Comanche bucket seats locked in tilt forward position

[Lftrn97]

Bought a nice pair of buckets from scrap yard wreck that had had a head on from the look of things. The impact appears to have caused the seat backs to tilt fully forward beyond the normal limit and they are locked there. I had seen an article somewhere on fixing this but lost the reference to it. Just wondering if anyone saw this or any reference to correcting this. Or any advice on how i fix this.  Thanks.

[64 Cheyenne]

I've recently had tilt MJ buckets apart (totally redone for the 88) I can't recall any mechanism or anything that could keep them tilted forward, the tilt locking mechanism (latch) is located at the lower rear center of the seat....maybe the seats are "tilted" forward, there is a side lever for this and a lot of times the tilt lever is missing or broken.

[Lftrn97]

Thanks about to dive into them and need all the info I can get.

[schardein]

Assuming you plan to completely disassemble the seats:

 

I can't help with the tilt problem, but after you take the headrests off, you have the two plastic sleeves that they slide into.  When I tried to remove these by pulling up on them, I ended up breaking the tabs on the bottom of them.  

 

I suggest loosening the upholstery from the bottom (of the seat back), then reaching one hand/arm up inside the seat, and pinching the tabs with your fingers, while lifting up on the sleeve from the outside with your other hand.  This way I didn't break the tabs.

 

The tabs are pretty stiff, and I didn't have the hand strength, so I used a small set of channel lock pliers.  Squeeze gently until you can get the sleeve to pop loose, otherwise you'll break the tabs anyway.

 

It's a small thing, but I had to go back to the junkyard to get replacement sleeves after three of my four broke had broken tabs from strong arming them from the top.

[COMJNUT]

Assuming you plan to completely disassemble the seats:

 

I can't help with the tilt problem, but after you take the headrests off, you have the two plastic sleeves that they slide into.  When I tried to remove these by pulling up on them, I ended up breaking the tabs on the bottom of them.  

 

I suggest loosening the upholstery from the bottom (of the seat back), then reaching one hand/arm up inside the seat, and pinching the tabs with your fingers, while lifting up on the sleeve from the outside with your other hand.  This way I didn't break the tabs.

 

The tabs are pretty stiff, and I didn't have the hand strength, so I used a small set of channel lock pliers.  Squeeze gently until you can get the sleeve to pop loose, otherwise you'll break the tabs anyway.

 

It's a small thing, but I had to go back to the junkyard to get replacement sleeves after three of my four broke had broken tabs from strong arming them from the top.

Yes, the sleeves are a bear when disassembly, I used a deep well socket.