Bench seat removal

[fishin98]

I am doing a complete restoration on a 1988 Alumacraft Lunker 14. To remove the bad floor, I need to remove the front and rear bench seat, the live well and storage box are already removed. I have drilled out all the rivets at the mount brackets on the side of the hull. I still can't get the seats out....Ideas?

 

[Tnstratofam]

Perhaps the brackets are secured to the seats with some type of adhesive along with the rivets you've allready removed. You may have to drill out the rivets that attach the brackets to the gunwales and then remove the benches.

 

[gm280]

Could be foam under the seat is hitting the bracket and stopping the removal... I n some boats, and I honestly don't know it yours is one of them, they put shaped foam under the seats for floatation. So the foam is kind of encased within the seat and it could be hitting the side brackets and that is why it won't come out. :noidea:

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Sure you got all the 'rivet' out and not just the heads? If so..then its probably just a corrosion bond. Whack it with a hammer over some 2x4s .. see if that breaks it free. Might try a little heat on that bad boy too

 

[fishin98]

Thanks for the replies....I sent Alumacraft a E-Mail,asking if the also spot welded the brackets or used some kind of adhesive.

 

[gm280]

Thanks for the replies....I sent Alumacraft a E-Mail,asking if the also spot welded the brackets or used some kind of adhesive.

fishin98, I have to ask. Does the bench seat move at all with the rivets out. I mean can you the seat even a little bit or is it solid? Obviously if they did spot weld the aluminum, you would be able to see that from the outside of the hull. Same with rivets you didn't initially see. So with all the obvious rivets removed, I have to wonder if the seat wiggles anymore then normal... IDK just asking :noidea:

 

[fishin98]

No..... the seats do not move one bit, that leaves me puzzled. When I pulled the live well and storage compartment. I did notice a one sided spot weld on the side wall bracket. They came loose when I applied heat to them

 

[MTboatguy]

Your seats don't have floor flanges do they? I know that is an obvious, but figured I would check.