I recieved my miyata seat metal handle reinforcer today, and was wondering if I would have to take the cover off of the seat to install it. I thought maybe after taking the three handle bolts off, you would have to take the seat cover off in order to tighten them again. I haven’t taken these bolts off yet, because I don’t want to have to remove the cover. Do I have to take the cover off? If I didn’t explain this well then tell me, and I will draw a picture.
-Hugh
Does anybody know?
I’m not sure I understand the question, does this help you?
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~gbarnes/gb4/miy_stiff/miy_stiff_inst.htm
If that doesn’t look like your stiffener, then you have the other kind of stiffener (small, kidney shaped) and removal of the cover should not be necessary.
The reinforcer plate goes inside the seat. You’ll have to take the seat apart. Taking the cover off a Miyata seat is very easy. The cover is held in place by flat metal clamps. Take the bumpers off then use a screwdriver to pry open the clamps. The seat cover will come right off. When it’s time to put it all back together use pliers to gently squeeze the clamps back on to hold the seat cover.
Here is a web page that describes taking a Miyata seat apart and putting it back together.
<http://www.unicycling.org/airseat/>
…hmm…I better draw a picture.
I’ll have a diagram posted tommorow, and maybe you could be so kind as to try and understand what I’m saying. I don’t think I’m describing the reinforcer correctly.
Here’s the diagram. As you can see, I must unfasten the bolts, and then slide the plate over the 3 screws, but what I am wondering is if the screws are fixed, because if they aren’t won’t I have to remove the cover to hold them still while I screw the bolts back on over the plate, but if the screws are fixed, then I can screw the bolts back on without taking the cover off. Do you understand what I’m saying? I’m not too good with technical speak.
Isn’t my diagram beautiful! 
Ah, that reinforcement plate. 
That’s different that the one I had in mind. I was thinking of this one:
<http://www.unicycle.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=607>
But you’ve got this one:
<http://www.unicycle.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=614>
OK. You don’t need to take the seat apart to put on the reinforcement plate. But if the bolts start spinning you will have to take things apart. Look at the link for the Miyata air seat instructions to see what the inside of the seat looks like.
Unfortunately the new Miyata seats have a history of problems with the bolts spinning in the seat when you try to remove them. People have resorted to freezing the seats to make the plastic harder before trying to remove the nuts, cutting the nuts off with a Dremel, cutting slots in the bolts, and other measures. You can do a forum search on “Miyata spinning bolt*” to find threads about that subject. I have avoided purchasing the new made in China Miyata seats so I have no direct experience with them. I can’t recommend a best method to avoid the spinning bolt problems. Unfortunately, if you do end up with spinning bolts getting the seat cover off will be difficult because you need to be able to remove the bumpers to get the seat cover off and if the bolts are spinning you can’t get the bumpers off.
If you do end up with spinning bolts and are able to get the seat taken apart you can use the other stiffener plate by George Barnes <http://www.unicycle.com/shopping/shopexd.asp?id=607> to keep the bolts from spinning. The square holes in the stiffener plate are designed to fit 1/4" carriage bolts.
Good luck.
Ohh this sounds like an awful amount of work! I hope my bolts don’t spin. I think if they do I might try sticking the saddle in the freezer.
Thanks John.
-Hugh
You do the freezer thing before you try to remove the bolts and before they try to spin. The theory being that the cold plastic is a little bit harder so the bolts won’t round out the square hole in the plastic seat base and start to spin.
If you do have a spinning bolt you can cut it off with a Dremel and replace that bolt with a 1/4" carriage bolt. You can get carriage bolts at your better hardware stores and specialty fastener shops. Here is a picture of a carriage bolt:
<http://beehome.info/sendword.php?ca_bolt_1>