Removing the top of a bench seat?

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dkhunter8383

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I am wondering how the top of a bench seat is held on. I would like to remove it to take out the old foam and replace it with new stuff, but I don't want to start taking out rivets only to find that I'll have to actually cut the whole top off. I'll attach a picture of my boat if anyone could give me an idea if this is possible to just cut out the few rivets and lift it off. Thank you

P.S. The picture isn't the greatest, I just zoomed in on one I had previously but I can take a closer picture tomorrow and post that if it will help
 

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This pic is from a Mirrocraft, the seat has folded edges that wood strips fit into. The foam was filled around the wood and against the inside of the seat, in the original the foam was faced with steel panels. I will take some better pics if it will help. I am replacing the wood strips, have made new aluminum facing to enclose the foam. I will add foam to replace damaged sections I did when taking it all apart. Don't use pressure treated wood anywhere near aluminum as the copper sulfate treatment in the wood causes electrolysis when water connects the two.
 

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Remove the rivets at the ends of the bench top and see what happens.
What makes you think the foam needs to be replaced?
 
I removed the switch panel the previous owner had installed and grabbed a chunk of foam out that was dripping wet and rotting. I decided that since the rest of the boat is being redone I might as well do the foam as well
 
In my case, the foam was squirted through a small hole.
upon expanding, it stuck to everything, making it one
solid mass. After removing rivets, it was extremely difficult
to get the top off because it was adhered by the foam.
your call as how to address that one.
perhaps some small holes near the top to get a power washer
nozel into it to cut it all loose. (????).
learn as you go - come back and share your techniques.
 
Unfortunately my seats are all made from one piece of aluminum, and riveted to the hull to secure it. I would be able to remove all the rivets to pull the whole seat out, but I think that's more then what I want to do. So for now I'm just going to leave it as is but thanks everyone for the advixe
 
Unfortunately my seats are all made from one piece of aluminum, and riveted to the hull to secure it. I would be able to remove all the rivets to pull the whole seat out, but I think that's more then what I want to do. So for now I'm just going to leave it as is but thanks everyone for the advixe

Likewise on my Crestliner. I had a thought; rather than drill all the rivets, perhaps I could make two cuts along the top about 1" below the fold on either side and lift the seat part off. Access to the foam would then be good without disturbing the hull rivets. The seat top would be replaced with a supplemental strip of aluminum as a splice -- maybe a piano hinge to get a hatch...
 

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