MTFCA Forum

The seat springs on the drivers side of my 1919 Touring are pretty soft. Is there a practical way to strengthen this area or are new springs the only answer?

I think new springs are available. Alternatively, it might be possible to reverse the old spring to put the better side on the driver's side. A new set of springs would probably the the best option, if not the only option.

INTERNET solutions
https://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com ... at-springs
A quick, simple, and so far permanent fix is to put a piece of foam inside each coil. I did this on the truck 10 years ago, the seat is still firm and comfy, and look perfect. I also reinforced only one row of coils in the seat back for lumbar support. In mine the location was perfect, your results may vary!
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Same suggestion as above with some other ideas
https://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com ... at-cushion
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Looks like stuffing foam is the best option https://www.chevelles.com/threads/stiff ... at.366355/
You can take an old couch cusion and cut the foam into 4x4 inch pieces about 18 inches long. Wedge them into the springs right behind the vynal on the front of the seat bottom at the front corners. Longer pieces are fine also. The foam will act like a shock absorber and the springs will not have to work as hard. This will really support the lower seat cushion giving you a much stiffer feel. Be sure to wrap the foam around the corners to ensure good side support. This works well, I have done it many times. You do not want it on the backside of the springs, you want the foam on the front side facing forward. So it looks like spring, foam vynal seat cover. The fix is about 20 minutes and is free if you can come up with an old cushion. :yes:

Foam from car seats is probably of better quality than typical home furniture foam. A junk yard might be a good source of late model auto seat foam from damaged seats, or an auto upholstery shop might stock some, or have a scrap box. Car seats get a workout due to the motion of the car, people climbing in and out, and the driver's activities. They're often exposed to hot sun, soo.

Stuffing the old spring coils vertically with squares of foam works to give the whole spring a re-fresh, that is what made the seat back firmer on the '23 barn cut-down. Wasn't going for original anyway, just comfort!


For proper repair of coil spring seat base, you can reshape the coils by stretching them back level to each other, then re-tie and reinforce the placing with music wire, that is hardened, and you have to use tough pulls and good tools to wrap and twist the wires in place. Works for times you cannot get a replacement seat spring. Did that for this aftermarket body, wanted to preserve the original springs that were OK, just sagging in spots.

I have read where some have used stacked tennis balls, some with a hole punched in them. Really!
Used tennis balls are plentiful at your local club

If you decide to replace them, Snyders makes excellent replacement springs that will fit perfectly.

I will second that opinion on Snyder’s’s. I just bought a set for my 15. Excellent quality. I guess they make them in the house.

Yes

The photos of my repairs to the seat springs and the rear backrest with music wire proved successful. But no so with the front seat backrest, the wear and tear of decades made me fixing that impossible. I tried, but the music wire just pulled the old coils and frame out of whack. So, contacted Snyder's and they made me a new backrest spring, correct coil height and wire frame just like the old one.

Snyder's began business by making Model T seat springs, and that success let them to spring board (pun intended) to all sorts of new parts for the Ford.


From the old
To the new Snyder's that fit fine.

Regardless of which method you use to repair or replace the springs. Your car came with a round gas tank and the springs when all the way down in the seat frame will be about an inch above the top of the tank. If there is no base which covers the tank below the seat, you should take a thin sheet of plywood about 1/4" thick and cut to fit in the frame so the springs will not bend down to touch the top of the tank. You can cut a round hole over the filler of the tank so you won't need to raise the wood to fill the tank. The metal can cut into the tank and at least wear the paint off the outside of tank and cause it to rust, or even wear through the metal of the tank. I have been working on a 20 for a friend and there is nothing between the base and the spring. If I put a straight edge across the base, it is about an inch above the tank, but we put in a new tank and put down the seat and drove the car about 5 miles. The paint was already worn off the top of the tank. So what I am saying is important.
Norm

I straightened the rusty front cushion springs on my first T I spent quite a bit of time getting them the right height and even. Then I figured out how to sew the vinyl and padded and covered them. It was a pretty nice job for a youngster. The first time I sat on it they returned to the flattened state I found them in. So much for that. I don't think new springs were available back then. I learned that the heat treatment of the spring only goes so deep and these had rusted beyond that.
Rich