Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Three Wheeler & Super 3 How do you remove the seat backs?

Not wanting to damage the car within the first few weeks of ownership, I didn't want to just pull on them and find I needed to loosen hidden fasteners.

I see reference to people removing the seat backs for access to the bevel box, etc. But searching hasn't shown any post that says how they removed the seat backs.

What is the proper way to remove them?

Thanks.

First take out the boot liner, then there are 4 M6 bolts that can be unscrewed (10mm socket plus long extension is easiest) on the boot side of the aluminium bulkhead. Before they are completely unscrewed push on them - this moves the upper part of the seat back forward slightly which gives more space to remove the lower part. Inside the cockpit remove the seat squabs (they just lift out) then push the seat belt buckles down the way to give clearance for the lower part of the back to come out. Pull on the bottom of this lower part of the seat back to get it free and slide it out; there are two thin aluminium plates that go up behind the top part. The top part then comes free easily. You can also unbolt the seat belt buckle if things are a bit tight for getting the back out.
It's simpler and easier than it sounds.
It's also really easy to change the bevel box oil from below if you use decent height axle stands and an oil syringe to do the refill.

Thank you.

Thank you very much for the very clear description of how to access the BB (Bevel Box). Spurred on by my very successful installation of the UltraCool Oil Cooler to my M3W (it has made a huge difference to the M3W running) and alarmed by all the posts about "problems" with BBs I decided to check my BB out.
I must say it is quite quiet and smooth in my 3000 mile 2014 M3W but I thought I would check.
First thing to say is, unless you have a pit in your garage, it is impossible to get at the BB from the underneath of the car perched on axle stands. By far the best and safest route is through the cockpit.
Remove the boot liner, remove the seats (as above) give everything a good clean and there it is, the BB in all it's glory. Access to the drain plug is tight. I didn't remove the mudguard but in hindsight it would have made life easier. I had to "modify" a size 10 Allen Key to undo the drain plug that had been done up by the same gorilla that did the oil filter up on my car!
I was concerned to catch all the oil that would rush out and so positioned a huge drip tray strategically. What a laugh! When I undid the drain plug absolutely nothing came out! I left it overnight after warming the BB to loosen up all that oil. Next morning I expected the the newspaper lined tray to have a pool of oil in it but all that was there, and I am not exaggerating, was a thimble full of black goo which did not even look like differential oil! The alarming thought is what has been lubricating my BB over the last 3000 miles??
Once again I consulted Morgan Talk about the choice of oils for the BB and was staggered by the range of suggested choice. I went back to Morgan and my nearest Morgan Dealer and the OE choice was Morris Lubricants Golden Film AG 140 Gear Oil Code: AGO (£35.53 for 5Litres incl P&P).
Due to the inaccessibility of the orange filler plug some kind of pump makes the job much easier. I happened to have a Silverline pump for changing the lawn mower oil and this was ideal. The oil is thick and so one quick squirt you see oil flowing back out of the hole. Don't be fooled. There is a sort of channel inside the BB which causes the back flow. The technique is a squirt then quickly remove the tube and replace the plug. Leave it for 10mins and repeat. I did this for at least 4 times before the level appeared to be up to the the drain hole. I then left it overnight for the level to go down and repeated the operation to ensure the BB was full to the level plug.
Overall, not a difficult exercise if a little messy and time consuming. Old towels and a newspaper lined drip tray are essential. (I was told that I had used up a months supply of kitchen roll!).
Road testing. The BB was not really noisier before the top up of oil.. Perhaps I was just lucky with my M3W? But I did fancy it was much smoother on start off and when under load or was that just wishful thinking? At least I now have the peace of mind knowing there is enough oily stuff in my BB!
Don't go for all these fancy thick "climbing oils". My 5 litres of Morris Lubricant should last quite a long time and I intend to check/change the BB oil every 2nd/3rd engine oil change just for peace of mind and to see where the oil goes?
I was a calm, happy M3W driver until I started reading the MT Forum and have been alarmed by what could go wrong!! Hopefully, I might have prevented premature wear in the BB.
Having owned a couple of Moto Guzzi s in my time I wish that Morgan had followed the ACE transmission more closely and gone for a drive shaft. Rather than the Quaife route. When I approached Quaife for info on type and grade of oil I was told to "contact Morgan but my question was very important to them and I shouldn't hesitate to contact them if I had any further questions".
Thank you for reading this please don't hesitate to let me know (I am sure you will!) if I have done anything wrong.
In the meantime how about some happy stories about owning an M3W.....I thoroughly enjoy mine!

Meridian
The drain plug for the bevel box is a hex head bolt, lower down on the rear face than the socket head bolt. The socket head bolt is the level to which the factory fill, and not the orange breather to which many people myself included fill to. This may explain why you did not get any oil out. I change my bevel box oil every year at the same time as the engine oil. I am able to do it without jacking the car or removing the seats. I remove the boot liner, I can then reach under the car to the rear of the bevel box using a socket on a short extension, undo the drain plug. I then reach in though where the boot liner was and undo the orange cap, I have thin arms, and refill using a syringe attached to a length of plastic tube. Complete job takes less than 15 minutes.

It's probably worth mentioning that Morgan modified the service schedule for the bevel box. The service intervals are now in line with the engine. Both engine and bevel box oils to be replaced at the same time. The later owners manual reflects this change.

Agreed - you need a syringe or a very thin tube with a funnel attached - from memory this is not an easy fill!!

Thank you Rog G .............. I knew that! Just testing to see if you guys were paying attention(!) Of course the drain plug is the hex nut(!) and the Allen Key Plug is the fill level hole(!)
Beware the enthusiastic amateur! I will sit on the naughty step for the rest of the day........
I still don't see how you could get at the BB from underneath. I even considered tying a rope around my young grandson's waist and send him in with the appropriate spanner. In fact removing the seats was pretty straight forward and gives good access.
I think all I have done is to "refresh" the oil. Funny how the BB did sound smoother on the road? Am I developing the M3W twitch?
Next engine oil change I will do the business correctly with the BB oil.
Thank you Rog G.....email me your postal address and you will qualify for a free 46mm grommet for your Torque Compensator housing I have 2 left...adrianbowden@btinternet.com

Thanks for the offer but I have already had one from you via eBay

Hi Rog G
Sorry it has taken time to respond but I have not been logged onto Talk Morgan for a couple of days.
I have authorised a refund to you for the grommet via my Paypal account. Should be with you within a couple of days?
Thank you for the advice ....... hope the grommet has been successful.