Rear Headrest Removal

[Paul1]

Has any one had any success removing rear headrests following instructions on the forum ? My Cali is new and the headrests look the same as on forum but i cannot get the side plastic to swivel out the way without it seems to break some of the plastic tabs. Ive tried several times both sides but there is not enough play to clear the upper tab and im sure if i pull it any further it will break. Paul.

 

[2CV67]

You need to cut off 2 tabs from each plastic panel, using a sharp knife, then swing panel out of the way & remove 2 x 5mm rollpins (push in 25mm) with a punch.
Then need to add about 7cm x 14mm dia pin to anchor retaining mechanism in each headrest retainer.
Explained on French site - just follow the pictures to the end of page 2 (except those in the post 08 Jan 2011 19:12)!
http://www.t5calif.info/forum/viewtopic ... sc&start=0

I found it advisable to move the seat forward beyond normal position to be able to swing hammer via the open door, not the closed window...

 

[2CV67]

Hope this is not unethical, and with acknowledgemets to Libellule, here are the photographs from the French forum, which should be enough for anybody to do this simple job (I managed it OK...).

 

[Paul1]

Thanks for helpful advice, I will have another go, I was wondering how to have enough room to use a hammer and punch so, good tip to move seat forward and use open window. Cheers. Paul. :goodone

 

[Paul1]

Re: Rear Headrest Removal - failiure

I have to admit defeat in trying to remove rear headrests. I can put my hand to most jobs but this one seems to have the better of me. After cutting the plasic tabs off and swinging them out the way i attempted to use a punch and push the pins in. They just would not budge, infact i hit it so hard the tip of the punch broke off and is now stuck in the hole. I then, using a new high quality drill bit tried to drill the C pins out. No luck, i dont know if VW have modified these to stop owners removing them but the c pins seem to be hardend steel and because only a small dril can be used because a normal chuck size will rub the seat material mine will not budge. Am i the only one who has this difficulty ??? >Paul

 

[timhutch]

The K3YAK guy has done this - there's pictures on his blog.

 

[2CV67]

The roll-pins are certainly hard steel.

I never attempted to drill them.

All 4 of mine tapped out (well - in) quite easily with a small hammer.

You certainly have to use a correct-sized punch.
Mine is marked "5" and is just under 5mm dia with a good flat end & no chamfer.
If you try to use a too-small or tapered punch, then I suppose that pushes the roll-pins out & jams them?

Sorry - I don't know what else to offer.
I have seen threads with guys going crazy trying to drill out pins, and others where they just tap out as you would expect...

 

[Paul1]

Thanks for that, I haven't given up yet. With that info I will get a new punch and let you know if I get the ****** things off. Paul

 

[Freeley]

Thanks for that, I haven't given up yet. With that info I will get a new punch and let you know if I get the ****** things off. Paul

Swinging a hammer in a cali?
Sounds a bit scary to me!

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Barryjm]

Can I ask why you want to remove the headrests?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Paul1]

I want to remove them because when they are swung downwards they take up so much storage space and hit whatever you have on the floor when you make the bed up. It seems the Beach has the normal pull out ones, why the Cali cant have the same I don't know. :?

 

[2CV67]

Yes - Also they get in the way when you want to swing up the rear shelf to get better access to stuff in the boot.
Especially if you have bedding stowed on that shelf, as we do.

 

[777111]

I just succeeded in this endeavour - relatively easy to do & no damage ( - I would have taken it to Breeze + Poole if I wanted that!).
Just make sure you use the right size pin punch - 5mm and once the pin has started to move, even just a mm or two, then lube it to help the punch avoid snagging on the hole in the head rest. Headrests will readily go back in and could be re-anchored if need be.
The additional space for bedding is definitely worthwhile for me.

 

[deccauk]

I'm in the middle of this job but the punch I bought is not long enough.



The taper starts at 22mm so it will not push the rollpins in far enough. I have ordered a longer punch, but in the meantime, can anyone who's succeeded in this mission tell me - do the pins fully release, or should I stop hammering them in at the 25mm mark?

 

[2CV67]

Stop at 25mm.

You could always grind a little off the start of the taper on that 22mm punch...

 

[RedCali]

2CV67 - thank you very much for your photos, got our headrests off this afternoon.

 

[deccauk]

Stop at 25mm.

You could always grind a little off the start of the taper on that 22mm punch...

Good tip - so I ground off some of the taper with a dremel and finally got the damn pins hammered in far enough to remove the headrests. It was not easy - they took a lot of hammering with a large heavy hammer!

 

[deccauk]

Are they the same on the T6?

 

[Ksar-el-kebir]

Are they the same on the T6?

I need to remove the rear headrests to fit Brandrup second skin seat covers on my T6 Ocean. Not keen to start messing about though.

 

[Bellcrew]

Why? The headrest covers fit like a glove without any mods on my Ocean.

 

[Bellcrew]

Why? The headrest covers fit like a glove without any mods on my Ocean.[/QU

 

[Bellcrew]

The seat cover just needs wriggling around the headrest support.

 

[Ksar-el-kebir]

The seat cover just needs wriggling around the headrest support.

The rear seat cover has holes for the headrests as on the front ones, however the headrests fold back but cannot be removed. Do you know what I’m doing wrong?

 

[Ksar-el-kebir]

The rear seat cover has holes for the headrests as on the front ones, however the headrests fold back but cannot be removed. Do you know what I’m doing wrong?

By the way I fitted the front covers successfully.

 

[Bellcrew]

The rear seat cover has holes for the headrests as on the front ones, however the headrests fold back but cannot be removed. Do you know what I’m doing wrong?

I pulled the backrest cover over headrests first, the material is quite stretchy, then proceeded to finish the fit of the seat cover. Have you gotten the correct set for your Cali, it should be straightforward.