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Removing front seat cushion WITHOUT removing front seat? 850

I found a 850 in the boneyard with beautifully reupholstered leather seat cushions. I was able to easily remove the passenger seat (got the complete thing for $22.00) however the driver's side seat presented a particular problem. Either the person who last drover the car last was VERY tiny or the seat was pushed forward as far as possible, but in any event the front bolts are almost inaccessible, and since junkyards remove battery cables there's no opportunity to temporarily add power to the car to move the seat back so that the front bolts are accessible. The rear bolts on the same seat were easily removed. I am more interested in the seat CUSHION than I am the complete seat, and I am wondering if there is a way to dismantle/remove the seat cushion while the seat is still bolted in the vehicle.








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    Removing front seat cushion WITHOUT removing front seat? 850

    I just viewed my seat

    There are two plugs, one for the switches and one for power.

    Can't you just reach your left arm in and put a wrench on the bolt by feel?
    --
    '96 855R,'64 PV544 driver, '67 P1800 basket case, '95 855, '95 854, the first three are mine, heh, heh, 485,000 miles put on 9 bricks








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      Removing front seat cushion WITHOUT removing front seat? 850

      I got it!! A bit of wriggling the seat frame, a borrowed 14mm wrench with rachet end, a hacksaw to tear back the carpeting -- it was a junker anyway -- and there ... appeared ... the elusive fourth bolt. Once it appeared, it took less than 5 minutes to get it out. Now the proud owner of two pristine front leather seats. Thank you all for your support and recommendations. Brickboard works!








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      Removing front seat cushion WITHOUT removing front seat? 850

      I have tried 14mm box wrench on my first visit. If you can imagine the seat being at its front-most position, there is so little room to get my arm and hand in there, much less positioning myself to get the leverage to make that first piece of turn that will break the seal of the bolt. I will try again this evening -- I am pretty confident that the seat is still there! Maybe I can sneak the 12v battery charger in there if I am vewwwwwwy quiet... Will report back. Thanks for all of your suggestions!








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    Removing front seat cushion WITHOUT removing front seat? 850

    Can you unplug the plugs under the seat?

    I power the 850 seat in my 544 by plugging the control switches in and applying 12 volts directly to the seat.

    CAREFULLY TAKE THE SIDE PANEL OFF THE SEAT BASE AND PUT THE SAFETY TOOL OVER THE SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR.

    I DID NOT SEE ANY ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR OR WIRES GOING TO THE SIDE AIR BAG, JUST TWO AIR TUBES.

    I THINK THAT IT CAN BE TRIGGERED WITHOUT ELECTRICITY!!!

    BE CAREFUL WITH THOSE SEATS!0

    Once you take the side panel off you may be able to see how to run the seat. I can do it with the seat installed in my 544 by plugging in the side switches and connecting 12 volts.

    There are also 4 bolts, one at each corner that are used to adjust the seat up and down about 3". If you remove all 4, you may be able to remove the seat.

    you could also take an old short socket of the correct size and grind flats on opposite sides and make an adaptor to use an open-end wrench to do the job. Sort of like many spark plug sockets, but much shorter.

    The shortest thing you could fabricate would be to weld a handle on to a 1/2" tall piece of an old socket.

    You can do it!
    --
    '96 855R,'64 PV544 driver, '67 P1800 basket case, '95 855, '95 854, the first three are mine, heh, heh, 485,000 miles put on 9 bricks








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    Removing front seat cushion WITHOUT removing front seat? 850

    What you need is a ratchet wrench, the kind that looks like an normal box wrench but with the round end as a ratchet. That should give you clearance.

    If your car does not have a powered driver's seat, make sure you follow the wiring enough to unplug it from the harness under the dash. $22 is a good deal.

    I am not sure if a wagon booster seat will fit the sedan.

    Klaus
    --
    Volvos should be saved from the junk yards, not donated.








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      Removing front seat cushion WITHOUT removing front seat? 850

      Klaus, I used a 14 (I think)mm. rachet wrench on the bolt nearest to the door, the bolt that is most problematic is the one nearest the console. I simply can't get my hands or contort my body in such a way to get at that bolt. Is there a documented way to remove the seat cushion while the seat is still bolted into the car? I'll keep at it ... maybe I can get them to cut through the bottom of the car when they get ready to smash it -- pretty sure that seat will still be in there at that time unless someone else gets them to do the same thing before I can.








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        Removing front seat cushion WITHOUT removing front seat? 850

        It will be just as difficult to get the seat skin off with the side still next to the center tunnel.
        The bolt is welded to the chassis on the underside, which you probably cannot get to either.
        Go with your first thought and bring a 12V charger and two small wires and unplug the seat and supply power to it. If I had a good wiring diagram, which I don't, You would know which terminals to connect to. But, it shouldn't be that hard. You only need to go back an inch or two.

        Come to think of it, I only used a 3/8 inch ratchet with a 14mm socket. You don't need to see the nut, just feel it with the socket. All 4 nuts are the same size.

        EDIT:

        A hacksaw blade to cut off the bolt between the rail and the frame???????

        Klaus

        --
        Volvos should be saved from the junk yards, not donated.








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    Removing front seat cushion WITHOUT removing front seat? 850

    Borrow a battery from the boneyard to run the motors.








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      Removing front seat cushion WITHOUT removing front seat? 850

      That was considered; however the junkyard has a policy to cut all terminals out of the cars and for safety reasons will not allow a battery to be connected to any of the vehicles for same. Any other ideas? (Wonder if I could sneak a 12v battery charger in there and wing it?)








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        Removing front seat cushion WITHOUT removing front seat? 850

        Gee the boneyard guys here will give you a battery an cables to do that job.
        Did you ask them to yank the seat?
        Can you saw the seat brackets or bolts?








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          Removing front seat cushion WITHOUT removing front seat? 850

          The yard here literally cuts through the positive and negative battery cables to ensure no one powers up any of their vehicles. I heard they had a situation some years ago and seek to avoid it (airbag went off on some poor soul). I may be able to saw the bolt closest to the door on the drivers side, but (if you have an available 850), slide your drivers seat as far forward as possible, and see if you can access the bolt closest to the console. I am open to all recommendations.







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