Mazda RX-7 Convertible Leather Seats Installation Guide

If you're reading this, it is safe to say that you have chosen to install your own RX-7 Convertible leather interior. Or, perhaps you're curious as to the difficulty level of installing a LeatherSeats.com RX-7 Convertible auto upholstery package. Either way, this comprehensive guide to installing a RX-7 Convertible leather interior will make your installation as easy as 1-2-3.

First, the tools you will need to install the interior. You will need the following:

The first step to install your new leather interior is to remove your seats from the vehicle. We haven't had a chance to remove the seats from the RX-7 Convertible, but typically there are four bolts at the ends of each seat rail that hold the seat in the car. Once these are removed, you will want to tip the seat back to check for any electrical connections under the seat. Typically, even manual seats will have harnesses for the seat belts. The RX-7 Convertible will have a definitely have at least 2 harnesses for the headrest speakers on each seat. You will want to unplug these first to avoid any damage to the wiring. Make sure to save all bolts, screws, and other parts for reassembly.

Plastic Seat Trim Removal and Seat Disassembly:

Before you can remove the factory covers, you will need to disassemble the seat. The first step is the remove the plastic trim pieces. They are located on the outside of each seat, and are held in by Phillips screws. Remove all of the screws, and then remove the plastic trim pieces. You will also need to remove the tilt lever before the plastic trim piece will come off. These are held in by tension, and you will have to pull them straight off (See figure #1).

The next step is to separate the backrest and the cushion. There are two Allen head bolts on the outside of each seat, and one nut on the inside of the seat (See figures #2 and #3). After these are removed, the backrest and the cushion should be separated. Make sure to keep track of where each bolt came from. Also, make sure of the order of any washers/bushings that the seat has, as these will need to be installed in the same order.

Above: Figure 1	Above: Figure 3	Above: Figure 2

Seat Cushion (Bottom):

Flip the seat cushion upside down, so the bottom of the seat cushion is facing you. There are four (4) bolts that hold the seat rails the to the seat pan. Remove those bolts and remove the seat rails from the cushion. There are hog-rings around the perimeter of the seat cushion pan that hold the edge of the factory cloth/leather to the seat cushion pan. There are also a few hog-rings that hold the insert to the pan (See figure #4). Remove these, and fold the factory cloth/leather up towards the center of the seat, revealing the insert seam lines. The inserts use hog-rings to attach the covers to the foam core (See figure #5). Snip them and remove the cover. The installation of the LeatherSeats.com RX-7 leather seat covers is the reverse of removal. The leather seat covers are side specific, so compare the LeatherSeats.com leather interior cover to the factory cover and make sure that you install the correct cover on the correct seat. Start with the cover inside-out and hog ring the inserts first. Then roll the cover over the edges, making sure that the seams on the LeatherSeats.com leather seat cover lines up with the seams on the foam core. After you have recovered the foam core and seat pan, set it aside and start on the backrest.

Above: Figure 5	Above: Figure 4	Above: Figure 6

Headrests:

The headrests are very easy. To remove the headrest, there is one Phillips screw in the middle between the Backrest and the headrest (See figure #6). Remove the screw, and lift the headrest up revealing the wiring harnesses. Unplug the harness and remove the headrest. The factory headrests have one zipper on each side. Unzip these, and remove the cover. The installation is the reverse of removal, only the LeatherSeats.com leather seat cover uses one zipper for the entire headrest. You will need to cut the appropriate holes to reinstall the headrest.

Above: Figure 7	Above: Figure 8

Backrest (top):

Start with the bottom of the seatback facing you. You will see a line of hog-rings holding the front and back of the backrest leather seat covers together (See figure #7). After you snip these hog-rings, start folding the insert (center section of the seat) up to reveal hog-rings holding the inserts to the foam (See figure #8 & #9). Remove these hog-rings, and continue to fold the insert up until you reach the top. Along the inside of each bolster will be more hog-rings. Remove these, and then fold the cover up to reveal the hog-rings along the top of the insert section (See figure #10). Remove these and remove the cover. The installation of the LeatherSeats.com leather seat cover is the reverse of removal. Start with the cover inside-out, and line up the seams. Start rolling the cover down, and install the hog-rings in the appropriate areas as you roll the cover down. While doing this, massage the covers repeatedly; make sure that the covers are as smooth as possible to prevent wrinkles. Hog-ring the bolsters first, then hog-ring the insert section. Finally, hog-ring the bottom of the backrest together like factory. Reassemble the seat pan to the backrest frame. Reattach your plastic hardware and your seat rails. You will need to cut holes for the plastic trim pieces, as well as the bolts for the hinge assemblies and the holes for the headrest posts/wiring harnesses. Cut small squares just big enough to reveal the holes/wiring harnesses with a razor blade or Exacto knife (See figure #11). Reinstall the headrests and make sure to plug the headrest speakers back in! The final step is to put everything back into the car. Make sure that you reattach all the wiring harnesses!

Above: Figure 9	Above: Figure 10	Above: Figure 11

Installation Notes:

Be careful when installing the seats that you don’t scrape any plastic, metal, or the door panels with the bottom of the seat, as the seat rails are sharp and will damage any plastic, metal, or vinyl they come in contact with. After the seats are re-installed, it is a good idea to condition the leather and massage any wrinkles that are in the leather. After sitting in the sun for a few weeks, the leather will begin to shrink and will actually form itself to the foam, creating a wrinkle free install.

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