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Is there a way to get the headrests out of the stock seats without tearing the seat apart? On my other cars they just pull out or have a release button. But not, it seems, on the TR7.

Hi,

The headrests are held in by what can be best decribed as a 'spring loaded barb' As you say to get to this the rear seat cover requires lifting to push it in.





It can be possible to remove them by first lubricating the shaft with something like WD40 ect, then working up and down a couple of time then yanking it up quickly. Be careful though as when they come out it will do quickly [:0] and you dont want your face in the way [xx(] ouch!!! or through your soft top [:(!]

Cheers John

LIVE LIFE A QUARTER OF A MILE AT A TIME!
1979 3.5 FHC(STATUS PENDING!!)

1982 2.0 DHC NOW A 4.6,ON THE ROAD NOW KICKING AR5E !!!!

Once removed, use a file to take the sharp edge off the barb and next time you won't have a struggle.


nick
'79 TR7

Besides a little oil to ease the friction I give it a little twisting bias which seems to help.


TR7 Spider - 1978 Spitfire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - Yellow TCT

Thanks very much for the suggestions - and that illustration is terrific.
The back story is that my car went through a lengthy refurbishment (sort of a frame-on rework) from 2005 through 2009. Among other things, the seats were redone except the shop decided the original headrests were fine. Which they were until this year when the foam failed all at once. There's just enough substance inside to look OK but not enough to protect an actual head from being impaled on the steel support rod. I don't want to damage the "new" seats to get the old headrests out. I have a pair of new headrests. The barb on the new ones looks pretty tough. The top is actually angled up so its hooked angle will have no way out from above once inserted. And the spring steel is so stiff and so sharp-edged that I can't squeeze it without a tool. Not a very clever design. If the originals are similar I'll need access inside the seat somehow. Or can the old headrest be dismantled from the rod and the rod then pushed out the bottom maybe?
In the meantime I'll have to make sure nothing happens on the road that requires a headrest!

They are removable without dismantling the seat by working them up and down a bit then a sharp upward jerk when they are sliding reasonably, as described above. Not to bad to do if you have a DHC but I imagine more awkward in a coupe. You could consider removing the seats to make it easier.

Alan
Saab 9000 Stg 1
Saab 9000 2.3 FPT Auto
'81 TR7 DHC

Yes, you have to take them out if it's a coupe. The foam in mine had turned to a powder leaving little support coupled with the driver side had been put in backwards. After they were out I dismantlds them (took out staples that held the vinyl to wood base,) recovered them in foam I got from local auto upholsterer and cut to size. I covered them in plastic from loaf of bread to slip the covers back on as they don't want to slip past the foam (an installation trick used in assembling seat covers over foams). Back to normal. Since you already have the replacements you can skip that step.


TR7 Spider - 1978 Spitfire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - Yellow TCT