headrest removal

HISSIN50 · Jul 1, 2004

Hello folks,

I need some good advice. I have an '88 GT 'vert. I cant get the headrests out for love or money.

I've tried sticking a hacksaw blade down the back side of the arm that is attached to the headrest, to no avail. i tried goin down the front of the arm, to no avail.
i managed to mangle stuff enough to get my arm up the back of the seat (unzipped) to feel what i think is the bracketry for the headrest arm. it feels like there is kind of a box frame of metal/plastic shrould around the arm. i know guys have used a screwdriver to pry on something in there to release the headrest. i cant figure out what they pried on. i will take any advice at all!!

it is over 100* outside and i cant take it anymore.

many thanks in advance!

BTW, :OT: : i have been annoying you guys/gals for a year, today.

jrichker · Jul 1, 2004

The hacksaw blade is the right idea. There is a flat leaf spring on the track that holds the headrest with a crook in the end of it. The crook on the spring pops into a slot in the bar that holds the headrest. That keeps the headrest from sliding all the way up & out. If you can slide the hacksaw blade into the correct position on the back side of the bar that holds the headrest, you can keep the leaf spring from popping into the cutout in the bar. Then you can pull the headrest out. Sometimes a really quick tug doesn't allow the crook to drop into the slot, and the headrest will come right out.

Mavrick · Jul 1, 2004

Exactly. The slot is on the side of the bar structure thing. I released it with my hand while reaching up under the seat.

v8only · Jul 1, 2004

I used a very long screw driver with a big flat blade tip.

It's easiest to get a visual on this. you've got it unzipped, now turn it upside down and look down the back of the seat with a flash light. You'll see a black headrest guide, and in the middle of that headrest guide will be a silver shaft. I stick the screwdriver inside between the black guide and the front of the silver shaft, then twist the screwdriver, which pulls the shaft notch away from the black guide groove. It's easiest to have a friend pull on the headrest while you are doing this. Whole process takes 5 seconds when done right.

TrophyHead · Jul 1, 2004

I also used a big flat head screw driver. Unzip the bottom of the seat and you'll feel a metal bar you want to put the screwdriver in the slot and twist it. It might be easier if you have someone else pulling up on the headrest while your twising the screwdriver.

FiveOhhStang · Jul 1, 2004

Ive done this several times. You wil want a flat tip screwdriver and some patience...there is a clip that goes into a small indention on the head rests pole.If you are facing the back of the seat, the slip that needs to be undone is facing the front. You will need to slip your hand in from behind, and then feel for the lip of the clip on the front, slip the screwdriver in, bend the clip away from you, and pull the head rest out...its realy hard to explain, BUT, if you have an extra one tear it apart and look at how it mounts...I tore the seat apart from the escort at the junkyard when I got the halo's just to see how they went.

HISSIN50 · Jul 2, 2004

thank you all very much for all the replies!

i think i got the idea - i will try it again tomorrow (got caught up with house projects today).

another quick one for you. is the headrest height supposed to be adjustable? i have lateral movement on either of mine, but they dont budge upward for nothin'; im not a weak guy.

thanks again all - ill use your great info and try it again.

hamonkeiser · Jul 2, 2004

v8only said:
I used a very long screw driver with a big flat blade tip.

It's easiest to get a visual on this. you've got it unzipped, now turn it upside down and look down the back of the seat with a flash light. You'll see a black headrest guide, and in the middle of that headrest guide will be a silver shaft. I stick the screwdriver inside between the black guide and the front of the silver shaft, then twist the screwdriver, which pulls the shaft notch away from the black guide groove. It's easiest to have a friend pull on the headrest while you are doing this. Whole process takes 5 seconds when done right.

That's the way I removed mine....it's best to have a friend pullthe head rest out while you're prying up on the release spring. It's a bitch to do yourself as it's kinda awkward.

v8only · Jul 2, 2004

HISSIN50 said:
thank you all very much for all the replies!

i think i got the idea - i will try it again tomorrow (got caught up with house projects today).

another quick one for you. is the headrest height supposed to be adjustable? i have lateral movement on either of mine, but they dont budge upward for nothin'; im not a weak guy.

thanks again all - ill use your great info and try it again.

you do have mustang seats right?? they ONLY slide up/down not left/right. if you can remove them with the help here, can you take and post a pic of the seat, and the inside guide?

trbkrb · Jul 2, 2004

The big headrests are only adjustable front to back by "rolling" the headrest back and forth on the end of the shaft. I yanked those huge things and put in halos so I could actually see things on the side of my car when I had my 87 GT seats

HISSIN50 · Jul 3, 2004

sorry about my poor articulation. i do have stang seats (air bladder in the lumbar, swivel headrest as described by Trbkrb, etc). i can pull as hard as i can upward on the headrest and it WILL not budge, not one mm. but i have a smidge of side to side slop in the arm on the headrest. the amount of lateral slop is normal (clearance of the box frame deal around the headrest's arm deal). but i think it is weird that i cant move the headrest up or down (it is about bottomed out as it is) at ALL.

