a reason.

 

[Iron Duke II]

I was able locate salvage yard find of the whole Driver LH Power Seat Track Base w/ the 3 motors that work. So I will not for now be attempting the replacement.

However, while gathering info in preparation of replacing one of the seat motors, I kept some notes from a seller on Ebay that regularly offers them.
https://www.ebay.com/str/twomenonegarage

My understanding is you may use a punch to push the metal roll pin out, when you punch it out, it will collapse a bit and then, putting it back in is basically the same. On the other end, you have a silver colored pin that needs to be punched out (with a bigger punch) as well. Then when it is off, there are two screws, either 1/4 inch or 3/16 of an inch. Unscrew those if you want to look inside. These motors, unlike later generations, do not have a keeper at the end, so you can literally unscrew the part that moves on the worm gear. This can make the movement a bit loose.
Also a pair of side cutter pliers can sometimes grip the pin and then you may use the pliers with leverage to get it moving. Also, vice grips may work.