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Subject: How to: Leather seat skin replacement Author: 04sshd : member since March, 2007 : 3343 posts Posted on: 2008-02-20 20:27:18

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)
91 E32 735iL (SOLD)
96 Ford F-250 Power Stroke Turbo Diesel (SOLD)
97 Camaro Z-28, LT1 V8, T56 6 Speed manual (SOLD)
95 Cadillac DeVille Concorus (SOLD)
69 Chevelle 300 Deluxe (SOLD)
69 Lincoln Continental Mark III (SOLD)
97 Lincoln Mark VIII (SOLD)
96 Chevrollet Impala SS (SOLD)

• How to: Leather seat skin replacement (pic) (url) - 04sshd 2008-02-20 20:27:18 (1713 views)
  • Nice. Gotta do my E38 also. Why didn't u vacuum that crap b4 replacing the seat? (nt) - visionbmw7 2008-02-21 05:59:42 (46 views)
    • lol, I would be steam cleaning it! (nt) - dwightf 2008-02-21 13:18:33 (44 views)
    • +1......................GJ Colin (nt) - snitch740i 2008-02-21 12:05:50 (30 views)
    • I am lazy, LOL (nt) - 04sshd 2008-02-21 11:48:59 (38 views)
  • Here's a few pics of someone else that has a little bit of e38 OCD/MOD disorder! (pic) - Lyonsden1980 2008-02-21 02:33:43 (156 views)
    • That's serious....I thought I was bad w/ just wanting it 2 be clean all the time (nt) - stevekc 2008-02-21 17:36:11 (36 views)
    • lol, is that Scubaa Steeve's car? - 04sshd 2008-02-21 02:59:44 (39 views)
      • I did the same thing.... I hated the look of the tan!!! (pic) - Lyonsden1980 2008-02-21 03:22:55 (142 views)
        • nice work! - 04sshd 2008-02-21 03:27:15 (40 views)
          • Trade??? And I will give you a free set of back seats too!!! lol (pic) - Lyonsden1980 2008-02-21 03:31:58 (103 views)
            • I need that back seat!!! - 04sshd 2008-02-21 03:36:58 (34 views)
              • This was my plan for them. seen these a few years ago and wanted to do the same (pic) - Lyonsden1980 2008-02-21 03:44:53 (94 views)
                • that is sweet! - 04sshd 2008-02-21 03:51:07 (32 views)
              • Denver (nt) - Lyonsden1980 2008-02-21 03:37:57 (27 views)
                • see what I mean...never find seats in my area! - 04sshd 2008-02-21 03:39:11 (33 views)
                  • Thats awesome. Now I know I can just get the 750 back panels. Nice look (nt) - snitch740i 2008-02-21 12:19:29 (24 views)
  • thanks and nice job! Going to do a seat on my E32 now (nt) - kw740il 2008-02-21 00:43:32 (29 views)
  • Niceee. That went out on mine back when. Replaced under warr. 600! (nt) - Ed 2008-02-20 22:51:06 (33 views)
  • Great work and photos! Going on e38.org tonight. (nt) - davidc 2008-02-20 22:21:31 (46 views)
  • It rubs the lotion on its skin... It does this whenever it's told... - thesteve 2008-02-20 21:55:04 (40 views)
  • Thanks, I have new skins for my drivers seat . - eze740il 2008-02-20 21:47:45 (46 views)
    • I took them out the front door (nt) - 04sshd 2008-02-20 21:59:50 (33 views)
  • Yet another GREAT write up! Thanks (nt) - Blue740i 2008-02-20 21:37:21 (28 views)
  • Colin, you never cease to amaze me! You are the Mad Modder of Cali!!!!! - IBHenry 2008-02-20 21:07:20 (34 views)
    • I think I am going to sell the leathers, not sure yet (nt) - 04sshd 2008-02-20 21:13:07 (31 views)
    • PS: e38.org worthy! (nt) - IBHenry 2008-02-20 21:08:11 (29 views)
  • Sweet! This is going to be coming in handy when I get new skins! (nt) - absessler 2008-02-20 21:04:29 (31 views)
  • Wow! awesome job. Have been meaning to do this too. (nt) - nbate 2008-02-20 20:51:20 (30 views)