Rear Seats UK spec.

[Barney Paull-Edwards]

Stripping a 535 out,lots of fun getting the rear backrest off,reaching up behind the seat to release headrest holding clip.Has anybody fitted a solid seat to a car with fold-down seats? My TDS is away at the moment but there is no metal behind the seat to attach the headrest brackets to,have I got to weld in the whole panel or is there a trick to it?Also what is the small cable attached to the front seat that goes to a pulley under the floor?

[Rus]

I can't help with your backrest issue, but I do know what that cable does. The cable is for the seat belt height adjuster. If you look at the bottom of the seat on the door-side, you'll see two metal tabs with a hole in each. They are at different angles and I'm not entirely sure which should have the cable attached (mine was disconnected so I basically put it on one of the tabs). Once attached, you should find that your seat belt height will be adjusted as you move the seat forward and back. HTH

[E34-520iSE]

Right, the 535 split loading (open) rear seat needs a mounting frame to clip on to. That's why your solid seat won't fit. The small cable under the front seat connects to the seatbelt height adjusting slider thingy on the B-post

HTH,

Shaun M

[Barney Paull-Edwards]

Thanks fellers, at least that is solved. Now to cut out backrest steel and tack into TDS, if I cut too big it should align by bolting headrests on and two 10mm`s behind centre armrest.Anybody done this before? Before anybody asks why, its to fit leather trim to cloth car.

[E34-520iSE]

Yes the headrests will keep it all in line, but you're fitting a foam backed seat into a car that previously had a split load seat right? How are you going to stop the backrest from sagging into the boot? Oh and you'll need to grind off the car's seat base front swivel mounting points, as they'll stop the new seat base going in. It's a fair bit of work if you don't mind me saying so!

HTH,

Shaun M

[mango]

Also what is the small cable attached to the front seat that goes to a pulley under the floor?

I believe that is your seatbelt height adjuster. When the seat is moved forward or backward the height of the seatbelt mount is moved up and down. Also stops you adjusting the belt to the correct height yourself...

[s4martin]

I'm in the middle of exactly the same job. Swapped out the tired cloth interior in my 535 for leather - solid seat back. Taken out the old split seat mount points so base and back rest fit ok now. Unfortunately no head rests and no seat belts. The belts are the big problem for me at the moment as I can't get an MOT without them. Is the only way to do this by cutting out the steel back panel from another car? How do the seat belts mount in a solid back E34, I've never seen one so don't quite know the best way to progress from here. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Martin.

Stripping a 535 out,lots of fun getting the rear backrest off,reaching up behind the seat to release headrest holding clip.Has anybody fitted a solid seat to a car with fold-down seats? My TDS is away at the moment but there is no metal behind the seat to attach the headrest brackets to,have I got to weld in the whole panel or is there a trick to it?Also what is the small cable attached to the front seat that goes to a pulley under the floor?

[whiskychaser]

How do the seat belts mount in a solid back E34, I've never seen one so don't quite know the best way to progress from here. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Martin.

The seat belt reels fit behind the seat back near the top edge of the panel and bolt through it. There are reinforced sections at the join between the two panels where the bolts go through.

[s4martin]

Hey thanks a lot for the response - that photo seems to confirm what I suspected - the seatbelt mounting holes are the same whether it's split back or one piece. 2 new seat belts and I can get the car back on the road. Then on to the headrests....

The seat belt reels fit behind the seat back near the top edge of the panel and bolt through it. There are reinforced sections at the join between the two panels where the bolts go through.

[Barney Paull-Edwards]

I gave up due to time but persist please. I reckon you are going to have to cut out most of the panel or fabricate flat bar to support seat and headrest lower screws. If you want bits my 535 is in half but the rear seat is intact.