15 replies to this topic

[Tumbleweed-Connection]

Hi all,

 

Been posting far too many things the past two days (exploiting you all) but here is another question I have. So, while cleaning my Mini at the weekend, due to the tight squeeze in the back, when I stepped out I sort of fell out instead. Unfortunately, my trouser leg caught the plastic cover for the reclining mechanism for the driver's seat and it snapped. I did try super gluing it back together, but the glue didn't take and I created a bit of a mess.

 

I see Somerford Mini sell this specific part as HJT10030LNF, but having had a quick look on how I would go about replacing this, it's not immediately obvious as it seems to be riveted on there. Basically, do I have any hope of sorting this out either myself or through someone a lot more capable? I'm quite angry with myself for doing it. 

 

Thanks

 

Jacob

Edited by Tumbleweed-Connection, 08 April 2015 - 01:46 PM.

[AVV IT]

Assuming they're the same design as those on the slightly later mpi seats, then they're held in place by a series of small plastic pins that you can tap out with a small punch. I think I've got a set of covers and pins somewhere from a pair of seats that I stripped down for parts, if I get a minute I'll dig them out and take a picture if you like.

[Tumbleweed-Connection]

Hi - thanks for your reply. As it happens mine is a late MPI anyway - a 2000 Cooper, with the Ash Grey covers. If you could have a look and take a picture, that would be fantastic and a great help. Is the punch a special tool? Not really dismantled the seats to try and delve too much into what is required as to be honest; I was in a rush to get back home after the Bank Holiday weekend and I had already had the entire dashboard out that day to rid the dial facias of 15 years of dust.

 

If you know of anywhere I can get a spare RH outer cover in the right colour a bit cheaper, then that would be great too. I guess I deserve all of the money and effort it costs me though for being that daft in the first place!

[AVV IT]

Here ya go....

There's three plastic pins in each cover & one is longer than the other two, so make sure you remember which way round they go for refitting. I'm not aware of a special tool, (that's not to say there isn't one), but just used with a small centre punch, and I even made do with an appropriately sized nail with the end blunted off once.





I can't recall exactly how I tapped the pins out now, not sure if I I tapped them through from the front, although I've got a feeling that I may have taken the seat out of the car, turned it upside down and then tapped them out from the back, and got at the uppermost one by folding the seatback forward.

Aside from Somerford I'm not sure of anywhere else that sells them, Mpi seat spares seem to be a bit difficult to come by. When I was trying to source a new mpi seat frame, in the end me and another TMF member in the same predicament had to go halves on a full set of seats and then strip them down for parts, which is how I ended up with these left over. I assume they're no good to you though, as they're the wrong colour?

[Tumbleweed-Connection]

You sir, have been incredibly helpful. Thanks very much. Once I can find a suitable replacement, then I'll be sure to give it a go.

 

I don't know a great deal about the range of colours the covers actually came in - I'm only going by what is there on the Somerford website. Rimmer Bros seem to have a "Granite" option listed (though no longer available). Creeping around on your Photobucket, it seems as though you may have the same seats as mine if that is your Mini though - I have the Monaco half leather too. If you bought late MPI seats I can't imagine they would have changed the colour that close to the end of the production cycle.

 

Are these covers the same colour as the ones you got with the Monaco seats?

[AVV IT]

Hmmm good question, I think they probably are. I'll dig them out again, compare them in the daylight & let you know.

[Tumbleweed-Connection]

Hmmm good question, I think they probably are. I'll dig them out again, compare them in the daylight & let you know.

 

Hi again. Any joy at having a butchers at the cover?

[AVV IT]

Sorry I forgot all about it, I'll try and have a look tomorrow if I get a minute. Do poke me again though if you don't hear anything back.

I'm assuming that if you damaged the cover on getting out of the drivers side though, then you'll want the cover on the side nearest the door (I.e the opposite side to the one pictured above)?

[Tumbleweed-Connection]

Hi, sorry - didn't answer you question, did I? Yes, that's right - it's the cover nearest the door on the drivers side, so the opposite side to the one pictured above.

[MikeRotherham]

This looks similar, Any good?

 

http://www.ebay.co.u...=item43daceddc9

[Tumbleweed-Connection]

Looks to be the same part I need, thanks. I wish I could be sure on the colour I needed though. I don't know the difference between the Granite (HJT10030LOY) and the Ash Grey (HJT10030LNF) and which one my Monaco seats have on them. Maybe I should just pick one and see what I end up with!

[AVV IT]

Sorry for the delay on this, but I finally got around to taking another look at this today. Yes it would seem that the spare covers I have are the same colour as those on my mpi Monaco seats (see pic below) as you can see though the R/H drivers side civet I have isn't in brilliant condition though as it has a stress mark at the bottom.



Now just to confuse matters you might have noticed from the photo that I actually have the l/h cover on the r/h side of my drivers seat, and that I also have the adjuster mechanism on the r/h side of the seat as opposed to the left. This is because I've swapped the seat backs over, as they're interchangeable.

[Tumbleweed-Connection]

Sorry for the delay on this, but I finally got around to taking another look at this today. Yes it would seem that the spare covers I have are the same colour as those on my mpi Monaco seats (see pic below) as you can see though the R/H drivers side civet I have isn't in brilliant condition though as it has a stress mark at the bottom.

 

I don't see a picture unfortunately   I did just bite the bullet in the end though and picked a colour from the two available, which will likely end up being wrong. I went for "Granite", the same colour as MikeRotherham posted from the eBay link above. I don't really know why though - I think I just got sick of thinking about such a trivial thing. I think it's because the "Ash Grey" on the Rimmer Bros website looked a bit dark, but who knows. 

 

Don't suppose there is any specific part number stamped on there, is there? I know usually the colour bit is just an XXX or whatever, so I doubt it. Thanks for your efforts so far though; I really appreciate you trying to help me out.

Edited by Tumbleweed-Connection, 20 April 2015 - 07:53 PM.

[AVV IT]

Sorry have sorted the pic now, and yes there is a part number on the inside of the cover (HJT 10030 >PP< R/H)

[Tumbleweed-Connection]

Well, as usual my luck decided to give me a kick in the teeth on this one.

 

For reference, Granite is a very light grey and Ash Grey is the one you actually want if you've got the Monaco seats. They all have the same part number stamped in them, so it was ultimately a gamble that's failed. Bye bye £8 - it was nice earning you 

 

Thanks again for confirming though. Time to try again with the Ash Grey. Maybe I can pop this cover on eBay as ultimately it isn't worth paying to send it back. Metro and Rover 100 owners will bite my hand off for this part, I know they will. Oh yeah, I'm guno make a fortune