E21 Recaro headrest release

[nbcbird]

There was some discussion a couple of weeks ago about the adjustment and removal of headrests in E21 Recaro seats. Hopefully the following photos might reveal how the latch operates. This is for seats that do not have release buttons on the side of the upper seat. Obviously the trick on upholstered seats is being able to feel and depress the both clips simultaneously while yanking on the headrest. Lubricant is a minor factor. Hope this helps.--Jim

[esty]

not all e21 recaros are like that...out of the 4 sets that i have 3 of the 4 don't have the release that you pictured...they just yank out

i just finished upholstering a set and had them completely apart, no releases..just guides for the headrest bars

also my 83 e21 is doesn't have the releases either

[02Les]

Well, that's just great. No amount of pulling would release the headrests in 3 of my 4 Recaro seats. They would lift up so far and hit an unmovable object. Now I know what it is. Thanks.

[nbcbird]

Esty--That's strange because all three sets of E21 Recaros I restored (using the N/LS configuration) had the same releases.--Jim

[esty]

Esty--That's strange because all three sets of E21 Recaros I restored (using the N/LS configuration) had the same releases.--Jim

i reckon...i thought it strange that it was implied they all have releases...

[Mark42]

There was some discussion a couple of weeks ago about the adjustment and removal of headrests in E21 Recaro seats. Hopefully the following photos might reveal how the latch operates. This is for seats that do not have release buttons on the side of the upper seat. Obviously the trick on upholstered seats is being able to feel and depress the both clips simultaneously while yanking on the headrest. Lubricant is a minor factor. Hope this helps.--Jim

 

I don't understand what you mean by "depress".  I pulled my headrest out some and now can't push it back down.  I've almost busted my back trying to push it back down.

 

Do you mean that we need to push the straight part of the cotter pin into the tube in order to release the latch?  It looks like your finger is pointing that direction, but I've never seen a cotter pin work that way before.  In all cases, I would have assumed the pin would have to be pulled out entirely to disengage the latch, but your description doesn't sound like that's what is needed.

 

My seats have all the upholstery and I haven't been able to feel anything or reach under them.

[MatthewCervi]

I recovered my seats last year and they had those clips. I think I just pulled really hard to get the headrests out though.

[Mark42]

I recovered my seats last year and they had those clips. I think I just pulled really hard to get the headrests out though.

I'm trying to push it back down. It's about half way up now.

[MatthewCervi]

I'm trying to push it back down. It's about half way up now.

 

Ah, OK.  I think I just shoved them back in, too.  Maybe if the clip has somehow gotten displaced it could prevent the headrest from going in.

[Mark42]

Am I going to have to pull off all upholstery to get at the pins?

[nbcbird]

The pin rotates in a slot in the tube where the headrest stay is inserted. Pushing it toward the back of the seat releases the flat portion of the pin (which catches on the stay).  See the top left pic which shows how the pin is not engaged in the slot.  Pic on top right shows pin in normal (locking) position.

[Mark42]

I finally figured it out! I had a minor tantrum while trying again and wobbled the headrest from side to side while piling it down. And amazingly it came done one notch at a time, one side at a time. So down one notch on the left. Then down one on the right, etc.

Woohoo!

[LarsAlpina]

Well,

 

I`m not sure if I maybe do misunderstand something because I´m german and my english isn´t good enough or if there were maybe different types of seats for US market than for Germany.

 

First of all this is the type of Recaros Jim has taken the detail photos of he has attached in his first posting:

 

 

This is the Recaro type that came from factory in E21s if you ordered the option sport seats from new on (maybe different on US spec late E21s when Recaro might have become standard - for Euro spec cars they never were) - therefor often referred to as E21 Recaros among bimmer heads. With this second type of Recaro Idealsitz (mainly N and LS with some derivates) among the estimated 100+ pairs I had in my hands over the years, I´ve never had a single one with any kind of release buttons on the sides of their backrests that had anything to do with the headrests.

 

E21 stock seats, which is the same type of seats that has already been mounted in late 02s (from later 1974 on in Euro spec cars) do have a release button for the headrests, but not the Recaros.

 

 

The part that Jim refers to as "clip" (the thing that needs to be pressed aside to unlock the headrest) and that Esty (as I understand it) refers to as "release" is named torsion spring in the Recaro parts catalogue. No. 17 in the picture below, picture taken from a catalogue for newer Recaro types but still the same principle as from the beginning of Recaro´s production on.

 

 

As only a small minority of the older Recaros is still mechanically untouched like they came from factory today (max. 5% according to my experiences) often these torsion springs are already missing. Sometimes you can find them in the lower area of the backrest while you´re taking off the seat covers and foam upholstery parts - then maybe someone already earlier on tried to get the somehow blocked headrests out and pressed on the springs so much that they completely fell out. Sometimes the springs were taken out during re-upholstery and just forgotten to be put back in while re-mounting.

But in original conditions like the seats came from Recaro each and everyone had those springs mounted.

 

If the headrests pop out freely or are being blocked in their highest position depends on the type of headrests mounted and with that on the year of make of the seats. Up to about 1977/78 the headrest bars came smooth without a notch at their ends (left in the picture below marked red). Not completely smooth of course as all headrests had the toothing that keeps the headrest in the adjusted position (the other purpose for the torsion springs).

Later headrests had the notches at the end of the bars which were initially meant to prevent the headrests from falling out in case you might have a bad accident with a rollover to increase the safety for your head a bit (right in picture below marked green). This type of headrests you can´t just pull out but you will have to follow the instructions Jim has posted above.

 

 

There is also a third type of headrests with some sort of clip around the end of the bar that on the quick I didn´t find an example of in my storage to take a photo of. With those it´s enough to apply a bit of force while trying to pull them out. The only problem is: If the Recaro in your hands is new to you and you´ve never had the headrests out once before so that you know of what type they are, you cannot see any differences on what might be inside. So better don´t apply brute force if they don´t pop out freely but try to find and press the springs in that case.

 

Regards, Lars.

Edited November 26, 2015 by LarsAlpina

[jmr_1602]

Thanks for the write up Lars. I just went through this with a set of Classic C Recaros. It was very difficult to access the torsion spring.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[LarsAlpina]

Found the third type of the Recaro headrests and took a photo:

 

 

Regards, Lars.