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'How to' replace DC5 Recaro seat bolster (guide)

TypeGRRR

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I replaced my drivers seat bolster today, I was going to swap the driver and passenger seats around too, but ran into difficulties. I have put this guide together to help out other owners. Please note as I took both seats out, some pictures are in fact of passenger side, so please excuse me if the instructions look mirrored in some of the photos. Also as I didn't have a guide to follow, I did things in a slightly different order, which is why you might see things still on the photos that you have taken off already etc...

Anyway, here it is...

What tools you'll need
• Ratchet
• Extension bar
• 14mm socket
• 10mm socket
• Pliers
• Small cross head screwdriver
• Large cross head screwdriver
• Straight head screwdriver

Recommended
• Piece of cloth
• Large sheet
• WD40 or similar

First of all if you are tackling the drivers seat, there is a electrical connector beneath the seat that will need to be disconnected, you do not have to worry about disconnecting the battery, but to be on the safe side, I'd suggest that you do not have your ignition on.

04_seatbelt_sensor.jpg





There are 4 bolts holding each seat in place, 2 at the front, 2 at the rear (the rear mounts are beneath plastic covers). You will need a 14mm socket to remove all the bolts. They are the same, so you do not have to worry about mixing them up.

01_front_mounts.jpg


02_rear_covers.jpg


03_rear_bolts_exposed.jpg


03a_4xbolts.jpg





Careful when removing the seat, you may want to lay a sheet over the door sill, to prevent unsightly scuffs should the worst happen.

05_seat_removed.jpg





Once you have got the seat out, you are in a position to start taking it to pieces. First of all, if you are working on the drivers seat, you will need to unclip the electrical connector at the base of the seat. Use some pliers to pinch the tabs at the back and pull the connector out.

06_removed_plug.jpg





Using a small cross head screwdriver, remove the 2 screws holding on the plastic trim on the outside edge of the seat.

07_trim.jpg


08_trim2.jpg





Using a 14mm socket remove the bolts attaching the seat runner, there are 3 each side.

09_bolts.jpg


10_bolts.jpg





The seat runner assembly looks like this

11_seat_runner_removed.jpg





Next you will need to remove the metal brackets that hold the runner to the seat. Using a 10mm socket remove all 6 bolts.

12_bolts.jpg


13_bolts2.jpg





Turning the seat on it's side you need to take off the winder handle, this just pulls off, no need to remove the circular inner cover...

14_remove_seat_adjuster.jpg





With a straight head screwdriver wrapped in cloth gently prise off the plastic trim, the fixing points are circled. I recommend getting the end of the screwdriver as close as possible to these points or you will run the risk of snapping the trim. You will need to do this to both sides of the seat.

15_lift-cover.jpg





With a straight head screwdriver, tap the retaining spring clips off, again you need to do this to both sides of the seat.

16_remove_spring_clip.jpg





You are now in the position to remove the seat base from the back, first of all, hinge the seat as you would for letting someone in the rear of your car. Then pull the hinge part whilst pushing away the seat back with your thumb, you really need to do both sides simultaneously, but I couldn't show you that as I do not have a third arm to take a photo.

17_remove_lower_swab.jpg





Time to break out the WD40, as this next fixing is a hard one, why Recaro use a cross head screw rather than a bolt is beyond me... :roll: Spray the fixing sparingly to avoid getting it on your seats, leave for a few minutes to allow the WD40 to penetrate the thread. Then with a large cross head screwdriver, undo the screw whilst trying not to round off the head. Once removed, this allows you to remove all the pieces of plastic trim with it.

18_wd40.jpg


19_remove_trim.jpg


20_remove_trim2.jpg




This next part probably isn't essential although it only takes a few minutes and makes your life easier later on... Turn the seat base upside down and unhook the 2 central hooks using a small straight head screwdriver. Then at the front edge of the seat, there is a black plastic U channel holding the seat swab to the main frame, slide this downwards, it feels a little stuck on, but will come off with some persistence. The swab can now be eased away from the frame, careful not to bend the foam. A U channel is at the back edge of the seat, much the same as the front edge, unhooking this will release the seat swab from the base.

