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Are you talking about removing the plastic backs from the seatback, or the seatback from the bottom? The plastic seatback comes off by folding the seatback forward, removing the two phillips screws, and sliding the plastic back up off of the hooks at the top. To remove the seatback from the bottom, first tilt the seatback forward and unscrew the retainer strap from the seat bottom. Then remove the two plastic side trim panels, then remove the bolts on the hinges. Seats are covered in the Fisher Body Manual.
Joe, does the seat back release push button housing have to be removed in order for the seat back to come off? It's been 25+ years since I removed mine and I don't remember if the button had to come off first or not.
Joe, does the seat back release push button housing have to be removed in order for the seat back to come off? It's been 25+ years since I removed mine and I don't remember if the button had to come off first or not.
to remove the seatback buttons, you need to press inward on each side under the plastic chrome flange. I have two narrow puddy knifes that i use for this. Do not pry upward or you will break the plastic.
There are metal tabs that hold the whole assembly in, and the tabs can be very stiff when pressing inward. Sometimes one side will pop up before the other, but they both have to be pressed in to release.
Once its out you can access the screw behind the button and then the whole plastic back lifts up and off.
to remove the seatback buttons, you need to press inward on each side under the plastic chrome flange. I have two narrow puddy knifes that i use for this. Do not pry upward or you will break the plastic.
There are metal tabs that hold the whole assembly in, and the tabs can be very stiff when pressing inward. Sometimes one side will pop up before the other, but they both have to be pressed in to release.
Once its out you can access the screw behind the button and then the whole plastic back lifts up and off.
hope this helps!
Ben
Thanks for that Ben. When you remove the flange, do you press outward from the inner sides? I'm not quite understanding how you go "inward" then "under"🤔
Take a look at the pic below that shows the underside of the button assembly and it may make more sense.
That black metal bracket is what retains the clip into the seatback.
The whole thing pushes through the plastic seatback cover and through a square hole in the metal frame. The metal clip then holds the button UNDER the metal of the frame.
You have to compress the sides of the clip to allow it to come up and out from the frame. you do this by pushing inward on each side under the chrome flange. Prying upward will Snap the plastic of the chrome flange.
hope this helps. Its definitely not always easy, and I've broken a few getting them out before.
If you do break one- SAVE the metal clip! The repop ones are rediculously stiff and hardER to install/remove than the originals were- I like to swap out the metal clips on new buttons with the old ones if they aren't broken... then you get the nice new button bezel, with a clip that fits properly.
Take a look at the pic below that shows the underside of the button assembly and it may make more sense.
That black metal bracket is what retains the clip into the seatback.
The whole thing pushes through the plastic seatback cover and through a square hole in the metal frame. The metal clip then holds the button UNDER the metal of the frame.
You have to compress the sides of the clip to allow it to come up and out from the frame. you do this by pushing inward on each side under the chrome flange. Prying upward will Snap the plastic of the chrome flange.
hope this helps. Its definitely not always easy, and I've broken a few getting them out before.
If you do break one- SAVE the metal clip! The repop ones are rediculously stiff and hardER to install/remove than the originals were- I like to swap out the metal clips on new buttons with the old ones if they aren't broken... then you get the nice new button bezel, with a clip that fits properly.
I see now... question though...is there any slack on the release mechanism so that you could partially remove the seat back and then squeeze the metal bracket from the inside?
I see now... question though...is there any slack on the release mechanism so that you could partially remove the seat back and then squeeze the metal bracket from the inside?
No, they are very tight... so tight you can't pull up on them at all. And there is antoher screw that is exposed once the bezel is off that is holding the plastic seat back on in that spot too, so no way its coming off until the button/bezel is out.
Like i said, use two narrow putty knives to press inward, or use a couple very long/thin screwdrivers. press inward on each side and it should pop upward.
