| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
clarkj2416
New Member
United States
7 Posts |
 Posted - 05/16/2014 : 05:37:33 AM
|
We have a fleet of Thomas buses with SynTec seats and have found that almost every seat back is breaking. Where the sheet metal backing is welded to the tube frame the sheet metal is busting out around the spot welds. It starts by breaking out around one or two spot welds and eventually the whole lower half of the seat back is busted loose. Every bus in our fleet has SynTec seats. Were looking at over 1200 seats that are going to need repair. There is a Thomas tech tip #10-03R for the repair procedure. Everyone needs to check their seats and contact their local bus dealer and SynTec and raise a fuss. This should be a recall due to safety concerns.
|
|
|
Thomasbus24
Administrator
USA
4544 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2014 : 06:11:59 AM
|
| Contact the NHTSA at www.nhtsa.gov and file a complaint. This has gone on for YEARS. |
 |
|
|
aaronwilmoth80911
Top Member
538 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2014 : 06:32:49 AM
|
| Can you give any specific information as to years, type A,B,C,D? |
|
|
|
Thomasbus24
Administrator
USA
4544 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2014 : 5:42:42 PM
|
| Metal back pans started in 1999, all types of buses, switched to Syntech in 2004 if memory serves. None have held up. |
|
|
|
Thomasbus24
Administrator
USA
4544 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2014 : 5:46:40 PM
|
| Also check your pre-Syntech seats, leading edge, close to aisle, down low...square tube support that wears through the foam and cover down at kidney level. Quality! |
|
|
|
clarkj2416
New Member
United States
7 Posts |
Posted - 05/19/2014 : 11:01:33 AM
|
| It seems that they are more concerned with profit and less concerned with manufacturing a product with quality and the childrens safety in mind. |
|
|
|
clarkj2416
New Member
United States
7 Posts |
Posted - 05/21/2014 : 07:00:05 AM
|
quote:
Originally posted by Thomasbus24
Contact the NHTSA at www.nhtsa.gov and file a complaint. This has gone on for YEARS.
Submitted my first complaint yesterday. I think I will submit one for every bus I repair the seat backs in.
If we could get everyone to file a complaint for every bus that has broken seat backs in we might see something done about the problem.
It only takes a couple of minutes to file the complaint. |
|
|
|
clarkj2416
New Member
United States
7 Posts |
|
|
second.flood
Top Member
USA
640 Posts |
Posted - 08/22/2014 : 04:04:03 AM
|
Are you guys welding or using pop rivets for the repair?
|
|
|
|
clarkj2416
New Member
United States
7 Posts |
Posted - 08/22/2014 : 04:19:35 AM
|
The recommended repair is to use rivets. Thomas Tec-Tip 10-03r. I can email you a copy if you cannot find it.
It's very frustrating that SynTec isn't making any changes to correct the problem. If they don't change the design we will be repairing these seats for years. If we submit enough complaints to http://www.nhtsa.gov/ maybe something will change.
|
Edited by - clarkj2416 on 08/22/2014 04:30:02 AM |
|
|
|
Thomasbus24
Administrator
USA
4544 Posts |
Posted - 08/22/2014 : 04:43:24 AM
|
| I see they attempted to solve the problem by welding the pan to the leading edge of the seat frame. Used to be on the back side, so when they broke you had a huge gap between the cushion and back. |
|
|
|
JRob
Advanced Member
207 Posts |
Posted - 08/22/2014 : 10:07:15 AM
|
I want to start by saying I am not trying to exonerate the bus builder or seat supplier here but I feel like it is worthwhile to point out something to consider.
School Bus seats are required to meet FMVSS 222 which everyone knows as compartmentalization. The seats - meaning frames, foam, covers - the whole system have to be flexible enough to absorb and dissipate energy yet stiff and strong enough to withstand any variety of hard use. Such as kids pushing on the lower parts of the seats with their feet, poking pencils in covers, and so on. I've seen just about everything and they keep inventing things. 
This is a fairly difficult balancing act to accomplish. Perhaps a better design or different materials could eliminate this issue but it isn't always as easy as it might seem. |
|
|
|
Thomasbus24
Administrator
USA
4544 Posts |
Posted - 08/22/2014 : 10:34:32 AM
|
I guess where my aggravation comes from is that anyone with a brain knows that a school bus seat is going to have to withstand some level of abuse. This isn't the senior center taking grandma to the park, these are kids and kids tear stuff up. Why can't we build a seat that will take the abuse?
The modern Blue Bird seat frames aren't having any trouble...foam on the other hand... |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
Broken SynTec seat backs!!
