Black 535i
11-23-2007, 09:49 PM
I got donor foam and backng from a 1990 passenger seat so I decided to try the seat switch as described here:
http://bmwe32.masscom.net/
First off was getting the seat out of my car. I borrowed the correct torx bit from my mechanic to remove the bolts from the seat rails and seatbelt. Removing the seatback and armrest were no problem but getting the lever to release the seat back itself was an issue until I realized that the write up was incorrect. You do not push down on the lever or arm that you uncover but rather push down and in in an arc and it releases quite easily. Once this was out the seat back came off and then I removed the base as well.
Then came the matter of removing all of the leather from the seats. Let me tell you - there are way too may metal clasps holding the seat together. No wonder the car weighs so much! Took about twenty minutes to get the leather off and then came time to get the foam cushions as well. Pay attention to how everything comes apart because it is a bit of a puzzle going back together.
The main reason I was doing all this was that I had some seams that were splitting and the stitching coming apart under my butt so I figured if I was going to remove the leather and have it restitched then I may as well look for some new foam that my mechanic just happened to have in stock in the rear of his shop. Cost me about $25.00 to have all the seams restitched at a shoe repair shop I use regularly. The look on his face was priceless when I brought it in but he only took about 1/2 hour to do all the required work. I don't think that anyone else would have the tools to do this.
Once that was done it was time to put the new foam back on and reattach the leather. This was the point at which I wished I never started the project at all! Man what a pain in the ass stretching the leather back over the foam and getting the holes in the leather lined up with the metal teeth on the frame. Start at the bottom of all the seats and work up and out from underneath as you reattach the seat foam to the metal rails in the seat with zip ties. Don't be afraid to use too many zips either! Two hours that took to do all that stretching. Finally it was almost dark here in Chicago and I just had to put the seats back in, reattach all the harnesses again and check all the heater elements to make sure it was correct.
All this takes about 4 hours just to do one seat but I can really feel the difference that newer foam makes under my butt. But man do my fingers hurt from all the pulling and stretching of all the material. Worth the work but be prepare to hurt afterwards. And all this was just for the driver's side only. Willl try to post a shot of the finished work later tomorrow. I really have an appreciation of the work that i see done on Unique Whips on tv now.
Tomorrow's job is to install the BMA supplied rear shock mounts and bump stops. Boy am I glad I choose to do work in 30 F weather!
http://bmwe32.masscom.net/
First off was getting the seat out of my car. I borrowed the correct torx bit from my mechanic to remove the bolts from the seat rails and seatbelt. Removing the seatback and armrest were no problem but getting the lever to release the seat back itself was an issue until I realized that the write up was incorrect. You do not push down on the lever or arm that you uncover but rather push down and in in an arc and it releases quite easily. Once this was out the seat back came off and then I removed the base as well.
Then came the matter of removing all of the leather from the seats. Let me tell you - there are way too may metal clasps holding the seat together. No wonder the car weighs so much! Took about twenty minutes to get the leather off and then came time to get the foam cushions as well. Pay attention to how everything comes apart because it is a bit of a puzzle going back together.
The main reason I was doing all this was that I had some seams that were splitting and the stitching coming apart under my butt so I figured if I was going to remove the leather and have it restitched then I may as well look for some new foam that my mechanic just happened to have in stock in the rear of his shop. Cost me about $25.00 to have all the seams restitched at a shoe repair shop I use regularly. The look on his face was priceless when I brought it in but he only took about 1/2 hour to do all the required work. I don't think that anyone else would have the tools to do this.
Once that was done it was time to put the new foam back on and reattach the leather. This was the point at which I wished I never started the project at all! Man what a pain in the ass stretching the leather back over the foam and getting the holes in the leather lined up with the metal teeth on the frame. Start at the bottom of all the seats and work up and out from underneath as you reattach the seat foam to the metal rails in the seat with zip ties. Don't be afraid to use too many zips either! Two hours that took to do all that stretching. Finally it was almost dark here in Chicago and I just had to put the seats back in, reattach all the harnesses again and check all the heater elements to make sure it was correct.
All this takes about 4 hours just to do one seat but I can really feel the difference that newer foam makes under my butt. But man do my fingers hurt from all the pulling and stretching of all the material. Worth the work but be prepare to hurt afterwards. And all this was just for the driver's side only. Willl try to post a shot of the finished work later tomorrow. I really have an appreciation of the work that i see done on Unique Whips on tv now.
Tomorrow's job is to install the BMA supplied rear shock mounts and bump stops. Boy am I glad I choose to do work in 30 F weather!