DYI Removal of Rear Seats
#1
02-05-2007, 09:42 PM
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Duluth, GA
Posts: 1,143
Rep Power: 73 
DYI Removal of Rear Seats
I tried to do this in one post, but it looks like I must do it in 3, so I hope it's worth while for someone. I did this myself today and took a few pictures, so maybe this will help those of you who want to lose about 22lbs. without restricting your dietary intake. I'll tell you up front that this is going to be very lengthy post, so if you aren't presently considering removing your rear seats, then just clickoff and move on to new vistas.
The Lower seat cushions are very easy to remove. Just grab gently underneath the back of the seat cushion and pull upward and forward and the velcro will release.
I am very new to the posting of pictures, and I'm not sure if any of these are going to enlarge at the click of a button.....I sure hope they do, or I will have wasted most of my evening.
The upper is a little bit more detailed than the lower. I am going to include a diagram I found on Renntech that didn't have the proper sequence of procedures for removal. I will expand on that.
I hope you will be able to enlarge this diagram, or it will mean nothing to you.
The first step in removing the seat backs is to tease the plastic cap (#6) off. It resides between the two seat backs. Place a thin blade of your choice underneath the leading edge and exert pressure upwards, being careful not to scratch the plastic. Next, get a 4mm hex and remove the bolt that will be visible after you tip the plastic cap up. Next, go to the lateral edges of both seats and tease the plastic caps off. Get a 17mm socket and remove the bolts (#9) on either side. Item #8 will come out with the seat pair. After this, the dual seat assembly will easily lift up and out. Take note of where all the little pieces go when you plan to return everything to stock.
The order of events from this point forward will not matter too much, but nonetheless, I will establish one. Get your 6mm hex and remove item #2 in the diagram. It will also bring with it item #3. I used this (#3) later, but you may chose to cover the hole in a different manner.
You can remove item #10 with a 15/16ths box-end wrench.
Here is another pic showing one of these removals.
I removed the female seat belt release mechanism from the drive shaft tube, but chose not to remove the harness and male end. I found what was to me, a suitable and esthetic alternative to save an hour or more of work removing side panels to get to the retraction mechanism.
For the time being, I just wraped this shaft with black nylon tape to supress it. I may come up with a better solution later, and of course, am open to suggestions from members of the board.
Below is what is left in the middle when you remove the seat backs.
I used some velcro and the original plastic cover to hide this piece of aluminum.
When removing the female seat belt latch-release mechanism from the driveshaft tunnel, you must be careful to tease it upwards on both sides at the same time and do not try to rotate it in any way. There is a little guide bolt sticking up from the floor pan and you could fracture this little piece of plastic if you don't come out in a straight-out direction. It will, with some force, pop out from underneath the assembly and reveal the bolt holding the belt release in place. There is a little piece of spring steel helping to hold the cover in place, and that's why it requires a considerable amount of force. Again use the 17mm socket to remove this bolt.
The picture above is what you will have showing when the assembly is removed.
I re-used the plastic cover to make this area less obvious and I did so as follows. I placed some velcro on the back side and did it in such a way as to close the small gap at the top with the black velcro to lessen the obviance of the little oblong opening. Hope these pictures will make sense.
That's the first layer of velcro on the underside of the cover
Next, will be the second layer of velcro that will block the rectangular hole.
The Lower seat cushions are very easy to remove. Just grab gently underneath the back of the seat cushion and pull upward and forward and the velcro will release.
I am very new to the posting of pictures, and I'm not sure if any of these are going to enlarge at the click of a button.....I sure hope they do, or I will have wasted most of my evening.
The upper is a little bit more detailed than the lower. I am going to include a diagram I found on Renntech that didn't have the proper sequence of procedures for removal. I will expand on that.
I hope you will be able to enlarge this diagram, or it will mean nothing to you.
The first step in removing the seat backs is to tease the plastic cap (#6) off. It resides between the two seat backs. Place a thin blade of your choice underneath the leading edge and exert pressure upwards, being careful not to scratch the plastic. Next, get a 4mm hex and remove the bolt that will be visible after you tip the plastic cap up. Next, go to the lateral edges of both seats and tease the plastic caps off. Get a 17mm socket and remove the bolts (#9) on either side. Item #8 will come out with the seat pair. After this, the dual seat assembly will easily lift up and out. Take note of where all the little pieces go when you plan to return everything to stock.
The order of events from this point forward will not matter too much, but nonetheless, I will establish one. Get your 6mm hex and remove item #2 in the diagram. It will also bring with it item #3. I used this (#3) later, but you may chose to cover the hole in a different manner.
You can remove item #10 with a 15/16ths box-end wrench.
Here is another pic showing one of these removals.
I removed the female seat belt release mechanism from the drive shaft tube, but chose not to remove the harness and male end. I found what was to me, a suitable and esthetic alternative to save an hour or more of work removing side panels to get to the retraction mechanism.
For the time being, I just wraped this shaft with black nylon tape to supress it. I may come up with a better solution later, and of course, am open to suggestions from members of the board.
Below is what is left in the middle when you remove the seat backs.
I used some velcro and the original plastic cover to hide this piece of aluminum.
When removing the female seat belt latch-release mechanism from the driveshaft tunnel, you must be careful to tease it upwards on both sides at the same time and do not try to rotate it in any way. There is a little guide bolt sticking up from the floor pan and you could fracture this little piece of plastic if you don't come out in a straight-out direction. It will, with some force, pop out from underneath the assembly and reveal the bolt holding the belt release in place. There is a little piece of spring steel helping to hold the cover in place, and that's why it requires a considerable amount of force. Again use the 17mm socket to remove this bolt.
