SAAB c900 Seat Cover Removal

With the seatback cables replaced, it's time to remove the bottom seat cover.  I hope to be able to repair it so it will return to its original contour.

There are a number of clips that fasten the cover to the frame.  Here I'm pulling one of them off.

There are some cable ties that hold the two lower front corners onto the frame.  I just cut them off.

I'll replace them with new ties when the cover goes back on.

There are also two heavy rods that are on each side of the seat cover at the bottom.  These pull the cover down on the sides.

They each just slide over a clip on the seat frame - see the arrow.

This one pulled right up easily, while the other side needed some encouragement with a screwdriver to pry it off.

I should mention all of these pictures are looking "up" from the bottom of the seat.  The seat was turned upside down on a stool for this work.

With that side rod released, we can begin to slide the cover off one side.

I had a mixture of excitement and dread at this point.  Excitement that it was going easily and all was going well.   Dread that I'd forget how it all goes back together.

But I do have pictures!

The outboard side has to have the trim holding the seat controls removed.  It's held in by three Torx fasteners.

One's at the back.

One is on the side under the fore/aft/up/down switch.

There is a third under a plug on the rear side.  In actuality, I didn't have to remove it - I was able to slide the cover down enough to get to the rod.  I didn't feel like taking it all off if I didn't have to.

The switch knobs pull right off.

You can see there are 4 switches - for each motion for the seat bottom.

Pull the cover down and you have access to unclip the rod as we did on the other side.

There are also 2 clips and some upholstery tape holding the rear of the cover to the frame.

The cover just pulls off at this point.  Whoo hoo!

You can see the thin rod I've been referring to.

Originally, this was sewn to the seat cover, and the clips pass though the cushion and pull the cover down into the seams in the cushion, giving it that familiar (and lovely) shape.

There are 7 clips for the rod and cover, by the way.

The grey thing covering the foam cushion is the seat heater.

Here's the bottom of the seat cover itself.  You can see the material that was sewn around the rod - the brown cloth.  It's ripped/torn/rotted away.  The cover then just began to sit flat across the cushion with nothing holding its shape.

My plan is to get some new material, and sew it up as it was done originally.  I don't think it will be too difficult, but who knows.  I haven't used a sewing needle for 30 years. 

But I do have a heavy needle and some automotive thread. 

Here's the Scandmec stamp on the seat heater.   

Scandmec is now known as Kongsberg - based in Norway with plants around the world.

These particular heaters were made at their plant in Mullsjö, Sweden.

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