Resto-ride seat question

1956ford · Jun 2, 2015

I am restoring a resto-ride seat for my 960.
I am to the point of ordering bushings.
My question is: What keeps the front bushing on
the seat arm/base from coming out during use?
I see no way of retaining it once it is in place.
Can anyone shed light on this or maybe I am missing
something. I have attached a pic to help explain.

Dean · Jun 2, 2015

Nothing.

Sometimes they do come out.

I've seen washers welded to the support shaft to retain the bushings.

Dean

1956ford · Jun 2, 2015

Dean,
Thanks for the input.
I may try to fix in place somehow.

64frd4000ind · Jun 2, 2015

It sticks through far enough, you 'could' drill a hole and pin it in place.

showcrop · Jun 2, 2015

I have three of them and have never had one move. They must be tight.

Dean · Jun 2, 2015

I have 4 of them, all have been rebuilt and the one that is used regularly works itself out.

I usually catch it before it has moved much and carefully tap it back in with a large punch.

Dean

paul · Jun 3, 2015

May I ask where to shop for restoration of these? I have one on the 960 that was sitting flat on the stop since dad bought it in the late 1960s, I see I missed the Minnesota company that used to make parts, where do we go now?

I really should get to that some day..... Obviously I need the rubber rings, but I'll guess other bits as well....

Paul

Dean · Jun 3, 2015

Minn-Kota, the once supplier of quality, remanufactured torsion springs and reasonably priced bushings is out of business.

Cheap, aftermarket, foreign made torsion springs have an abysmal reliability reputation.

Torsion springs and bushings are available from CNH but are expensive.

There is nothing special about the bushings so a bearing supplier could supply them if you have the time and inclination to take measurements and have them match them up.

Properly rebuilding a Rest-O-Ride seat is both time consuming and expensive.

Dean

Lanexa Speedway · Jun 3, 2015

In addition to Dean's comments, I have hopefully another solution. Maybe.

A buddy of mine is contacting Steele Rubber in the Charlotte area about recasting the rubber torsion springs. Same as what Minnkota used to do. My buddy has a restoration shop and he has had Steele do many sets of oddball, obsolete engine mounts over the years, with excellent results. Figure if they can recast engine mounts, they are probably going to be able to do Rest-O-Ride springs.

I've been slacking and meaning to call them for a while now, but when one of my buddy's Rest-O-Ride springs failed last week, he said he'd pick the ball up and run with it. Will probably know in a week or two what Steele says.....and will post back the findings.

Thanks,
Kevin

1956ford · Jun 3, 2015

I just ordered bushings for mine from McMaster Carr. They were about $35 w/o shipping
for the better grade. Also ordered a conical compression spring for the seat height
adjustment. I just took measurements from my seat parts to spec out. Will know next
week what modifications if any will be needed to make work. I am reusing the rubber
torsion springs as they seem to be OK, but may need replacements before I am done.
All steel parts are being sandblasted and worn areas welded and built back up,
before reassembly. Taking some time, but hope it is worth it.

Resto-ride seat question

1956ford

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Dean

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1956ford

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64frd4000ind

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showcrop

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Dean

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paul

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Dean

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Lanexa Speedway

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1956ford

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