Removing seats and carptet

Post Wed Sep 28, 2005 8:12 pm

Hey people can anyone give me a rough guide to taking out the seats and carpet of a cab? i want to inspect the floor for rust and so forth?! How easy is it? or hard should i say.

Post Wed Sep 28, 2005 8:47 pm

Hi mate, seats are easily removed, one bolt each end of the runners, they then just lift out, to lift the carpet to inspect underneath, I wouldn't advise full removal of the carpet, but to just lift it from the back upto the front, so you will have to remove the centre consoles, easy to remove, a couple of nuts and screws, remove gear gaitor, and the seat belts where they connect to the floor, you will also have to remove the black sill protectors, these lift out, but will probably break some clips.
You will then be able to lift the carpet sufficently to inspect the foot wells.

Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 12:52 am

I had to remove the carpet in my car (4dr) after it got flooded at Glastonbury this year...

Remove the seats (front and rear squb)
Remove the centre console entirely
Remove the lower half of the centre of the dashboard
Remove the glovebox lid and the front speaker covers with the bonnet pull lever, too.
Remove the under-dash panel
Remove the plastic door strips
Unscrew the lower mounting bolts for the front seatbelts and remove or slacken the centre B pillar cover (4dr) or the 2dr equivalent to allow the carpet to come out from under it

Now the capet should come out...But it is heavy as it is foam backed...
If you are having trouble getting it out from under the heater matrix, it is easier to make a cut from around the gearstick hole forward to the heater (and under it as it comes out) as it makes it much easier to replace, too, and you cannot see or notice the cut on re-fitting.

Post Thu Sep 29, 2005 10:31 am

Cheers guys i will be having a look tomorrow

Post Sun Nov 13, 2005 10:08 pm

I tried to remove my carpet today but had trouble with where it goes under the centre of the dash, what am I looking to remove here? I have two pipes from the engine bay that go into a black box that looks to be held up with metal clips, is this what I need to undo?

Thanks

Mags

Post Sun Nov 13, 2005 10:20 pm

mags wrote:I tried to remove my carpet today but had trouble with where it goes under the centre of the dash, what am I looking to remove here? I have two pipes from the engine bay that go into a black box that looks to be held up with metal clips, is this what I need to undo?

Thanks

Mags

Read fushion_jules post above. Cut around the heater as he says, but watch out for wiring under the carpet.

Post Sun Nov 13, 2005 10:24 pm

How do you remove the plastic door strips?

Post Sun Nov 13, 2005 11:15 pm

pull upwards. Hard.
Use a great big flat screwdriver then lever it off.

Post Mon Nov 14, 2005 8:55 am

tourer-dan wrote:pull upwards. Hard.
Use a great big flat screwdriver then lever it off.

Little bit to add to this.
The trim pieces are held in place by white plastic clips which push into holes in the cill. These clips are fitted into a rail on the underside of the trim, which runs the full length of the trim.
This rail often breaks as you pull the trim off, so before pulling it, slide the trim forwards or backwards an inch or so, so that if the rail breaks, it will break in an unused place.
Once you've got a couple of clips loose, the rail can be slid off the remaining ones to further reduce the risk of breakage.

Post Mon Nov 14, 2005 12:29 pm

Brianmoooore wrote:
mags wrote:I tried to remove my carpet today but had trouble with where it goes under the centre of the dash, what am I looking to remove here? I have two pipes from the engine bay that go into a black box that looks to be held up with metal clips, is this what I need to undo?

Thanks

Mags
Read fushion_jules post above. Cut around the heater as he says, but watch out for wiring under the carpet.

Thats what I didn't want to do really cut the carpet, where jules has said remove the lower centre dash, what piece is this? I've been searching and it seems as though the carpet is just squashed between the heater matrix and the tunnell so maybe I just have to be brutal and tug it really hard?

Mags

Post Mon Nov 14, 2005 1:05 pm

The lower dash is the piece that the gearstick surround/windows/front ashtray bit (I Think). Then once removed, carefully cut around the heater matrix etc then down to the gear shift hole on both sides. Then you should be able to remove the carpet. JUST BEWARE!!! The gas pedal is quite flimsy when tugged upon ( I know.. I broke it. It's held together with Gaff tape till i can source another!!

) You can lever the 2 front clips ( when looked at from the seat) under the pedal out, then there's one more in the back of teh pedal. Use a small blade screwdriver to get to this one. Pull it up, then pull the circlip at the top of the pedal DON@T LOSE THIS AS THE PEDAL WILL NO LONGER STAY ATTACHED TO THE LINKAGE! ( Mines held on with a zip tie!) and then pull the carpet out from the back seat-ish area!

Post Mon Nov 14, 2005 3:18 pm

You can get the carpet out OK without cutting it, but I was assuming you might want to put it back again at some time. That's when you'll have a problem.

Post Mon Nov 14, 2005 3:22 pm

yup as brian said its a pig putting one in ,and nice tip on the slidy bit brian-simple ideas are the best eh!

Post Mon Nov 14, 2005 3:41 pm

OK, what a major PITA. ah well, thanks for the tips.

Mags

Post Mon Nov 14, 2005 6:10 pm

i suggest doing it on your day off.

Post Tue Nov 15, 2005 12:25 am

Mags,
To be fair, it wasn't a major pain getting it out....Other than having to remove all the clips, fastners, etc it actually was an easier job than I thought.

The hint to make a cut in the carpet under the heater came from a BMW mechanic and it was worthwhile..

Unless you remove the centre console yo can't see that it has been cut and I didn't fancy fighting with it too much or having to pull the heater matrix to get access...