86 M20K rear seat backs removal

[gyrene]

I have split rear seats and I would like to remove the folding seat backs to get a flat floor and more room. I have folded the seat and moved enough of the seat covers to expose the bottom of the seat frame but it's not apparent (at least to me) where the hinge is. I do not want to remove the seat covers or cushions, ideally I would like to remove the seat back as a unit and not have to take it apart.

[rgpilot]

I not sure about 86 mooney but in 93J there are removable pins that pull out at the bottom of the seat back. Then the seat back can be pulled straight up and out.

[KSMooniac]

In my '81 salvage, the seat cushions simply come out, and you're left with a small aluminum seat back frame that folds forward and lies flat with the baggage floor.  Did that system change in later years?

[gyrene]

Probably not but I have after-market seat covers that pull over the cushion and are fastened at the bottom with Velcro. I'm sure it would be possible to pull them up and off the cushion but when I was playing around with it this method sure felt like it was going to be a major effort and not something I would want to do more than once.

[gyrene]

5 hours ago, rgpilot said:

I not sure about 86 mooney but in 93J there are removable pins that pull out at the bottom of the seat back. Then the seat back can be pulled straight up and out.

IProbably not but I have after-market seat covers that pull over the cushion and are fastened at the bottom with Velcro. I'm sure it would be possible to pull them up and off the cushion but when I was playing around with it this method sure felt like it was going to be a major effort and not something I would want to do more than once. I was looking for some removable pins so I could pull the seat backs straight up but didn't find any. I guess I'll go back and look harder.

[KSMooniac]

If it is similar to mine, I think the velcro along the bottom of the seat back is all you need to un-zip, and then the entire seat back cushion will pull straight off the aluminum seat back.  The butt cushion is just laying in the recess and pulls out easily.  You should be able to get both cushions out in < 1 minute I expect.  The aluminum seat back piece is ~14-16" tall and will remain, and then fold flat to cover the butt cushion recess.  

[WilliamR]

For my original cloth interior K, the seat bottom is covered contoured foam.  That pulls up very easily.  Next, The headrests are pulled out of their holes.  Less than 90 seconds in so far.  The seat backs are a little trickier.  I too have the Velcro on the bottom of the seat back.  Undo the Velcro, pull the seat back up from the sides.  The cushion will remain attached to the covering (cloth in my case).  Some muscle and shimmying is necessary.  This usually takes me a minute per side.  Once the seat back is off, the remaining seat back will fold down into the crevice where your seat bottom was. 

Putting the seat back on again is a little bit of a pain, but no more than an extra 2 minutes a side.  Getting the tubes for the headrest in the removed seat back lined up with the holes at the top of the hinged seat back attached to the plane (which was previously folded down for a flat floor) can be a little bit of a pain.  Once I get that started, I press the cushioned seat back firmly down with some firm taps from my hand.  Then I re-Velcro. 

The hinged part of the seat back can be seen when the Velcro is undone.  I believe the attach points for that hinge are under the plastic paneling for the seat bottom tray.  I do not have any removable pins for the seat back.  Plus the remaining seat back is handy to cover the seat bottom tray.

Hope this helps.

W

[gyrene]

To KS Mooniac and William R; thank you very much for the insight into how this Sears all fit together, big, big help. I now have a new project for tomorrow. Thanks again, really appreciated