When you guys sandblast seat tracks,do you drill the rivets and remove the bearings or just blast then paint. Any pointers on removing and reinstalling the bearings?

i know there is a way to get them apart without drilling
but i can't find the old thread about it.
i have a pair i was going to mess with soon...

There are only a couple rollers in each track, no bearings. I degrease them first so none of the grit sticks inside. I then blast them and then wash them to get all the grit out. Dry, prime and paint. I think taking them apart is a waste of time and effort.

The only I've done I drilled the rivets out. Was doing other major surgery on them anyway, betting 72 B Body brackets to sit level like A body brackets do. IIRC you will only need to drill one of the rivets out as there are rivets at either end of the track. Anyway, the roller bearings are supported by a nylon/plastic cage. Don't be surprised if the cage is partially disintegrated. I had to take a rough spare set apart just to get the cages. Mine had two big roller bearings for the bottoms of the track and some small ball bearings along the sides of the tracks.

i finally found the thread...


https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/7627163/site_id/1#import

very good info. thanks

I have done 3 sets. I sandblasted them. Then they sat in the parts washer with the fluid hose stuck in one end for an hour. That completely cleaned the grit out. Greased them up with a Q tip and they have worked flawlessly for years.

FYI. Do not and I repeat, do not take them to a powder coater without stripping them down first.
They bake them in a high heat oven for grease/contaminant removal. Then the Nylon parts turn to mush. Now its time to find spare ones for parts.

I saw a pair of these in Delavan Wi. at Motorsports Powder Coating. The parts owner was ticked at the shop. How is the shop owner supposed to know what was inside this guys parts?

So, DO NOT POWDERCOAT SEAT TRACKS!!

Not to mention that the powder will also go in the tracks, on the rollers, etc because it is statically attracted to ALL bare metal. But some people just don't understand that there are limitations to what can be powder coated.