recently joined.help with seating problems please.

[tamullet]

HI,i have only recently joined this forum and am impressed with the help that is on offer from others .I also see a photo forum and as im a semi pro photog i will be checking this out at a later date,But for now i am hoping someone can help me regarding my seating problem. I have just bought a 1997 tdis manuel diesel .It is great to drive but im having a few problems with the gear changing, but thats for another time. Ok i am in my late 50 and suffer from a bad back. I previously haa a freelander and although i had lots of problems with the car the seating was really comfortable and it was great with my bad back.
The drivers seat in the discovery is no way near as comfortable and im having to keep stopping on long journeys due to backache. It does have a lumber support but this does not work and also the seat seems a bit worse for wear internally. I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem and if so how did you fix it.
Is it going to be a case of getting a new seat and if so where can i get one (i live in lancashire) or can the seat be altered by either me or is ther some firm that does this.
Apoligies for the long winded post but i really do need to get this sorted as i do quite a lot of miles at the weekends.
T I A .

[discool]

Hi tamullet, the disco seats are no the best as you sit on them and not in them,
I can sit there driving for four hours with no problem then get out and do some gardening if I had to. It took me a few weeks to get the seat adjusted to how I like it and then to adjust the steering wheel to match.

If you have a problem with some of the seat adjustments not working then the easy way would to replace the seat the trouble is most seats are sold as sets, other than that, it's off to a seat repair specialist, who advertise in the LR magazine's.

[tamullet]

Hi,discool and thanks for reply. I have also been doing a search and several others have had simillar problems. There were a couple of links to a sye that supplies new foam for seats and possibly replacment lumber support mechanism. Ill just keep searching.
Many thanks again.

[mjltigger]

also i find I get a stiff back from too long in the driving seat of any car and the heated seats in my disco really help.. so if you change the seats why not see if you can get a heated one and see if that helps...

[tamullet]

Thanks again.I have a button that is situated next to the gearstick that is suposed to be for heated seats but havent tried it as yet ,but its worth a go. But i do suffer from a lot of back problems due to 25 years in the construction game so now im paying the price i supose. Im now thinking of maybee swapping the drivers seat round with the passenger seat as the lumbar support works on that one(if they will swap round) or if i can find out how i can get at the lumbar thingy to maybee fix it myself.
All your help is welcome.

[discool]

Hi tamullet again. Both switches are located with the electric window switch panel on the front of the cubby box, although I'm sure you know that.

If you are up for it, then replace the disco seats with ones from a RRC they are seats that you 'sit in' that comfort wasn't carried over into the disco.

But if you play about with the adjustments you have, you should find something you like ie not to high not to low as I have.
Until I go for an MOT then the seat is altered and I have to find my setting all over again. That's life. :)

[StrangeRover]

tamullet,
I have stripped-down a few Disco (300 Series) seats recently so I have most of the internal bits and bobs lying around. On the electric seats (from memory) the lumbar support uses a simple hand-screw-mechanism to tighten a strap against a polystyrene block and move it into your back.
There's not a lot to separating the backrest from the base to get at the mechanism and replace it.
As a temporaty fix you could swap the passenger side seat over while you overhaul the driver's seat.
Happy to help.
Are you anywhere near Warrington or Bolton?

[tamullet]

WOW,thanks again for all the tips and help. I think i am going to swap the seats round first and see how it works then and as sugested if this works i can then sort out the passenger seat while still being able to use the veichle.
Strangerover thanks mate for the offer and im ouskirts of preston .Not too far away,But ill try swapping seats first and see what its like then.
Does anyone know if its a simple task to get to the lumbar support and fix it without destroying the seat altogether.
Sorry for all the questions but this is all new to me.
Cheers .

[bagheera]

Can be fixed in situ

unpeal seat back cover clips on at rear at bottom (both front and back) and if like 'K9' the strap has become detached from the winder (adjustment knob), make a new link out of fence wire or an old coat hanger. This should do the trick.
Replacement seat foams are available (from Exmoor trim but are not cheap) or use a passenger seat one from a scrapper. this can be done without unbolting the seat but is fairly tricky if you have big hands.

[StrangeRover]

Does the knob feel as though it's screwing back and forth OK or is it jammed solid?
Either way, you need to get inside and that means removing a few spring-clips and rolling the cover upwards to get access to a couple of bolts each side. Once these are out, the seat-back is free to lift-off and take indoors.
If you need to replace any of the lumbar adjuster parts, let me know and I'll get them to you somehow.

[tamullet]

Thanks again mate,But i had a go at it this morning (it was a dry day lol) anyway i undid the clips and managed to get up the inside.I found the broken wire and replaced it with a bent piece of brick tie from a building site . It seems to work fine now so fingers crossed.
I cant make up my mind yet wether to replace the foam seat as well but ill see how this goes for now.
After reading postings on here i noticed quite a lot regarding gearbox difficulties(crunching etc) Well mine seems to work slightly better when cold ,but still quite often a problem changing up or down between second and third. It has been serviced by the garage i bought it off and they have a good reputation ,but im not sure what oil has been used or if the box was done with the service .So maybee thats my next job.
Cheers and thanks again for all comments.