So my driver side power seat base had a break causing the seat to wobble side to side. Turns out the tube that connects the rear height adjustment sheared in two. I was able to grab a manual seat base (rocker style) last week from a local salvage yard to use for now. XJs don't come into a reasonably local yard very often and the ones that do typically don't have power seats. I see them on ebay but I'd rather try and fix this one or stick with the manual one.

Anyway, here's the damage. The tube acts like a sway bar (anti-sway, whatever) to move the left side (inboard) track up/down with the right side (gear driven by the motor).



With everything else taken off, I can twist it back into place. I don't think I can weld it (I mean get it welded) since part of it is obstructed by the gear box. Perhaps brazing is the way to go. Here's what it looks like after twisting it back into place.



I also took the motors off (only 4 screws). The shafts from the motors fit into the 3 white "bushings" to drive the different gears for the lift, tilt, and fwd/rear movement. You can see the crimp on the tube (outboard side). That's the spot that broke on the other end.



Interestingly, the shafts are those wire wound square drives similar to a mechanical speedo.



I have a propane torch and can get a MAPP torch. There's nothing inside the tube so I'm not worried about brazing something together that shouldn't. Not sure it will hold but it's worth a shot.

Meanwhile, I'll keep "treasure hunting".

 

Mine tore in two at the same location. I had mine welded back together about 2 years ago. I think the failure is a combination of a week spot at the crimp and an extra fat butt on the seat (PO). I also had to replace the seat bottom pan with a passenger side pan, because of the extra fat butt sliding off the side of the seat while getting out of the Jeep.
The tracks on both side of the seat need to be aligned to the same level, all the way up or down. The tube needs to be in its original orientation. On mine the tear in the tube would line back up when held together, yours looks the same. The weldor then tacked the tube in a couple of accessible spots and then used a cordless drill battery and clip leads to roll the mechanism. He welded all the way around the tube. If I recall, the weld was a little thin at one location that never cleared the gear box completely. I also recall grinding the flange of the gear box at that location to get him even a little room to weld that last spot on the tube.
I'm around 220 lbs. and it has held so far. The clock spring can be a bugger to get back on under the bar. I found that compressing its diameter would cause it to unwind/wind in the correct direction to get it in the slot and under the bar. I think I used a C clamp for that.

 

Thanks for the reply, and Yes, I resemble that remark (well used to). I had the backrest frame crack where it bolts to the base before. Had it welded. Held for a few years and cracked again right next to the weld. Founds a seat backrest frame in a JY back in 2020 and swapped. Found seat cushions and good covers last year and swapped. Discovered my drivers seat bottom pan was also completely cracked across the length.

I did take the clock spring off to make sure I could access as much of the break as possible. I wondered how the heck am I gonna get this back on again. Thanks for the tip.

 

Maybe try and sleeve it on the outside with real steel, even if you have to slice it in half length wise and seam it back together.