Trbkrb, i want to be able to see around my headrest as well (one reason for pulling them). halos might be in the future - dont know.

i really dont want to peel the seat material up and off - im hoping to find the release w/o doin so. i will probably have to take the seatback off to try some more (im not a small guy and dont fit and contort too well). ill grope around some more in there tomorrow.

thanks again guys!!

89MustangGX · Jul 3, 2004

Let me try a little explanation, I'll take a stab at it.

The bottom of the headrest has a long, thin, rectangular piece of metal that sticks down into the seat -- like a post you'd stick in the ground. Towards the end of the metal bar is a groove. Inside the seat is a band-type clamp that snaps into the groove. So what you want to do is reach up inside the back of the seat (use your hand first to get an idea of where you're going), use a flat-head screwdriver and pry the band away from the metal post. When you get the band pried away (it doesn't take much) you'll want to pull up on the headrest and it will pop out.

It will probably take you an honest 30 minutes the first time, then about 30 seconds afterwards.

To put them back in just slide them back in and give it a good wack, it will snap in.

Oh, if you want to go to a different headrest, sometimes you need to take out the plastic spacer that goes around the metal post in the seat. It just pulls out and pops back in. You'll see what I mean if you need to.

HISSIN50 · Jul 3, 2004

Adam, you know me well! you spelled it out in nice, very descriptive terms that i get (as other posters had done as well).

so the grooves are on the front of the 'headrest post' (facing the front of the car)? i have seen some refer to them as being on the back and sides (i did search before opening my big mouth)....

im sure i will be stumped by this cuz im an idiot, so i ask now, at the risk of beating it to death. LOL. since someone in a thread i searched on, had mentioned a hack saw blade down the BACKSIDE of the headrest, i thought the retaining clamp and grooves might be on the back side of the headrest pole....sounds like it is on the front, though.

how do i make 5 minute simple projects so difficult. DOH.

thanks a bunch, guys!!

89MustangGX · Jul 3, 2004

HISSIN50 said:
so the grooves are on the front of the 'headrest post' (facing the front of the car)? i have seen some refer to them as being on the back and sides (i did search before opening my big mouth)....

Some I've seen the groove actually goes all the way around, some only on the back. I've always lifted the band away on the back side of the seat, I don't know if you can any other way, or if it's any harder/easier.

HISSIN50 said:
how do i make 5 minute simple projects so difficult. DOH.

It's called doing the job RIGHT. It takes a little extra time, but it's the only way to do it.

HISSIN50 · Jul 3, 2004

89MustangGX said:
Some I've seen the groove actually goes all the way around, some only on the back. I've always lifted the band away on the back side of the seat, I don't know if you can any other way, or if it's any harder/easier.

It's called doing the job RIGHT. It takes a little extra time, but it's the only way to do it.

ok, i gotcha. i have felt the clamp on the back side. it was fairly spring loaded. now i think that i have a pretty good idea.

unfortunately i cant really fish around in there too much - i have 18 inch forearms and they dont fit w/o really stretching the seat back material. kinda sucks.

for your latter quote - no actually i would settle for doing it the wrong way. LOL. on other cars, ive just reefed pretty hard and tore the headrest out. but my seats suck and i think i would tear more than the headrest out.

i really appreciate all of your input, Adam! thanks again

jrichker · Jul 3, 2004

Opportunity & information have finally come together. I have an old seat frame and a headrest in my carport. If you stick the hacksaw blade in the front side of the headrest, it will keep the crook from popping in the groove on the headrest mount bar. There is one crook in the top part of the spring and one crook in the bottom part of the spring. I suspect that it may be easier if you insert the hacksaw blade from the bottom on the front side..

HISSIN50 · Jul 3, 2004

Joe, thank you so ver much for the pic! now i know what my fingers were feeling and what it all looks like.

i just got up, so i ll try it later. you guys have done everything but pull the headrests for me - so imagine how stupid i will feel when i cant get them out still.

thank you again

HISSIN50 · Jul 3, 2004

who is up for teacher of the year?

with all of your expert tutelage, it took me about 30 seconds to one minute on the driver side and about 5 minutes or so on the pass side. i was surprised - as you all said, a little pressure with a flatblade let the headrest come right out. i thought i was gonna have to fight it.
i thought it was an easy one person job. i pried on the front side of the headrest arm - i tried to get behind the front-most piece of metal i felt and pried forward - headrest came right out.

thanks a bunch guys!!

89MustangGX · Jul 3, 2004

Nice job.

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