HOW TO - Replace Astra VXR Recaro Seat Foam

[MattW]

Ever since buying the car in October last year, the drivers seat has really bugged me, and let the car down. It's a common fault for the bolsters to wear and give way due to the size of them on these seats.

The seat when I bought the car:



and from 2 months ago (you can see it's got a lot worse)


The area where your bum goes as well was collapsing, as you can see from the previous owners **** print in the first set of pictures.

So, I finally bought a new foam base from Vauxhall, and was originally going to have it fitted and re-trimmed by Classic Car Services, but thought I'd have a go at fitting it myself, because I can live with a crease in the leather, just not massive folds in it.

I ordered the base a week ago today, and was expecting it to take a couple of week, but it was delivered last Friday (must be cause it's a Recaro part, and not a GM one!)




So after a 12 hour day shift last Sunday, I set about sorting it. I couldn't find any information about taking the seats apart, so just set about it and took my time.

The seat removed from the car


First thing was to undo the screw holding the plastic cover on behind the seat belt fastener



Onto the other side


Unclip the outer plastic cover, to reveal the screw


Pop off the back adjuster


and using a flat blade screw driver, remove the outer cover of the height adjuster to reveal two more screws


There is also another screw on the underside of the large plastic cover


All the plastic trim removed


Then, you can start to pull over the piping that is holding the seat to the frame



Also, on the rear of the seat, unclip the guide holding the rear of the seat cover on


Now, you can slide the base out from under the back of the seat. The front lifts up, and the rear will just pull out



Now for the bit that REALLY ****** me off. It wasn't the foam that was collapsing, it was the lining of the leather that had come away, and folded over on itself!



This is originally stitched in, and glued on. The glue had come away, and it had ripped away from the stitching. I also didn't have any fabric glue. So, after 10 minutes trying to think where I could get some from at 11pm on a Sunday night, I just decided to pull it all out.

I put the cover back on the foam, and the creases have gone, and the bolster is nice and smooth again.

Putting the seat back together is the exact reverse of taking it apart. The old foam was still is pretty good condition, but I've used the new one anyway, and will keep the old one as a spare in the loft.

The seat back together with the offending bit of cloth


The nice smooth bolster


Finished



I've driven the car again for the first time tonight since fitting it back in, and it's so much better now.

[EddieVXR]

Nice guide there, I am considering sorting mine out but I have full leather so not sure how it would be affected! I am also not as technically minded as you are lol

[scooby-KILLER]

.

good effort!, if you dont mind me asking how much was the foam base from the dealer??

[kabel]

Sensational guide.

[MattW]

good effort!, if you dont mind me asking how much was the foam base from the dealer??

I paid £82 from Matt Bibbs on here. Might have gone up since VX increased their prices last month.

[scooby-KILLER]

sound mate,

sea the offending peice of material u removed from the seat i might be wrong but does that not add strenght/stiffness to the seat??

the reason i ask is my seat has just dne the exact same and were the stray piece of material is located in the seat with it coming loose (i think) it has slid down a bit and you can feel the diffenence between that and the same area on the passenger seat,

passenger 1 feels alot stiffer and wondered if it is there to add strenght/stiffness to the seat or i am just clearly tripping?

[MattW]

Doesn't add any strength, it's just a piece of foam padding (and a very thin piece at that!). You can't tell any difference on mine from the side with it fitted, and the one without it.

[scooby-KILLER]

Doesn't add any strength, it's just a piece of foam padding (and a very thin piece at that!). You can't tell any difference on mine from the side with it fitted, and the one without it.

well thats that then, lol, i shall be following your guide to replace mine so fingers x'd that my seat resembles a seat once finished.

cheers for clearing that up mate!.

[Froudy]

Great How To Matt.
I've got a saggy driver seat bolster on my VXR....Only had it a week as well

Might just have to rip the seat out and have a go at it having read this

[Roger_NL]

Very nice how to!

Do you have a part number for the foam base? And are there any clips or some little parts, you need extra (maybe which break while removing?)

thanks, Roger

[Froudy]

Did mine this afternoon. The "How to" was a great help. Thanks Matt
The foam had split on mine, but not having a spare seat base I stuffed the split and put a cotton patch over it...Not pretty but it did the job
The backing had come away from the leather as well so I used some 3M spray adhesive to stick it back in place.













Job done


No other parts needed at all Roger
Just watch out as the metal seat base is sharp...I only cut myself once

[Roger_NL]

allright mate, thanks for the tip! hope you didn't hurt your self to much.

If someone can give me a part number for the foam base. The dealer I asked this morning, looked at me, if he saw some water burning.. stupid f***.

I assume, that the seats, are the same, for a half leather, and full leather seat? (i have the full leather..)

[MattW]

allright mate, thanks for the tip! hope you didn't hurt your self to much.

If someone can give me a part number for the foam base. The dealer I asked this morning, looked at me, if he saw some water burning.. stupid f***.

I assume, that the seats, are the same, for a half leather, and full leather seat? (i have the full leather..)

I've got a spare foam base if you are interested?

[Roger_NL]

I've just noticed something. Your seats don't have that piece that slides forwards, like full leather seats.... So it would be different foam.

[MattW]

Oh Yeah, there is no leg extension on the half leathers.