I had a very busy weekend doing the headliner on my 1985 XJ-S. It started with removing the seats - no problem just undo the torx screws that hold the seats down. Took out the headliner, side rails, rear C-pillars. Removed and cleaned all the cardboard shells, glued new fabric on, put it all back. Everything looks great. Except for the seats. I can't get the seats fixed into place. The torx bolts just spin and there is nothing to bite. Then I noticed that there are washers INSIDE the little cavity under screws that just rattle around with no room to get my fingers in and hold them while I turn the screws! HELP! Anyone got any tips to fasten the seats down?

 

Yeah, fun isn't it? I used some "dental tools" to hook the nut and pull it into place, then a thin flat blade screwdriver to hold it up against the mounting hole...gently, gently. It's a royal pain and it took me a few (ok more than a few) tries to get it. Have beverages nearby.

 

Can the nut/washers be glued/taped in place first? Or use a gasket forming silicon to hold them?

 

I like how you think. I'm going to try elevate them with a pen magnet and then wedge something underneath.

 

I have had my drivers seat out 100's times it is a PITA to get the front bolts back in. I use hemostats to hold the threaded plate



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I just had an epiphany.......use bluetack to hold the plate up while you insert the bolt, this will also allow the plate/bolt to move to set the seat position.

 

I tape or super glue the nuts to the end of 1-2 toothpicks. Get it started and then break the toothpicks away.

It IS a ridiculous pain in the *** for no reason though.

 

It took me two and a half hours. The two bolts at the rear end of the seat rails are easy, it's the front two and ESPECIALLY the ones next to the center console that are just ridiculous, seriously. Lighting was key: I used one flashlight from above the bolt and one from the footwell to get a visual of the alignment and then with magnets and my 6 month old daughter's rubber spoon (the spoon prevents the rectangular nut from rotating under friction - hemostats would do the same but I didn't have any just lying around) I managed to hold the nut in place while I slowly and gently turned the torx screw unil it bit.

 

Its good you eventually got them back in.

I put the transmission controller under the drivers seat so every time I need to pull it out I have to remove the seat. Unfortunately I have an intermittent problem with the trans and the VSS so I pulled the controller many times, so I have got pretty good at getting the seat back in.