Broken Seat Springs

[dt100]

Hi - I'm refurbing the seats of my 1971 walk through Devon - the passenger seat has two broken springs. These are the ones that are a kind of long S shape running front to back, not the typical helical springs at the sides.

I know one option is to look for a cheap 'tatty' seat to use as a donor - but my question is if anyone has any thoughts on simply welding the two broken springs. I would probably do it by running steel splints either side of the break. Is this just a silly idea though - would the welding heat make the springs so brittle they would likely break again - especially as the breaks are at the front where I guess the most loading would be?

 

[dubdubz]

You can buy the spring you want, search upholstery spring on google it should pull up a few options

The helical ones are a pain to source....think they are 10gauge...which is an unusual size

 

[Doris]

I asked this question a while ago and got an array of responses.Some people weld them & say "I've never had a problem" others say they loose the tensile strength due to the heat of the welding.I came to the conclusion along with the upholsterer that we were happy for them to be welded.Of course I'd never try and weld a leaf spring from a 10 ton lorry or something under a lot of strain or under great torsion,but the seat springs being joined with weld wouldn't worry me.i.m.o.

hth

 

[Ms_Sass]

You're looking for a "serpentine" or "zig zag" spring try here for most stuff including the coir filling

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/DIY-UPHOLSTERY" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Sass

 

[dt100]

Thank-you for your replies very much appreciated.

Have ordered a few of the 'zig zag' type springs - I am guessing the difficulty is going to be bending them to the same shape as used by VW... looking forward to having a play this weekend!!

 

[Blake7even]

I have a very tatty skeleton of a seat in my garden that will soon have flowers growing out of it. Take a pic of the bit you want or I could post the upper/ lower half to you.

 

[dt100]

Blake7even,

The springs missing can be seen at this:
http://i941.photobucket.com/albums/ad254/dt1001/STA70081.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

and once removed (2 broken bits put together) look like this:
http://i941.photobucket.com/albums/ad254/dt1001/STA70079.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I have ordered two new zig zag springs which should be with me tomorrow - if this works then thank-you for your kind offer but may not need.... will get back to you if my plan doesn't work!!

Thank-you also to the posters putting me in the direction of 'upholstery springs'..... doooh.... I guess I should have thought about googling that first!!!.... thank-you for the advice to a newbie to the formum.

Regards