21_unhook_seat_swab.jpg


22_unhook_front_edge.jpg


23_gently_push.jpg


24_unhook_back_edge.jpg


25_swab_removed.jpg





Now for removing the bolster itself, there are two stiff metal wires running the length of the bolster that hook into tabs, these are the only things holding the bolster on.... Here comes the messy part where bits of foam fall out all over the place (you have been warned). Starting with the inside edge, unhook the wire from the 3 tabs by pushing the wire downwards and inwards, should be clear when you're doing it.

26_unhook_wire.jpg


27_unhook_wire2.jpg





Some of the bolster material is stuck to the frame at the front and back edge, gently pull this away from the metal.

28_peel_away.jpg


29_peel_away.jpg




Finally turning the seat base upside down, using a straight headed screwdriver pry open the 6 tabs just enough to allow the wire to be removed. I'd suggest trying to remove the wire from the tabs in the middle first as it's easier. If you can't use just your fingers, you may want to try pushing it with a screwdriver.

30_lift_metal_tabs.jpg


30_unhook_wire.jpg





That's it, the bolster padding and cover can be removed from the metal frame. I'd recommend starting at the back where the two cut outs are. Once removed you may want a bit of a tidy up as the foam goes everywhere....

31_remove_bolster.jpg


32_remove_bolster2.jpg


33_remove_bolster3.jpg





If you didn't buy a new cover You may want to give yours a good scrub, I drowned mine in the bath using a lot of cleaning product and it came up very well indeed.

34_clean_bolster.jpg




I fitted my new bolster into the cover whilst it was pretty wet, as I feared it shrinking as it dried out. Note: I did NOT have to cut the bolster supplied by Capitol Seating at all. Spend a few minutes trying to get the front two thirds of the bolster sitting nicely in the cover, then slip the back edge into the cover (the thin bit), it will probably buckle and hang out the bottom a little bit, but don't worry too much. Hook the bolster back over the frame and try and get it sitting as best as you can. Re-attach the wire on the inside edge first, this should be fairly easy, then turn the seat over and using quite a bit of force hook the wire back onto the 6 tabs. Once you have done this hopefully your cover will be nice and tight. Bend the tabs back down to secure the bolster in position....

Then all you have to do is, put it all back together again... ;)

----------------------------------------------

Here's how my seats turned out and a very thorough clean, they have come up far better than I could of hoped. :D

Seats removed

01removeseats.jpg




Old, New and cover

03bolsters.jpg




Lower bolster before

04lowerbolsterbefore.jpg




Lower bolster after

05lowerbolsterafter.jpg




Upper bolster before

06upperbolsterbefore.jpg




Upper bolster after

07upperbolsterafter.jpg





Some VERY clean seats... :D

08cleanseats.jpg
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Excellent guide. I will get round to this one day, unfortunately I have damage to the upper bolster cloth too :(.
 
good work dude. just did mine the guide saved me time fookin about trying to get it apart. seats out in the sun drying after the scrub and then it'll be goin back in and then out for a burn:twisted:
 
Amazing. Where did u get the seat foam from and how much did u pay??? Im thinking of doing this with my DC2 integra
 
Brilliant tutorial! Jeez what a load of effort!

One Q: Was it not possible to switch the whole metal base over? Unbolting the gold coloured bolts?

Reason I ask is because in my Evo5 - which had Recaro Sportsline - it was easy to switch the metal bases over. I did it because the drivers bolster was becoming a little worn. Although the reclining knob ended up on th eopposite side.
 
One Q: Was it not possible to switch the whole metal base over? Unbolting the gold coloured bolts?

Reason I ask is because in my Evo5 - which had Recaro Sportsline - it was easy to switch the metal bases over. I did it because the drivers bolster was becoming a little worn. Although the reclining knob ended up on th eopposite side.
Yes it is possible, but yes, the winders end up in the middle of the car, not a problem otherwise.
 
Well thats good for me: the winders as they are currently, are too close to the door (in my EP3) so sometime in the future i will move them around to be in the middle

cheers

ps. the cleaned up seats look ace! nice one
 
the screw that was sprayed with wd40 held on like a bush, is that what wears down after a while as my recaro back rest now has a bit of play in it?
 
Is the bolster on a DC5 Recaro the same as the Premier EP Recaro? The only bolster I can find is for the DC5 seats, and can be ordered in black...
 
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