REMOVE PILOT SEAT 201 J MSE

[M20JFlyer]

No such thing as a dumb question . Have owned a Mooney since 1967 so why am I looking for tips and help NOW .

Frequently fly with front passenger seat removed so figured I knew it all when removing a seat on the rails in a Mooney.

Mooney 91 201 MSE See MY process below

Remove ALL the stop bolts in the rails push it back far as possible ..lift  up on back till seat is free of both rails .. move it forward until front is free of rails.. Like everything Mooney they are built sturdy

1. Folks What process have others used to remove L.front seat.  Im all ears Nothing is binding , all four rollers free, NO debris , seat moves freely through full excursion 

2. Feel dumb as hell asking..but don't want to get rough and rowdy and harm something removing a seat.

 

[Hank]

Both of my seats remove the same way. The left is more difficult to push the last little bit, the seat cushion hits the sidewall where the right seat uses the open door. Push a little more, it'll go.

[Bartman]

Same

[Andy95W]

Wait until you go to put it back in.  That's always been the harder part to me- pushing and sliding the seat so that it "grabs" the seat rails.

[Andy95W]

I use the same technique, just with more cuss words thrown in.

[Marcopolo]

If you have an articulating seat you may need to raise it all the way up as this will move the rear part of the seat forward of the rear rollers a bit. 

[M20JFlyer]

Thanks GENTLEMEN,   for the HELPFUL ENCOURAGEMENT 

Sometimes the most obvious  mundane task needs a cooler day and a restart.   

Andy ,,  Yep got the articulating seat jacked up.. and thought I had applied all the necessary cuss words..but just remembered a few more

Thanks again team

[Hank]

1 hour ago, M20JFlyer said:

Sometimes the most obvious  mundane task needs a cooler day and a restart.   

Be thankful it's not July any more . . . . . Alabama hangars get quite toasty then!

[RobertGary1]

Remember to have an updated W&B signed in your log by an A&P just in case. I've had an engine failure once and the FSDO went looking for anything interesting in the logs, related or not. Since the rear set can be removed by the owner some have an A&P sign two W&B sheets so you are good either way.

 

-Robert

Edited November 10, 2017 by RobertGary1

[Mooneymite]

So strange this subject just came up.  I, er....the hangar elf was working on the left side fuel sender and had removed the right front seat.  Re-installing, the hangar elf got in a hurry, got the rear attach points on the rails, then "shoved" the seat forward to engage the forward attach points.  The seat became absolutely jammed in the forward position.  The Elf could not budge the seat in any direction.  Presumably the seat was cocked on the rails, but no matter how hard the poor elf tried, the seat would not move.

I was about to go tell my wife that she will need to cut off both legs if she wants to ride in the Mooney again, when, as mysteriously as the seat jammed, it became un-jammed.  The poor hangar elf was humiliated.  

Moral of the story.  Do not become impatient and "shove" the seat too far forward while re-installing.

[Yetti]

Just now, Mooneymite said:

So strange this subject just came up.  I, er....the hangar elf was working on the left side fuel sender and had removed the right front seat.  Re-installing, the hangar elf got in a hurry, got the rear attach points on the rails, then "shoved" the seat forward to engage the forward attach points.  The seat became absolutely jammed in the forward position.  The Elf could not budge the seat in any direction.  Presumably the seat was cocked on the rails, but no matter how hard the poor elf tried, the seat would not move.

I was about to go tell my wife that she will need to cut off both legs if she wants to ride in the Mooney again, when, as mysteriously as the seat jammed, it became un-jammed.  The poor hangar elf was humiliated.  

Moral of the story.  Do not become impatient and "shove" the seat too far forward while re-installing.

I have err um a friend that may or may have not jammed the seat forward.   The said to be unnamed friend may have utilized a wrench not a wench to loosen the bolts on the rollers to free said seat from it's jammed position.

[Tx_Aggie]

Since no question is a dumb question, I also have had my copilot seat removed by the local a&p when I first bought my plane. He charged an hour’s rate to remove it. I’d like to reinstall it myself, he’s a good a&p otherwise, I’d just rather do the work myself. What size cotter pins and what tools are used to set the pins in place and remove if I want to remove the seat again? 1980 M20J. TIA

[carusoam]

Are there stupid answers…. 

