Pictures coming. The design is ridiculous. Essentially one of the cables chafes with every pull. Only .652 AMU's per fray.

Anyone have any experience with this in post 1997 models? Recommendations for a place to get a replacement? Essentially it is a poorly designed bike cable. Other thoughts?

You'd think they'd have figured this out by now... Or maybe they have? $$$$...

Looking forward to seeing the pics

Cessna seat tracks have sucked since day 1. It's like Continental and cylinders. Because of their crappy design they have to come up with hokey secondary devices like this one.

Thousands of hours bush flying my 182 in dirty conditions, my seats and tracks have not given me a problem once. 1974 model 182P.

Don't get complacent, Erwin! Lots of 182's have ended up badly when the seat takes off on take-off.... Happened to me, once. Figure I looked pretty silly with all my seat checking after that.

Probably will look silly again, as I think I'm going to buy another 182.

I check my seat and the seat stop every flight. I always think of the crash in which the son of the inventor of the USB port was killed in a training accident where the instructors seat slid back on a go around.

The number of mods and fixes for Cessna seat tracks is legion. On my previous 182 I had a secondary seat stop. A little lever embedded in the floor. The 182 I just bought has a red clamp that slides along the track with a thumb screw to tighten it down. Cessna's genius idea a few years ago was to install an inertial reel seat belt under the seat that attaches to the floor. They gave them away free and paid for labor, that's how bad the situation is. Apparently now there is a cable in the new ones.

Newer Cessnas have completely redesigned seat tracks and seats. They do seem to be more robust, except the release mechanism.

Mechanic and I had a closer look that left us even more confused. Pilots side release looks the same, but is not. Pilots side has a wider housing and a slot for each of the cables, eliminating most of the chafing.

Maybe they improved it?

Pictures of copilot side being uploaded now. I can not even figure out where the second cable attaches to T handle? Any help is appreciated. I have replaced several of these cables, but never took the time to see the actual problem. I specifically remember old mechanic vocalizing the ridiculous of the design and telling me I will need to replace these regularly.

Note second cable outside of it's housing in pictures. Where does it attach to? Only thing that was removed from second cable was a 1/2 inch of shredded wire.

This is very much like the lever end of a bicycle brake cable with the lead slug on the end of the cable. I'm pretty sure it was one of two ways: either the broken cable was also embedded in the same slug and finally broke from fatigue or pulled free (what do you see where the "good" cable goes in to the lead slug?) or the broken cable was terminated with a second slug and the two slugs sat side by side in the slot, held captive by the two sides of the housing that you've opened up.

So, look at the slug to see if the broken cable fatigued or if it pulled out. If not, then look to see if the slug is the full width of the space in the housing (my guess) or if it's about half the width and the slug from the end of the broken cable is missing.

Chris,

If you would have designed this device, I would not be typing this. Your side by side theory would absolutely work. However in this design, the one lead slug is the width of the lever and housing, with no room for your idea. Lead slug is completely free and clean without any evidence of prior attachment.

IHNFI?

It may have been piggybacked with a cable clamp?

If it was piggybacked and clamped you should see some evidence of a flattening at some point on the cable that is still connected.

So on the underside of the lead slug where the existing cable exits, does that cable completely fill the opening and are there no broken strands evidenced? Or is there any flattening of the cable as it exits the lead slug?

Also a question… Is the lever mounted under the center of the seat and the cables go somewhat outboard and down to connect with a pin that engages in a track on either side of the seat?

I think the Rube Goldberg solution would be to either clamp the broken cable to the attached one (length adjustment critical so that both pins engage and disengage simultaneously) or buy a T handle (or make one out of a heavy dowel?), run the cable through it and put a swage ball on the end of the broken cable as a stop and you would just pull up on that with one hand while you pull the lever with the other. Totally legal.

Most that fly with me do the " Cessna wiggle" before I even ask just before each take off. Years ago had a passenger slide back at take off- I still can't believe she did'nt grab yoke on the way back. Had Cessna under the seat real put on pilots seat several years ago. Works well.

I think I can barely see where it was piggybacked.