The picture above is what you will have showing when the assembly is removed.
I re-used the plastic cover to make this area less obvious and I did so as follows. I placed some velcro on the back side and did it in such a way as to close the small gap at the top with the black velcro to lessen the obviance of the little oblong opening. Hope these pictures will make sense.
That's the first layer of velcro on the underside of the cover
Next, will be the second layer of velcro that will block the rectangular hole.
#2
02-05-2007, 09:52 PM
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Duluth, GA
Posts: 1,143
Rep Power: 73
DYI Removal of Rear Seats Part II
Here is the piece in its final resting position.
I removed the bottom attachment bolts for the male portion of the seat belt/harness assembly with the 17mm socket, but I did nothing to cover the holes as I will be using them when I install my roll bar.
Next, I will show my solution for hiding the harness assembly. First, you must loosen one side of the Bose subwoofer (assuming you have a 2002 or later model). Remove the Bose trim piece from the sub woofer port as follows: grab it from the top with your fingernails and pull towards yourself.
It will release with very little pressure. This will expose a T20 bolt at the bottom of the port. Unscrew and remove it.
It will be necessary to only loosen one side at a time. Once the bolt is removed, pull the box towards youself so as to separate it from the area behind by 2 or 3 inches.
Then take what is left of the male end of the harness assembly and stuff it in behind the sub woofer box. This will take a little bit of trial and error to find out exactly where to put everything so that the box will go back to its original position.
Next, push the box rearwards to it's original position and position the exposed strap in an esthetic manner. Repeat the process on the other side.
When reinstalling the Bose trim piece, do it in the following manner placing the bottom of it into position and then snapping the top into place.
The next thing I did was to use some double-sided tape for the rubber flange (item #3) that came off with item #2
way back when. I pressed it into place but I think the thickness of my tape was inadequate and this piece will fall off with a few hard bumps. I only had thin tape in the shop this afternoon, so that's what I used.
Again, I used a piece of black nylon tape to block the hole and render it a little less obvious. I am sure there will be better solutions to this problem, but I was determined to finish today using things I had on hand.
I removed the bottom attachment bolts for the male portion of the seat belt/harness assembly with the 17mm socket, but I did nothing to cover the holes as I will be using them when I install my roll bar.
Next, I will show my solution for hiding the harness assembly. First, you must loosen one side of the Bose subwoofer (assuming you have a 2002 or later model). Remove the Bose trim piece from the sub woofer port as follows: grab it from the top with your fingernails and pull towards yourself.
It will release with very little pressure. This will expose a T20 bolt at the bottom of the port. Unscrew and remove it.
It will be necessary to only loosen one side at a time. Once the bolt is removed, pull the box towards youself so as to separate it from the area behind by 2 or 3 inches.
Then take what is left of the male end of the harness assembly and stuff it in behind the sub woofer box. This will take a little bit of trial and error to find out exactly where to put everything so that the box will go back to its original position.
Next, push the box rearwards to it's original position and position the exposed strap in an esthetic manner. Repeat the process on the other side.
When reinstalling the Bose trim piece, do it in the following manner placing the bottom of it into position and then snapping the top into place.
The next thing I did was to use some double-sided tape for the rubber flange (item #3) that came off with item #2
way back when. I pressed it into place but I think the thickness of my tape was inadequate and this piece will fall off with a few hard bumps. I only had thin tape in the shop this afternoon, so that's what I used.
Again, I used a piece of black nylon tape to block the hole and render it a little less obvious. I am sure there will be better solutions to this problem, but I was determined to finish today using things I had on hand.
#3
02-05-2007, 10:02 PM
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Duluth, GA
Posts: 1,143
Rep Power: 73
DYI Rear Seat Removal Part III
I didn't realize I could only include 10 images per post. Anyway, here is the last of it for those of you who aren't asleep by now.
It's late, and I am tired, but I know I used a T30 and maybe a T40 on something this afternoon, but I can't remember what or where. That means I have left out a step or two, but this primer should get you through most of the obvious things.
Here are some final views of a work still in progress, but at least I got over 22 lbs. out of the car today.
Hope this was helpful for all you DYI folks.
If you get too frustrated during this process, there are always other quiet solutions
Have fun!
It's late, and I am tired, but I know I used a T30 and maybe a T40 on something this afternoon, but I can't remember what or where. That means I have left out a step or two, but this primer should get you through most of the obvious things.
Here are some final views of a work still in progress, but at least I got over 22 lbs. out of the car today.
Hope this was helpful for all you DYI folks.
If you get too frustrated during this process, there are always other quiet solutions
Have fun!
#4
02-06-2007, 07:59 AM
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Duluth, GA
Posts: 1,143
Rep Power: 73
Mr. Moderator,
Thanks for combining everything into a single post. I appologize for posting in the wrong place. I didn't recall that we have a forum for "how to" which is where you placed it.
Thanks.
Thanks for combining everything into a single post. I appologize for posting in the wrong place. I didn't recall that we have a forum for "how to" which is where you placed it.
Thanks.
Last edited by Al Norton; 02-06-2007 at 08:26 AM.
#6
02-09-2007, 05:40 PM
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Duluth, GA
Posts: 1,143
Rep Power: 73
I disconnected it and weighed it (just over 12 lbs.) but it changed the balance of the already crappy sound. It sounds better wity than without the sub.
quote=i300zxtt]Get rid of that useless subwoofer too![/quote]
quote=i300zxtt]Get rid of that useless subwoofer too![/quote]
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