They look like big brass cotter pins…

Since they are important for that one horrible day you would need to have to make use of them…. Make sure you get the right ones…

Of course, it’s late in the evening… if you don’t get an answer, Lasar is only a web search away… or a call to Dan in the morning…

Got a parts catalog for your plane, or any other Mooney?

 

As far as tools goes… pliers.  There is probably a best set for working with cotter pins…

 

While you wait…

Get a good look at a couple of things…

How good are the plastic rollers? Are they all still there? Any broken? any look like just a metal axle where a wheel used to be?

Easy to buy replacements… or make them if really handy…

How nice are the holes in the rail? Get the vacuum, suck the dirt out of them….

Are you familiar with the procedure for getting the seats back on the track?

iirc, it starts with the front going over the front of the track… then sliding back putting the back on the back of the track…. It’s been a looooong time since I did this…. Owner assist annuals years ago…. 
 

If you have to pay your mechanic to do this… be there to watch.  In case you need this skill in the field some day…

This gives you the opportunity to know your mechanic a touch better… and you get to learn this skill too…

Don’t be surprised… you get ribbed for asking… and you get ribbed for not asking….  
 

See how much you can learn, while your mechanic shows you the way…

If you are really stuck… ask Doc!  (Doc is a great resource… but only go there, when you need to go there…) 

PP thoughts only, not a mechanic…

Best regards,

-a-

[DCarlton]

It's good to see everyone else wrestles with their seats too; especially getting the front on the rails.  I feel better... again...

[tmo]

 

 

[Tx_Aggie]

On 12/30/2021 at 6:52 AM, tmo said:

 

 

Thanks for this. Putting the seat back in plus the cotter pins took about 60 seconds. Super easy, glad to have read this and figured it out!

[haymak3r]

Hey all. Quick question on this topic sort of. From the other threads that were posted here, hopefully I don't highjack this one too much.

I tried searching to see if this was asked first, but couldn't find anything. Though I may just not be searching the right terms..

So my seat rail pins need to be replaced. the previous owner or before him had replaced the cotter pins with what looks like this on that back pins:

https://www.amazon.com/Double-HH-Stainless-Steel-Safety/dp/B00C4TQ9BO

 

and then some REALLY tiny cotter pins in the front. I am thinking these are not Mooney original parts, and my A&P commented on it when he and their avionics guy were installing a new transponder. That I should replace them with the proper parts during annual. Well from the discussions here, and also looking in the IPC, I see that the newer style with the bolt/bushings/nut started long after my serial number. Since Mooney changed this out to use this new style, can I order and replace my pins with those newer parts? Or is that not allowed? Or should I just not worry about it. Also both my seats have only 2 pins. one in the front and one in the rear. I figure I should have these stops on all 4 rails.. 

[EricJ]

38 minutes ago, haymak3r said:

Hey all. Quick question on this topic sort of. From the other threads that were posted here, hopefully I don't highjack this one too much.

I tried searching to see if this was asked first, but couldn't find anything. Though I may just not be searching the right terms..

So my seat rail pins need to be replaced. the previous owner or before him had replaced the cotter pins with what looks like this on that back pins:

https://www.amazon.com/Double-HH-Stainless-Steel-Safety/dp/B00C4TQ9BO

 

and then some REALLY tiny cotter pins in the front. I am thinking these are not Mooney original parts, and my A&P commented on it when he and their avionics guy were installing a new transponder. That I should replace them with the proper parts during annual. Well from the discussions here, and also looking in the IPC, I see that the newer style with the bolt/bushings/nut started long after my serial number. Since Mooney changed this out to use this new style, can I order and replace my pins with those newer parts? Or is that not allowed? Or should I just not worry about it. Also both my seats have only 2 pins. one in the front and one in the rear. I figure I should have these stops on all 4 rails.. 

Those are what I have, but they just retain the clevis pin that goes through the rail that holds the actual stop in place.   Makes it super trivial to remove or replace the seats.  These:

Edited January 5, 2022 by EricJ

[haymak3r]

That is exactly what I have  But only for the rear 2, the fronts have old small cotter pins that are way too small for the ID of the clevis. Since I need 4 more sets of these, I suppose I was curious which direction I should go.

[EricJ]

4 hours ago, haymak3r said:

That is exactly what I have  But only for the rear 2, the fronts have old small cotter pins that are way too small for the ID of the clevis. Since I need 4 more sets of these, I suppose I was curious which direction I should go.

Mine are all like the ones shown, front and back.   The IPC gives no clue about what should be there, and these are as functional as anything.