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How to fix Durango seat "rocking chair"

71K views 32 replies 22 participants last post by  4Haccs99 
#1 · (Edited)
How to fix Durango ’98 Gen I, Electric Seat Track (rocking chair effect)
By Alexcklie, Miami, Fl
2/22/2010

We initially removed the upholstery and the bottom cushion during the initial inspection, so we could see better the full assembly. The main advantage is that we can rest the metal frame in a solid surface which makes it easier to work.

You do not have to remove the sliding steel tracks from the assembly
You do not have to remove the cushion and upholstery in order to do this job.

Description:
There is an acme tread long screw (worm gear) between the top and bottom track.
The front of the acme screw rests in a plastic bearing.
There is a gear aluminum case from which a small transmission cable attaches to the front of the worm gear; both ends of the cable have a square shape. The cable is not attached to either end. It just slides in or out of either side.
Inside between the tracks there is an aluminum case that is held in place with 2 torx screws to the track.

The problem:
Inside of the aluminum piece there is an acme thread nut. There suppose to be filler, possible made of rubber, which has been affected by the grease. You will not find pieces of broken plastic; the rubber has become some sort of asphalt with the grease.
Because of the lack of the filler between the acme nut and the interior of the aluminum casing, there is a gap which allows the seat to move back and forward like a rocking chair.

Attached PDF file has pictures

Revision 02/22/2010 information not in the PDF file:
The thickens of the spacer is 7/32

Alex
 

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#6 ·
My 2002 Dakota Quad Cab Drivers seat has been "Rocking" for more than a year. Lately it had gotten much worse almost 1/2" of movement with any stop. I would think this would be recall material, but what do I know! I followed the instruction in the above PDF Link for the Durango which worked perfectly!!!! There were some slight differences with the Dakota but none of great significance. I used 7/16" nylon washers, which I bought a Ace Hardware, as shims 2 thin and 1 thick instead of the bolt. I used a belt sander to adjust the thickness of the last shim. Works like a dream! Thanks for the link.
 
#8 ·
Hello, new member, first post.

Bought my 2001 Dakota Quad Cab 4x4 brand new off the car carrier in Oct. 2000. Haven't turned 46,000 miles yet. Has the 4.7 w/auto.

It's been a decent truck over the years. Had its share of problems, including the rocking power seat. Had a shop replace one track a few years ago and now it's beginning to rock, too. Figured my girth was to blame, being nearly 400lbs., but I see it's a problem for lightweights, too.

My question is this: Does anyone know if the manual track is a direct bolt on? I bought this truck for many of the features installed, but the power seat wasn't one of them. I'm 6 foot 6. First time in I put the seat all the way back and down and never had cause to adjust it from there. I can do without the "power". Manual tracks are much cheaper. Not cheaper than fixing the power tracks (I still have the original as well), but a damn sight less future hassle.

If the manual track fits, I can always fix the power tracks at my leisure and reinstall one prior to trading or selling it, so it matches VIN for options. In the meantime, I can ensure my fat ass doesn't test the fix by using a manual track. Unless they are crap, too.
 
#10 ·
I'm asking about only swapping tracks, without any modifications. A direct bolt swap. I'd like to keep my current seat, as it's leather.

In other words, I'd remove my seat, separate it from the power track, and bolt a manual track in its place. I'm asking if A. The manual track is a direct bolt on to the seat?, and B. Will the manual track bolt to the same holes in the truck the power track uses?

Thanks for your assistance, btw.
 
#11 ·
does anyone know what i have to do to get my passenger seat to lock...it was actually kind of funny at first cuz everytime i would take off whoever was in the passenger seat would unvoluntarily sky rocket backwards but now its starting to get annoying...there just regular manual seats in a 97 dakota...never fails, everytime someone sits in it, it reclines on its own... especially when im out wheeling and hit some deep ruts....just want a heads up (what to look for) before i pull it apart and try n fix it...
 
#12 ·
This is a huge help!

My driver seat does this sliding.. but I noticed if I don't adjust my seat for a couple weeks, it goes away. When I adjust it in any sort of way, it becomes loose again.
 
#14 ·
Thanks for attaching the PDF with instructions for this, I have had the "rocking chair" issue on my 1998 Dodge Durango SLT+ with power leather seats for a few years now, and was looking into replacing the entire lower electic seat rail system until I read this blog on it. I appreciate the detail you spent writing this up and plan on fixing my seat myself very soon.

Thank you!
 
#16 ·
Did the fix yesterday... I used a 3/8 square nut, ground it down on the bench grinder to fit and then drilled it out. $1.00 total to fix! To bad Dodge never came up with a fix... I was told numerous times that the rocking could not be fixed.
 
#18 ·
Total time was prob an hour or so. But I worked on the seat padding at the same time so I spent part of one evening and the next day with the seat out.
I'm south of Chicago... near the Chicagoland Speedway Race facility.
 
#20 ·
Metric sockets (13mm, 16mm and 18mm) to remove the seat.
2 star bits to remove the seat track... but you can do it with the track on the seat too.
It works a bit easier of you have a power source, like a 12v battery (I used my tractor battery since it was on the work bench) so you can move the track back and forth.
You'll also need a way to either cut the metal spacer as in the original pdf or grind the spacer like I did (I used a bench grinder).
 
