Switching worn driver's seat to passenger side - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

155plus · 28th July 2008, 02:25

After 60k miles, the driver’s seat in my ’03 car started to look a bit worn, mainly on the side bolsters. I did read an excellent write-up a few months aback about how to do this and have been thinking about doing this work. I tried looking for the write-up but have not been able to find it – luckily enough I printed a copy when I first saw it. If anyone knows the link to the original write-up, please let me know. I’d like to give the original author all the credit he deserves. The article was titled “E39 Maintenance: Switching the Drivers Seat with the Passenger Seat (Jan 2008)”
Following the write-up the procedure is fairly straight forward, with a few additional pieces of info and clarifications:
1. Do wear gloves – there are a number of very sharp metal edges that will slice nice stripes of skin right off.
2. Do wear knee pads – you will spend a lot of time on the floor getting the seat out of the car and then working on the seats (unless you have a very large elevated work area.
3. Do put something soft down on the ground – you will end up flipping the seats around quite a lot.
4. The headrest motors are simply snapped into the frame, use a rubber hammer to carefully make it move left to get out of the frame. I have included a picture below to show what it looks like.
5. I have also included a picture of the pneumatic lumbar support box where you need to disconnect the wire to it.
6. As described in 5 f) in the description, do removed the thigh support Torx before removing the hog rings. Makes it easier.
7. I have a new curse word – “hog rings”. It was close to impossible to re-attach them. They are also very sharp and will attack your fingers through the gloves. Hate them…
8. Plan for this to be a full day event, unless you are really good working upholstery and especially hog rings.

The pictures below are (sorry about crappy quality – wife has the camera in Europe so I had to use the cell phone):
· The bolster connector
· Getting started – seats are out
· The headrest engine – note the attachment points on top
· This is the scary picture – both seats all taken apart
· Getting the frames back together – in real life the difference between the leather is quite significant
· My "new" seat - ready for another 60k miles.
· Both seats are back in and are working – nice!

Hawkwind · 28th July 2008, 16:39

Here's the article. I don't recall who posted it.

155plus · 28th July 2008, 18:25

Hawkwind is right - this is the article!

Thank you for finding it and kudos to the person that wrote it. One more hint - print this write-up in color - it helps to see where the cable ties etc are located on the seat frames.

155plus · 29th July 2008, 15:22

After driving for a full day on the "new" seat, it's very intersting. The "new" cushion is definitely significantly firmer and more supportive. As is the left side bolster. This is a surprise since the springs stay on the frame during the switch and hence the spring rates should NOT be affected when you switch the cushions. I guess the actual foam material does wear over time.

vics · 30th July 2008, 21:22

Great stuff - How long did it take you to complete swap (hours)?

155plus · 31st July 2008, 17:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by vics

Great stuff - How long did it take you to complete swap (hours)?

I started at 8 AM and with a break for a conference call (1 hour) I was done around 5. So all in it took me about 8 hours.... Doing it a second time I bet I could do it in 5-ish. If you have removed your seats before you can probably take off one hour (so 7 total). I spent 90 minutes on the freaking hog rings. See why I hate them?
Having thought some more about that step of the process, I bet you could use a zip tie instead of the hog ring, or maybe the best idea would be to use the zip tie to get the attachment points really close and then have an easier time closing the hog rings. Classic Monday morning quarterbacking, when you are sitting there on your knees, cursing the freaking things you don't think too straight...

RRL · 31st July 2008, 18:45

I was thinking of taking my seats out just so I could give the carpeting underneath a good cleaning. Curious what you torqued the seat rail bolts too.

As for hog rings, I hear you. I had a similar experience when installing heated seats in my Miata. Decided to just have it done professionally.

emccallum · 31st July 2008, 20:11

IIRC oldranger did the write up. He has since swapped his M5 in for a new m3.

Edit...her is the link FWIW Leather Care: Switching Driver and Passenger Seats

155plus · 31st July 2008, 20:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by RRL

I was thinking of taking my seats out just so I could give the carpeting underneath a good cleaning. Curious what you torqued the seat rail bolts too.

I would say I did them PFT (pretty f--- tight).
In the TNN the spec was there and I forget what it said, but it was pretty high.

Fiori · 3rd February 2009, 00:33

Guys, is there anyway I can just switch the whole seat bottoms from passenger's side to driver's and vice versa?
I'm in the middle of the process and all the seats are already out, but I left the frames & rails intact.