[urq] Seat heater element for urQ/Coupe

[Tony Hoffman]

I also did this, but did all the work myself. The seats are actually
fairly easy to take apart. I also always find another set of seats
with the same bolsters. I'll explain that in a bit.

So, you pull the seat apart. Pull the plastic off each side, where the
bottom meets up with the top. The plastic comes off by pushing each of
three plastic pins through the plastic. Don't loose them; they are
color matched to your trim. They are about 1.8" around, should be
obvious.

When you get the trim off, there are two clips, one on each side that
slide off the post. This is ultimately what holds to two halves
together. Also, on four door seats there is another screw that holds
the back to the bottom. In two doors, this moves, and operates as the
seat release. Then, pull the headrest out of the top of the seat.
There are two clips, one on each side, that simply pull out. This is
made easier with a 90o pick.

At this point, you have the two halves of the seat apart.

Take the top, and at the bottom of it, you will find four or five bent
over (and very pointy) triangles. Bend them straight, and you can pull
off both the back and front pieces of fabric. They are separate on the
bottom two inches or so of the seat. Some of the seats are three
separate pieces at the front edge. This is mostly the case on the
Quattro's. At this point, pull the seat fabric upward carefully,
inside out off the top of the seat. The top plastic holders for the
headrest will still be in the frame. To pull them, you will have to
squeeze together the bottom tabs. Depending on the year of the car,
there are either two of four tabs. You can push the four together
easiest with a round type of pliers. I usually use the adjustable –
sliding - type of pliers. Then, you can remove the top fabric
completely off the seat top.

Next is the bottom seat fabric cover. Turn the seat over and you will
see a lot of "bull rings". These are pieces of metal that are shaped
in a "U" until put into a set of bull ring pliers, or the like. They
get pushed into a circle, usually around a piece of rod. Bend them
outward and pull each one off the bottom of the seat. Then pull the
screws that hold the guide on each side of the seat. When you are
done, the seat cover will come off. Then you can install the seat
heaters in the seats.

This is where the other seats come into play. I usually pull the
inside foam from the inside of the passenger seat and put it on the
outside of the drivers seat. I just cut the top of the foam with a
utility knife, and meet it up with the other foam on top. Same with
the bottom. If you want you can also cut the bottom foam out in the
center and replace it with memory foam. I also add a small piece in
the center on the front. Sort of like the European Recaros in an RS6.

Then, as they say, assembly is the reverse of disassembly.

After all that, you have seats that are now good for another 15 or 20 years.

I have a set I'm about to do, and will add pics and a more complete
description in the Knowlege Base. I haven't done this for about five
years, so I'm sure I'm forgetting some details right now.

Tony Hoffman


On 3/29/07, Brandon Rogers <brogers at terrix.com> wrote:
> L-A-
> My '84 came with heated seats - but they were pretty archaic - one
> switch on the dash pod, both heaters either on or off - no levels like
> we have today.  When I swapped those original tan '84 seats for some '83
> big bolstered dark brown ones with no heaters a few years ago I also got
> a modern set of heaters - including the 4kq lower binnacle w/ switch and
> wiring harness.  I had an upholsterer install the new elements in the
> seats and the newer harness plugged right in, and of course the 4kq
> lower binnacle (w/ separate 5-leverl switches for driv/pass) bolts right
> in.  Modern seat heaters!
>
> So have at it.
>
> Brandon
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: urq-bounces at audifans.com [mailto: urq-bounces at audifans.com] On
> Behalf Of Louis-Alain Richard
> Sent: Thursday, March 29, 2007 8:06 AM
> To: urq at audifans.com; quattro at audifans.com
> Subject: [urq] Seat heater element for urQ/Coupe
>
>
> Hi everyone,
>
>
>
> My 1983 urQ is now seat-heaterless. I have the old style switch with
> only the "broil" position.
>
>
>
> In a moment of genius, when I dismantled the 1986 Coupe GT last fall, I
> kept both front seats. Maybe I was dreaming of a front gallery with
> these gray-cloth perchs for beer drinking ? I don't know why, Honey
> doesn't think it is a good idea. while baby Estelle adores the seats
> while making vrooooom-vroooom noises.
>
>
>
> Now, before I attack this job (dismantling the seats), do you think
> these newer element will work in my old car ? Next question is : will my
> still nice looking zebra-cloth seats look no so nice after the swap ?
>
>
>
> Louis-Alain, with a cold bun these days.
>
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