#22 ·
dremel would prob work. I actually thought about using mine. Yes it is fully operational.
 
#24 ·
I just fixed mine, great instructions!!

I worked on mine in the back of the truck, a lot cleaner that way.

I need to add a few things. On a 2000 there is not a torx screw at the end of the worm gear, it is a 1/2 or 13mm hex nut. The easiest way to get to it is to remove the 4 torx screws holding the brackets and the frame will tilt up.

Be careful when removing and installing the worm gear, the little white roller balls will pop out if the track is worked too hard, they pop back in easily.

For the shims I used some old lugnuts that were designed to have beauty caps on them. After disassembly of the track I used a feeler gauge to measure the size shim needed. I measured and marked on the lug nut how much I needed and used a saw zaw to make the cut. After I cut it I fine tuned the shim with the bench grinder to fit. Using the lug nut there was no need to drill out the center.

This job is a greasy one so have plenty of rags and reassembly is tricky, take your time and it will work.
 
#26 ·
Thank you, alexcklie, for a great writeup!

I fixed mine using a nylon washer from Ace Hardware. Hlllman No. 59560-M, http://wedo.hillmangroup.com/item/nylon-washers/nylon-fender-washers/59560-m, one per track. It was almost a perfect fit, I just had to grind flats on opposite sides of the outer edge so it wouldn't stick too far out of the aluminum casing. The size on the Hillman tray said 7/8" by 17/32" by 13/64" thick, but their website says .187=3/16" thick. Anyway, the thickness is perfect.

On one track, the old filler was mostly there, so I attached a picture. It's made of a rubbery plastic. The thickness of the sides is 7/64". It wrapped both sides of the Acme nut but I don't think that matters as long as the nut is greased.

I both marked the threads on the worm gears and counted the number of turns out of the nut so I could get them back into the same positions. Both sides had the same number of turns.

It was a little tricky to put the worm gear back into the track because the end has to engage the end of the drive cable. I pushed the cable a bit and wiggled the worm gear until it engaged.
 

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#27 · (Edited)
Thanks "3x2plus2". I finished the fix today, and I used your nylon washer method. Our Ace here in Denver carried them. I used a power sander (with 80 grit paper) to grind the flats, holding the washer with vice grips to facilitate, until the height was about 3/4" (~1/16th off top and bottom).

Other notes to supplement all the other great discussions on this fix:

1. I used a big crescent wrench to get enough lever to get the back 19mm track anchor bolts to break loose. A regular 3/8" driver didn't cut it. Maybe a 1/2" driver would work??
2. I borrowed a tip from another highly recommended fix I found, which can be found at http://www.local1259iaff.org/seatfix.html. The tip is if you put the seat all the way to the back prior to taking off the worm gear (while power is still hooked up), then the amount of threads needed to extend at the front of the worm gear is a known amount. He has a pic of it in his fix. The only issues I had with his description. a. I couldn't find the nylon washers he used. b. The T-27 torx bolt locations he called out were actually smaller than that on my '99. I tried a T-20 head and it was loose but it still worked. c. He has the rear track anchor bolts to the vehicle floor as 18mm but they were actually 19mm on my 99' (does a 18mm even exist?)
3. I thought the hardest part of the whole thing - getting the 13mm hex bolt out and back in, at the back of the worm gear (99's and later have the hex, the 98' has the torx). After struggling with a regular wrench, I tried a 1/4" driver per the advice of someone on this thread. The driver BARELY fit on after I lifted the assembly as far away as I could from the notorious obstruction, and with alot of effort. But it was worth it once I got it on. Getting the driver off after the bolt is removed or reinstalled was also a struggle, but again worth it.
4. The only mistake I made; on the second track I must not have paid attention to the amount of thread extension, or I inadvertently turned the worm gear while sliding it back in. Basically, the worm gear was too short to get the back hex bolt started, even though it looked like it was lined up good enough. After 20min of trying and cursing alot, I finally gave up and reassessed the situation. I pulled the worm gear back out and sure enough, it was off one turn. I gave it a full turn, put it back in and then the hex bolt went in with ease (ease is a relative term).
5. The cable that actually turns the worm gear (I would call it a skinny threaded rod); actually fell out of the whole assembly and onto the ground while removing the worm gear. It was pretty obvious where it goes and it went right back in. No big deal.
6. My last point; I'm not a gear-head by any stretch, but was able to ultimately pull this off. It took me way longer than the other posters (6 hours total), but it was still better than paying a ton of $$ for a replacement (with the same design flaw), and way better than living with the rocking chair (super annoying). The only thing I had to purchase was the washers ($1) and a T-45 torx socket ($5). The rest I either had or borrowed. It isn't really that hard to look at the whole thing and see how everything goes together. If you are hedging on whether you can do it or not, that probably means you can do it. Just stick with the nylon washer approach and you'll be fine.
 
#30 ·
I ordered a Dorman OES 924-073 Power Seat Track repair kit from Rock Auto $11.70 It has enough precisely machined nylon spacers to do both front seats. The Instructions that came with it were not very good. The instructions here were much closer to my '03 seat tracks. Except as noted there is no torx at the end of the screw, it is a half inch that is impossible to get a socket on. Had to use a wrench.
 
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