Let the fun begin. Today I just purchased a kit from Furniture Clinic to redo my front seats--How To Restore A Leather Car Interior. I hope it will arrive tomorrow or Wednesday. I will post before pictures after I take the seats out and then during the process. I can't wait to see the end results.
I do have a few questions. When it comes to removing the seats should I remove the front or rear bolts first or does it even matter. When do I remove the plug? Should the battery be disconnected?-I think I read something about removing the battery to prevent the air bag from opening. If this is the case how long do I need the battery disconnected for?
Thanks!
Jomo

 

Jomo,

The airbags in the XJS are not electrically operated, so the battery has no impact whatsoever.

Unless, you're completely taking the seat back and cushion apart once out of the car, remember to recline the seat after removing seat bolts before disconnecting plug, as renovating the lower part of seat back and rearward portion of squab will be easier with seat reclined.

Good luck with the work. You can get great results with the Furniture Clinic materials. Take your time and be meticulous about preparation and masking etc.

Paul

 

I don't think it matters which bolts you remove first. I removed all of the bolts, then adjusted the seat all the way forward to make it more compact. At that point, it's easy to disconnect the plugs for the seat and the ground wire. I didn't bother disconnecting the battery.

 

I didn't know the air bag was not electrically deployed. Aside from hitting a telephone pole, how are they actuated (1993 XJS)

 

They have a good old fashioned firing pin and an explosive charge. When you remove them you have to disarm the firing pin. If you look under the steering wheel you will see a coverplate, its inside there.

 

After 25 years in military, I understand firing pin and explosive charge, but how are they actuated? What precautions must you take when dealing with the steering column or wheel?

 

Furniture Clinic seems like fair people. On their website they show that they have most of the car colors for Jaguars ready to ship or at least make. My color was one of a few which they do not have on hand. So I sent them a swatch. They told me that to do a color match there was a $15 fee. I argued that this fee is not fair as I am giving them the color so that they can now list it on their website and that the next person who needs this color will NOT have to pay a color match fee. The person I spoke with said she will pass my request to be refunded for this color match fee to her boss and within 48 hours I received my refund. It is very simple to make customers happy and all it takes is to be fair. Thanks to all who recommended this company?

Now about a bad company. Furniture clinic sent my package via 2-day delivery using FedEx. According to FedEx my package was in my local FedEx hub at 3:00am today and hence ready for delivery today. FedEx is holding my package hostage until tomorrow since if they delivered today it would have arrived in one day when the sender paid for 2 day delivery. This is crazy. They actually picked up my package and instead of putting it in the correct truck for delivery they just put it down and proceeded to the next package. How much more inefficient can they be!

 

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Not sure if the later airbags are different than mine.........but here's a video


XJS Fitting Videos : Myrtle Productions, fine wood car interiors and luxury steering wheels


look for removing the steering wheel and the tools video where he shows the "special" tool. Its a bolt with a hole drilled into it and flattened on one side to make a 'D' for disarming the airbag.


Although l bought my wheel from them, they have a very bad rap. for poor service.