2018 RAV4, driver seat weldnut broke during removal of the seat to clean underneath the seat. Can't find access from the underside to reweld a nut in place ... what to do? Is the vehicle mechanically totaled?
UH, dont know what to even say to that... except Wow that is abit over the top.... what to do? Is the vehicle mechanically totaled?
What would be the procedure to fix it?UH, dont know what to even say to that... except Wow that is abit over the top.
if you can add seat jackers etc and its not an issue.. any reasonably strong repair should be blameless.The issue is if any fix is OEM equivalent to stave off liability problems in the event of an accident.
How? This has happened before on a Lexus vehicle. First time was an LS400. I remove the seat bolts with either a ratcheting box wrench or impact wrench. No rust, no crashes, no damage. All Florida cars. I'm never removing another seat again to clean underneath.There’s an obvious overlooked issue. HOW did you possibly do this by hand? There must be damage or another flaw going on. Seat nuts IME have been very securely welded to thick metal. Is there other damage, tearing, rust….?
Ahhh. I wouldn’t say to never do it again, I might just advice turning these by hand. You can’t feel what’s going on with an impact, and it’s working against reinforced sheet metal in some cases. I’d suggest using hand tools to at least break it free as they will communicate to you if something isn’t right.How? This has happened before on a Lexus vehicle. First time was an LS400. I remove the seat bolts with either a ratcheting box wrench or impact wrench. No rust, no crashes, no damage. All Florida cars. I'm never removing another seat again to clean underneath.
+1. Easiest solution. As strong as OEM? No. But what else are you going to do? Welding seems a bit involved.I’d just use a rivnut, why complicate it?
I'm debating whether a rivnut would be acceptable or if I should drill through the floorpan and nut/bolt the seat in place.+1. Easiest solution. As strong as OEM? No. But what else are you going to do? Welding seems a bit involved.
If you look at the surface area a rivnut captures, it's negligible under considerable (subjective, I realize) load.I'm debating whether a rivnut would be acceptable or if I should drill through the floorpan and nut/bolt the seat in place.
Weld in a patch from above or below?If you look at the surface area a rivnut captures, it's negligible under considerable (subjective, I realize) load.
They're super handy for light duty stuff but not really intended for occupant seats.
It just depends on how OCD you are and the level of risk you're willing to assume.
If you were near me I'd weld in a patch for free just so you can sleep at night (cue all the YoU'LL GEt SuEd!!!!! fearmongers)
I thought you didn't have access from below? I wouldn't run a bolt thru an air gap unless you sleeve it so you can torque it gutentight and have nothing collapse.Weld in a patch from above or below?
I can't find where the original weldnuts are from below, but, I can almost certainly drill a hole all the way through whatever structures there are between the top of the seat and the very bottom of the car.I thought you didn't have access from below? I wouldn't run a bolt thru an air gap unless you sleeve it so you can torque it gutentight and have nothing collapse.
That said, IF you could do that you could just weld your sleeve at top (inside) and bottom (underside) and be done. Two round welds vs a rectangular weld inside.