Releasing wedge style seat sockets

[FishinLogician]

I have the wedge style chair mounts in my boat. I recently replaced my standard short chair shafts with the Swivel-Eze 16-20" hydraulic ones. I'm now having a heck of a time getting them to release from the sockets. I give the chair a firm knock in all directions first. It appears the release comes free but the wedge as a whole simply won't come out. I have heard lubricating this connection is not recommended. Does anyone have a trick to make this work like cleaning or or some other item I'm just unaware exists.?

[Hoovey]

I ran into this problem when my boat my new. I decided to ignore the warning and put some lubricant on the end of the pedestal. A rough day on Oahe proved that to be a bad decision as my fishing partner almost went into the drink when the pedestal popped out of the socket. Luckily both him and the seat stayed in the boat. The pedestals eventually wore down enough to where this wasn't a problem. I kept an XL vise grip on board and tapped it with a hammer to loosen the pedestal. After a few times it didn't do it any more.

[bigeyes]

This can be/is a big problem for me and my lund with wedge posts. I do lube mine with grease about 3 times a year. If I don't they will not come out of the pedistal ever. I have had to take 2 pedistals out with the seat still attached put them in my vice and break the pedistal with a 5 pound hammer then buy a new pedistal and grease the heck out of it. It is a pretty crappy system if you ask me, but if I don't do that there will not come out.

[MT Net]

I also would not recommend lubing the wedge at all.

I have the extra tall bass seat up front to lean on while casting and controling the foot peddle for the troling motor. In rough water while leaning on it, it pops loose. Now to clean out the grease.

Give it time, it should wear in, making it easier.

[Finlander]

Yup, the same thing happened to my friend as we took off from Eddy's on Mille Lacs.
I had trouble getting my front seat out of the wedge, and I had enough of that so I put some WD-40 in there. Well it worked, when we took off from Eddy's my friend came flying back when the 150hp engine was roaring forward.
It took both me and my other fishing buddy who was sitting next to me in the passenger seat all the strength we could muster so he didn't go a$$-over-tea-kettle to the rear of the boat.
I still get grief from him about that especially since it warns you not to lubricate!
Call up Springfield which is the maker of a such fine product and ask them what to do!

[This message has been edited by Finlander (edited 05-06-2004).]

[Dennis Steele]

Those things really suck.
I had these in a couple boats over the years.I couldn't even free them up by using a hammer and pounding them up from the bottom.What seemed to work best was to use a channel lock pliers and twist on them as you pulled up.Marred up the post...what are you going to do?!
I like the pin style myself and have replaced the wedges in the boats I have had.

[FishinLogician]

Thanks guys. The old units did come out fairly well. For now I'll save my money and try to get by. Maybe next year I'll look at replacing them with pins.

[PRO-V]

I had the same problem and solved it by taking an orbital sander to the wedge. Just run off a little plastic at a time till they come out with a rap. I believe they are just made a little too big.