seat loose on model B

[mercurygirl]

Hi,
I am new to this forum and new to rowing. I have been rowing a bit in the gym at work because of problems I am having with my feet (my first love was power walking). I really enjoyed the rowing and was lucky enough to get a model B on craigslist last weekend. The seat on the machine I purchased is loose, rocks side to side a bit, has a lot more movement than the model B i was using at work. The bolt was initially in the middle hole, when I tried to adjust the seat per the instructions I could not get the it in the last hole (closest to the foot support). I don't know if there is a trick to it. When I tried it just seemed too tight to get the bolt all the way through, but easily can get it through the other two holes. Is there a trick to this or does the seat REALLY have to be loose for you to be able to move to the next hole?
I guess I can live with it but I prefer the stability of the seat that doesn't rock so much.

thanks in advance!!!
Rose

[JRBJR]

Hi Rose,
First, do you have the original small ModelB seat or the new, larger ModelB retrofit seat (same shape as the seat used on newer C2 ergs)? For the sake of improved comfort and stability, I'd advise you purchase the new larger Model B seat and its mounting hardware from Concept2 if your Model B still has the original small seat.

Second, you want to determine which of the seven roller mount holes (four on the top row of the seat mount and and three on the bottom row) you want to insert rollers into. I find that inserting rollers in all four holes of the top row and one roller in the middle hole of the bottom row gives me the most stable seat performance (then again, I'm about 6'2" and 190 pounds).

It can sometimes be difficult to successfully insert a roller bolt through the frame hole on one side, through the roller, and out the frame hole on the opposing side, since the holes are drilled so close to the monorail on which the rollers slide to prevent up and down or side-to-side seat play. In fact, you might need to have a friend sit on the seat while you insert the roller bolts through the holes.

Hope this helps.

[JRBJR]

Sorry, I forgot to mention to make sure you properly tighten the bolt screws on each of the bolts inserted in a roller. The trick is to tighten enough to firmly hold the black rubber againsts the metal spacer around the bolt but neither too loosely (which can cause the roller to wobble) or too tight, which can impede smooth movement of the rolller along the monorail. I even spray just a touch of WD-40 on each bolt before I insert it through its roller so that it moves more freely.

To extend the life and optimum performance of the rollers, be sure to keep them clean. After each rowing session, I spray a bit of Windex along the top of the monorail, then wipe it down and dry it with a paper towel. Also occasionally clean the rollers with Windex on a paper towel to prevent the buildup of dust and other kinds of debris on their surfaces.

[mercurygirl]

Thanks for all the helpful information!
I found out about how important it is to not over tighten the bolts when I went to put the seat back the way I found it.
Luckily I picked up on that pretty quick.

I think I have the old seat, it doesn't look like the one that is available as a replacement part (#1929), mine is rounder and less square. I am surprised the replacement is so cheap!

I called today and they were so welcoming, not at all bummed that I didn't buy a new rower. The lady I spoke with said "call with any questions about your model B". Awesome!! She told me that perhaps the rollers on the top where worn out and that was causing the instability. Using extra rollers on the top sounds like a great idea. I may also order the casters, I realize the foam cap is shot on the one side in the back, and it is making it even more unstable b/c I am leaning a bit to the right. For the time being I tried to shim it up with a layer of rug remnant.


thank you again. I am so thrilled about this new way to exercise!!