[Cloud9...68]

OK, I've removed my seats, taken apart the switches (not difficult - I didn't have any problems with parts flying away), sanded the contacts with 600 grit sandpaper, and sprayed the contacts with CRC contact spray. But putting the switches back together is proving to be quite a challenge. Several people on this forum have done this, so I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong. I'm having difficulty keeping the little metal balls in their perches as I maneuver the top part of the switch, which itself has several parts, many of which move relative to each other, getting the little springs to seat on top of the balls, and having everything stay in the right place as I snap the top of the switch into the switch casing. The little balls keep rolling away as I try to snap the switch together. It seems like doing this job requires about five hands, all with fingers about 2 mm in diameter. Here's a picture of the inside of the switch with the top removed, and of the top part of the switch, which contains the springs.



   

The little metal balls that keep rolling away when I try to snap the switch back together



   

The springs that need to seat on top of the little balls, mounted in parts that keep moving around



I have 8-way adjustable power seats, option code 437 (full power left seat) and 586 (lumbar support - left seat), in classic gray, and they're in fabulous condition, as I always did a limbo move when entering to car to keep from scuffing the bolster, so even the bolster is in practically-new condition. Currently, some of the seat functions work intermittently, so I suspect the switch contacts are dirty, which is why I'm doing this. My plan is to sell the seats, as I'm going to replace them with racing seats, and I'll be posting an ad as soon as I can get this switch rebuild job finished. Thanks for the help.

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[DaveN]

The little metal balls can be held in place with dielectric grease; probably on the ball side as they will sit in the little round socket of the spring.

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[Cloud9...68]

I found that holding the upper assembly together with one hand while pressing it into place (holding the bottom part steady with my other hand) helped a lot - I managed to get all the switches back into place. At least it's easy to test - you can definitely tell by the feel of the switch when you rock it back and forth whether all the balls are properly seated. Feels like I got 'em all back correctly.



Now, another question - is there a way to test the operation of the power seat functions without having to put the seats all the way back in the car and connecting the main connector? In other words, does anybody know how to wire the connector in the car to the one going to the seat so I can test the functions "remotely"? Or, since I can easily move the battery around, can I connect the terminals of the battery to two leads of the seat connector to get it operational, and if so, which leads? The passenger side isn't a bid deal - I have plenty of room in my garage on that side to put the seat back in if I have to. But the drivers side is a different story - that side is against the garage wall, and the shelving I have on that wall doesn't allow me to open the door very wide, and I have the car up on jacks, with the suspension still off the car, so I can't move it. I had to wrestle the driver's seat out through the passenger side, and I don't want to go through that again, for fear of damaging the seat. Thanks.

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