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BMW Electric Seat Broken - Flexible Shaft

Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 6:33 pm
by a4drk
The electric seat on my 335d Coupe is twisting when you move it forward & back
One side isnt moving - it pivots & twists
The seat is out & the motor is off it
There are 2 flexible drive shafts which pop into either side - one is 100mm & the other is about 200mm
(200mm one is fine)
Pic below of the broken 100mm one.
There is a 3mm square end which pops into the motor & the cog on the runner

BMW dont sell these separately -you have got to buy a complete new subframe / runners for the seat @ £700 !
I'm was thinking if this could be repaired ? - Brazed maybe ?

Or does anyone know of anywhere that makes / supplies these ?

It needs to be flexible as the seat goes up & down too
any help much appreciated

Thanks
David
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Re: BMW Electric Seat Broken - Flexible Shaft

Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 10:41 am
by Doc883
a4drk wrote:The electric seat on my 335d Coupe is twisting when you move it forward & back. One side isnt moving - it pivots & twists
BMW dont sell these separately -you have got to buy a complete new subframe / runners for the seat @ £700 ! Thanks David
Sorry can't help on your seat problem but the complexity of modern cars has to be a real worry for future owners years down the line.
My brother in law had a Tdv8 RR Sport that cut out on the Stonehaven by-pass. Aberdeen LR had the car for weeks trying to diagnose the fault including hoisting the body off the chassis :shock: In the end an expert from the factory was shipped to Aberdeen to help. Luckily for him he had a LT extended warranty as the bill was north of £10k. The car broke down again days later with same symptons so he rejected the car and LR took it back.

Re: BMW Electric Seat Broken - Flexible Shaft

Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 10:23 pm
by a4drk
I found the company who makes these for BMW.
The are based in Switerland & are called
www.suhner-transmission-expert.com

Basically I got an email back from them saying that they are contracted to only make & sell them to BMW !!! :twisted:

anyway, also found another place.
not heard back yet

http://www.biax-flexwellen.de/en/Einsat ... eugbau.php
theres a photo there of exactly what i'm after - so fingers crossed
and also fingers crossed its going to cost me less than £700 !

David

BMW Electric Seat Broken - Flexible Shaft

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 8:21 am
by Sanjøy
Breakers?

Re: BMW Electric Seat Broken - Flexible Shaft

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 8:43 am
by a4drk
Tried that Sanjoy ,
Sent enquiries thro all the major breaker website / search engine websites

Thinking of getting something made - along the lines of a thick piece of cable
And welding 2 blobs on each end and filing it down to fit

Where's Rich from Preston ? This is up his street....

David

Re: BMW Electric Seat Broken - Flexible Shaft

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 9:32 am
by Sanjøy
It looks like the flexy stuff you get with power screw drivers if that helps at all ?

Re: BMW Electric Seat Broken - Flexible Shaft

Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 9:34 am
by a4drk
Yeah, got one of those, but I think it needs to be thinner

Re: BMW Electric Seat Broken - Flexible Shaft

Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 8:36 am
by ryallm
Can't help you on the problem, but curious to know how you like the 335d. Been pondering buying a 335 or 330d (later 245 version) for a while now.

Mark

Re: BMW Electric Seat Broken - Flexible Shaft

Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 8:44 am
by BiggestNizzy
Scrappies ?

Re: BMW Electric Seat Broken - Flexible Shaft

Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 8:58 am
by a4drk
@mark - remember the 335d only comes in auto (with the flappy paddles)
The 330d comes manual and auto

This is my first auto that I've owned & love it.
335d is 286bhp & 428 lb ft torque

However the 330d is still a quick car too - the newer 245bhp with a remap takes it up to 335d figures

Still gets 35mpg horsing it !

If you want a shot of it you are more than welcome

David

Re: BMW Electric Seat Broken - Flexible Shaft

Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2013 6:27 pm
by a4drk
I think Ive sorted it !

I had some 10mm Twin & Earth Cable - which is the heavier than normal stuff you use for electric showers (for 10.8kw)
anyway, cut a bit off & cut 2 strands off
Each strand is about 1.5mm thick
Image

Then i dipped it in flux & coated it in solder. I filed it down on a bench grinder till it fitted in the motor.
Image

When i got to the other end, I took the sleeve off & just removed the 2 unused strands.
sleeve back on and soldered & filed.
It fits in & the turns the motor & its flexible !

Car is booked in on Monday to get put back together - so fingers crossed - i'm £700 better off for 15mins work.

David

Re: BMW Electric Seat Broken - Flexible Shaft

Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2013 8:54 pm
by j2 lot
Well done- got to love Heath Robinson fixes that cost nothing but ingenuity and save £££££ :thumbsup

Re: BMW Electric Seat Broken - Flexible Shaft

Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2013 11:16 pm
by neil
Top bodging! :thumbsup

Re: BMW Electric Seat Broken - Flexible Shaft

Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 9:41 am
by Dominic
neil wrote:Top bodging! :thumbsup
:thumbsup

Re: BMW Electric Seat Broken - Flexible Shaft

Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 12:09 pm
by ClarkyBoy
Cracking engineering there,

well done :thumbsup

glad to see there are still people out there with some ingenuety :-)

(and hopefully there are a good few spellists out there that can deciper my spelling :-) )