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Help Needed for Seat Removal and Repair

14K views 9 replies 4 participants last post by  PurdieMerc 
#1 ·
Hi

For some time I have had the common problem of cracking Front Seat Plastic trim (around the side of the front seats). Replaced Trim once and broken soon after !@#$#@

After some enquiries I was told that the problem is caused by the three parts of the contoured seat foam parting company (apparently they are glued together)? leading to a saggy cushion that makes contact with the plastic each time you get in or out.

Following getting a Quote from Merc Stealer for the replacement foam of $1200, it was suggested that an upholsterer may be able to fix the old seat foam, so I made some enquiries and got a more digestible estimate of $200.
I proceeded to remove the seat from the car to get at the lower seat cushion so I could take it to the upholsterer for repair.

I am now stuck with the seat disconnected as far as I can, and I can not see how to get the seat apart in situ or out of the car for further disassembly.

The parts I cannot disconnect to get the seat out are:-

1. The cable that I think runs to the seatbelt height adjustment or the headrest.

2. The Air line that goes through a hole in a metal component and into a metal box (attached to the seat) it then emerges in a different coloured tube and goes to a plastic box attached to the metal basin part that holds the seat cushion.

I need help / advice on how I can get these connections undone so I can totally remove the seat from the car and disassemble it so I end up with the bottom cushion unit.

HELP Please

PurdieMerc
 
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#2 · (Edited)
I just recently replaced the seat belt buckle on my seat due to not locking every time. The instructions state to remove the front seat but I was able to lean the seat over enough in the car to access electrical plug and the buckle bolt. I saw the Bowden cable that you refer to in #1 above but did not need to remove it to lean the seat over. As to the air line in #2 above, there was enough slack there also.

Anyway, attached are the WIS instructions that I used to do the job. There are instructions for removing both the cable and the air line.

Good Luck,

Bob

(I've attached the belt buckle file too for reference.)
 

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#4 ·
Thanks Bob & Dean

Thanks for the Seat Removal Document Bob.
I have got as far as step 9 OK but I can not see how to do 10 or 11.
My configuration may be different, eg my pneumatic line is not attached to the Connector block via a removable connection, so I can not disconnect it there, I will try removing the plate under the electrical connectors as this may be hiding a pneumatic coupling behind where the tube goes through it.

My Bowden cable does not appear to have a retaining clip, but I may be able to free it from the point where it goes through the front of the assembly but I don't know what happens at the rear where it somehow must go into the centre pillar ?

I guess I may have to get the cushion out with the seat in the car using the instructions Dean has provided.
Thanks Dean
 
#7 · (Edited)
Got some already for my assembly phase.
I will take more as I assemble so as to show more specific details and I will try to get the upholsterer to take a few of what he does to fix it.
Should be able to post in a week or two depending on how fast the upholsterer is.

Regards
PurdieMerc

I have Added Details and Photos of my Seat Repair Below

My attempted fix for the sagging seat problem consisted of inserting wedges of solid rubber between the springs of the cushion and the relatively soft sponge rubber blocks that are in the metal base of the seat assembly.

These wedges were cut from a MatPro accessory that I got from my local Hardware (Bunnings) this accessory is used to remove the trip hazard that can occur with the use of a thick door mat and also to aid wheelchair access (look for it where your store sells door mats).

The wedges were glued to the sponge blocks so that the highest part of the wedge was towards the outside of the cushion, so as to achieve the greatest stiffening of the outer wing of the seat while retaining the softness in the middle of the seat.

Although this has stiffened the seat on the outside, it has not prevented the outside wing from bending and coming into contact with the plastic trim as I exit the car.

I have not replaced the Plastic trim yet so I do not know if my efforts will be successful in preventing breakage of the Trim.

I think my idea of swapping the two front cushions may be more effective, but I have as yet not removed the passenger seat to see if I can swap the seat occupancy sensor.

Regards
PurdieMerc
 

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#9 ·
my driver seat had the same cracked trim and rather than risk breaking something else on the seat i cut a piece of textured plastic to cover the cracked area and used 2 sided sticky tape to attach it after painting to match

it blends in nice and you really can't tell its a patch so to speak

material cost was about 20 cents
 
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