Interior rear panel refitting!! Help!

[steveyd]

Hi All,

I've taken off my rear interior panels for a waxoil[*] party and for fitting insulation, new speakers etc. The one on the drivers side was a real faff to get out but by the love of God its impossible to get back in! 2 hours last night and the air as blue as my new LED roof panel illumination (good idea at the time..) and still no luck! I have a fixed rear bench seat on long runners.. I have tried it in all possible positions with rear seat right at the back and right at the front but the wheel arch curve is just too much and the plastic too inflexible. I've tried taking the end caps off the seats but still no luck and all my plastic is getting scored.

Is there a certain knack to it.. the importer must have done it as the foglight wire is behind? Please tell me I don't have to take out the huge heavy seat ..

cheers,

Steve

*Never EVER try and free up your waxoil sprayer in a nice warm bath... Ended up with the a scene like I was washing seagulls after the Exxon Valdeze....

[Driver+Passengers]

Please tell me I don't have to take out the huge heavy seat ..

It would certainly make it easier. Should just be the four large bolts, and another pair of hands. You can rotate the seat to the other side of the van rather than taking it out completely.

Good luck.

[Simon Jones]

It should just pop back in place with a few gentle thumps to get the metal clips back in. Check you have all the clips in place & none of them are bent back. The panel is located with plastic spigots that fit into holes on the bodywork, so as long as you line it up correctly, it really should pop back into place quite easily. I guess you've checked for obstructions & that the new speakers aren't preventing the panel fitting back correctly. If it's bulging out at the bottom, there must be something in the way as there are no clips that low down.

It's probably going to be quicker in the long run to unbolt the seat so you get proper access to the area.

[tallbongo]

Also check the white plastic inserts that the clips sit in are present. They are quite a bit smaller than the holes in the metal and without them them panel doesn't click into place securely (at least that was my experience).

I'm guessing from your description that you haven't got this far yet though and the problem is simply manipulating the panel into position, in which case it sounds like a seat off job. Mine were flip ups so had to be removed. An alternative may be that the front drivers panel is preventing it being positioned correctly. I can't recall which one overlaps the other.

[Northern Bongolow]

to get at the seat mounting bolts just grab the plastic cover over piece and pull, its just on spring clips,hook your finger under the bottom edge and pull.

[dvisor]

Hi Steve - I can't help you with the knack of getting the side panel back on - I've never done it; but if you want another pair of hands to help you lift the seat out and back in, let me know and I'll pop round. The seat is actually very easy to remove (I switch the seats round a couple of times a year), but needs two people.

[mikeonb4c]

This is the reason I've always fought shy of taking mine off. Lost clips, panel not going back, etc. sounds like a nightmare

Good luck Steve

[jaylee]

Plus the clip mounting points breaking on the actual panel...! (Where the the long jutty bits attach just below the curtain track/window ledge?) I actually successfully strengthened & repaired about four of them using a cut length of the bracket thing that comes with an after-market solenoid, then bent to shape....

The metal bit between the rod & the solenoid.

[steveyd]

Hi All,

Thanks for all the advice and for dvisors offer of some help - the problem is indeed manipulating it into the space so I can get it clipped in - I've had all the rest of the interior out so familiar with all the clips. I think its just a lot more awkward with that rear bench seat - passenger side one isnt too bad as its shorter.

For some reason I was thinking that I had to roll the seat out of the runners and risk a flattened foot as it landed on me - but if I can just undo those 4 bolts I can rotate it around a bit to get those extra 2-3 inches of space I need thats not quite as bad. In fact I'm off up north for half term in it with the kids to visit the grandparents- so I'll just get my Dad to help me..

Thanks!

Steve