The 'E' Type Forum

How do you remove the seats on a series II, without removing the seat runners from the body? The manual says lift out the seat cushion to access the bolts - presumable applicable to series I. Anyhow, my seat cushions don't lift out.
All advice gratefully received.

That refers to the early S1 bucket seats. For later seats slide them as far forward as possible, remove the two rear cross head screws at the rear of the runner and you can then slide the whole seat/runner backwards off the mushroom shaped retainers at the front. Check out the thread in the Upgrades Forum on fitting MX5 seats which has some good photos.

Thanks David for getting back so promptly. The only screws/ bolts I can see with the seat slid fully forward are the two bolts securing the runner to the floor. I was reconciled to removing the whole seat with runners but of course the front bolts securing the runners to the floor are inaccessible. Nor can I, with the rear runner bolts removed, moved the seat back far enough to slide off the runners. It's mystery!!

You remove the seats as follows;

a) move seat fully forward on runners
b) unfasten the bolt which can now be seen at the rear of each runner holding the runner to the floor
c) move the entire seat and runner assembly rearwards. The front of each runner is retained by a sort of bayonet fitting, and once the rnner bottom rails move rearward far enough to clear the bayonet catch (about one inch) the entire seat/runner assmebly can then be lifted up and out.

You may (probably will) find that the runner front ends are stuck in the bayonet catches due to rust, dirt, etc. You may need to be reasonably forceful. Concentrate on getting the runner which has the locking lever on it out first as the other runner has no positive locking between the upper and lower parts of the runner. You may need to locate the nose of the runners by feel with a long drift and hammer them rearwards to free them.

Look here for pictures of the bayonet fixings (also known as mushroom bolts) and the underneath of 4.2 seats.

http://etypeuk.com/forum/viewtopic.php? ... sc&start=0

Cheers

Thanks David and John - after some heaving, swearing and jiggling and more swearing they are out.

Incidentally I don't think I've ever had a classic where the seat moved properly on its runners. This time I'm determined they will!

skodajag wrote:Incidentally I don't think I've ever had a classic where the seat moved properly on its runners. This time I'm determined they will!

Highly unlikely! The runners are pressed together and are separated by nylon rollers. Several things happen - the tracks rust, the rollers develop flats, the entire runner bends and they get clogged up with dirt, carpet and grease. I gave up in the end and bought new runners but let us know how you get on. You can buy new nylon rollers although getting the two slides apart is very difficult.

Im having trouble removing my driver seat on a series 2 2+2. I have removed the 2 bolts at the rear but the runner on one side appears to be welded to the floor? Any help would be much appreciated.

Hi Bernie...if you can see a weld you will have to cut it out.....if you are just assuming its welded then it may just be tight/corroded...the instructions above are correct for seat removal

Once the screws securing the rear runners have been removed, it might help to get someone to lift the seat at the rear while you use a drift on the lower part of the front of the runner.

Not sure how they would have been able to weld it in situ with all the surrounding trim.

I also thought my seats were welded but it's only appearance
in fact a good thump rearwards should release them from their "catch" once rear screws are removed

Many thanks guys will give it a thump and see what happens, invaluable advice.

Thanks will give it a go

Thanks guys I will hit it with a hammer quite soon

I read this post with interest as I needed to take the seats out on my S3 2+2 today. It was really easy:

1. Push seat back - remove the two bolts at the front of the runners (I used a 1/2" offset ring spanner). The hardest one was the one next to the transmission tunnel as you only get to turn the nut one flat at a time.

2. Push seat forward. Remove the two screws holding the rear of the runners.

3. Take seat out of the car.

A previous owner had taken the seats out at sometime as one of the screw heads was a bit rounded off, but all screws and bolts came out with minimal effort.

I wish all jobs were this easy.... Like getting the headrests out of the seat back!

Steve