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VDORepair pixel repair specialists

This message is marked as Important.
Subject: How to: Leather seat skin replacement
Author: 04sshd : member since March, 2007 : 5549 posts
Posted on: 2008-02-20 20:27:18      
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For those who don't know yet I bought a full 750il leather interior including the front seats and swapped them into my 1995 740il. The big upgrade in the 750 seats is the Napa leather, leather seat back, and wood trim piece on the back. Since I installed the seats I have had an issue with the top tilt function on the comfort seat working. Well rather than attempt to remove the motor and replace it from my original 740il seats I decided to just swap the leather skins. Here is the process of removing the leather and cushion from your seat frames.

I started by removing the seat back cover. Details on this can be found from IBhenry on www.e38.org. Once the back cover is off remove the headrest by pulling it all the way up and give it a tug and it will pop out


Then you will have this-


turn the seat around and you will see how the leather is held on-


There are tons of these little metal tabs that hold the leather stretched out across the seat frame, you will need to bend all of these up so you can pull the skin off




once all of these are off, pull the seat leather off the metal tabs


Pull the seat leather up and off the seat as much as you can, it will not come off completely. There are 3 hog clips that you will need to remove. Make sure to unplug the heated seat element as well.


once the hog clips are removed the seat top will come off the frame.




Now that the top is off move to the bottom seat, it is held on the same way as the back rest. You will have to unplug the seatbelt sensor and remove the seat plastics on both sides.


then finish taking off the lower seat cushion


And then you are left with just the bare frame!



so in my case I took apart the 750 seat as well and I was left with two bare seat frames.


Start reinstalling the new cushions onto the frame with the seat bottom




Here is the napa seat leather reinstalled on my 740 seat frame


Now move to the seat back


place the leather over the top of the seat frame


Push the leather and foam through the bottom


Pull it through on the other side


Reconnect the heated seat element


Now pull and stretch the leather back over the tabs


once they are stretched over you can hammer down the tabs so the leather won't come back up


once all the tabs are pushed back in and the seat leather is back on you can replace the top back cover


now install the seat back cover


reconnect the seatbelt sensor and the plastic trim pieces



clear a path in the car


then put the seat back into the car and bolt it back in


once it is bolted in lower the seat all the way and install the headrest


Then you are all done!!!




Youtube vid showing everything working!
Youtube vid of my comfort seats working!!!

Colin@HID Solutions Moorpark, CA

99 E38 740iL Silver on Grey leather, 18" Style 94 wheels, lighted handles, self leveling xenons, Nav Retro fit, MK3 16:9 Widescreen.
95 E38 740iL Oxford Metallic Green on Black leather, Fresh Paint, 01 Face lift, Alpina front spoiler air damn, Alpina Softline 20" rims 20x9 front 20x10 rear, 6000k HID's, 8000k HID Fogs, Neon/LED tails, quad brake light mod, 20% tint all around, PIAA Yellow Hi-beams, 01 Headlights, 750 grills, HR Drop Springs, Monroe Struts, Strong Strut, CCFL Angel eyes, 4 pos euro foglight switch, euro front plate base, euro Germany front plate from Edwin, 16:9 Widescreen Navigation, MK4, BM43, home made stereo iPod integration, gauge rings, CF cluster bezel, steel sunroof to glass retrofit 750iL Door panels, 750iL B-Pillar panels, 750il Wood interior lights, 750iL wood trim full leather front seats, BMWNA goodwill cluster, trunk spoiler.
86 E30 325es coupe, black on black, 5 speed manual, M Shift knob, M-tech steering wheel, Sport seats, 13 function OBC (parting out)
02 Harley Davidson custom build chopper, S&S Super 100ci, rev-tec 6 speed trans, Corbin seat, billet wheels, streached tank and frame
00 Cadillac DeVille, OnStar, HID's, Chrome Vouge rims
99 Ford Ranger XLT, V6, 5 speed
87 Pontiac TransAm, Tuned Port Injected 305, Auto, B&M Shifter, 99 TransAm Leather seats.
03 Honda CBR 600RR, Yoshi pipe, fender eliminator kit, 6000k HID kit, 3800 miles
03 Honda XR50, Yamaha plastics and sticker kit, big bore 88cc kit
00 Kawasaki KX500 2 stroke, WER steering dampener, FMF pipe, acerbis lever gards, protaper bars, desert tank
02 Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor (SOLD)
99 Yamaha R1, full show bike(SOLD)
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96 Ford F-250 Power Stroke Turbo Diesel (SOLD)
97 Camaro Z-28, LT1 V8, T56 6 Speed manual (SOLD)
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