Elusive Headrest Match Found

[bigmo]

1970 F - but believe this applies to a very wide range of Mooney models.

I’ve read every headrest post on MS. There’s definitely some misinformation out there. My interior is getting redone and I really wanted to add headrests to my front seats. My rear reclining seats had them, but they were stuck in the seats. The fronts used to, but for whatever reason the PO covered them over in the 80’s and tossed the headrests.

I took some exact measurements, made a cardboard template and went to my childhood happy place - the junkyard.

I found a perfect match on a 2014 Nissan Pathfinder S (from the front seats). My interior guy just messaged and said they’re perfect. A little extra Google work and it appears the fronts from a 2013 - 2016 (trim doesn’t matter) will fit. I probably checked 200+ cars…but it was a nice day and I was having a blast. Total cost was $15 ($3 entry fee and $12 cost for a pair of headrests). They’re far better quality than the OEM Mooney and are farther forward which is great for actually using it.

As you can see, all four seats had the tubular structure in the seat. You can feel the open tube through the material if you want to examine if your seat already has the tubing.

 

[AJ88V]

Good job documenting, @bigmo

I recall on the old Mooney List mail server days that people were getting them from Toyota Camrys. 

I'm sure you're filing a 337 on this 'mod'? 

IIRC, my OEM headrests (circa 1970) were just an aluminum tube with two 90* bends and a custom foam pad and a cloth cover.  As the foam wore out from the years, the headrests sort of flopped all over.  I modded the headrests by zip-tying an old aluminum motorcycle license plate between the arms of the tube to support the back of the foam. 

Given that the automotive headrests are tested as part of the car's safety systems, I'm sure they are far superior to the aviation variety designed in the 1960s for weight savings.  Might go get a set myself!

Can you give me a tube-to-tube distance before I buy some off of ebay?

[bigmo]

I'll measure them when I pick them up from the upholstery shop. But I did notice there are a set on eBay for $60 now that are 100% identical. Make sure it's for the front seats as the rear were a different post-to-post measurement.

Agree these are FAR better constructed than the OEM.

My next project might be another trip and look for a set of higher end headrests that click adjust. I was stoked to find a match and called it a win for the day. 

[TaildraggerPilot]

Do you mind sharing the headrest tube outer diameter and distance (on center) between the tubes?

[DCarlton]

Would be cool to see the finished seats too.

[AJ88V]

Just caught "1970 F" in @bigmo's original post.  Will def. fit my 1970 C. 

[bigmo]

A little more info to add some value. My upholstery guy asked if I could get two more headrests. The OEM Mooney we’re a bit jenky in his opinion and sat too far back from the seat to be of use.

Back to the junkyard for me - a treat not a chore!

Luckily they had a newly arrived 2015 Nissan Pathfinder. Scored two more matching headrests (to the ones I bought earlier). As luck would have it, a 2015 Nissan Murano was parked next to it. They fit too. The Pathfinder has a bit more flat head contact area and the Murano’s has a bit of a head concave. In the pic below, the Pathfinder is left and the Murano is right. Sizing and mounting are identical.

The measurement for the posts is a hair under 6” center-center (call it 5 31/32”). Post diameter is a smidge under 13mm (and I mean a smidge). My cheap calipers day 12.93mm.

 

[kortopates]

Good for you for fixing what the prior owner did. I never realized how important headsets are as a safety feature till a 252 takeoff accident documented here on MS likely over 10 years ago. It was an aborted takeoff that resulted in a fatal to one which the report blamed in part on the removal of headrest leading to a broken neck.


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[cliffy]

This might work well for those seats with factory built in headrests but if on the earlier models where no head rests were installed,

modifying the  older seats to use them might not work as the lever arm of force from the top of the seat compared to the top 

of the headrest might not be accounted for in the hinge strength of the seat 

I have read something about this in IIRC 43.13

[bigmo]

My seats are done (including the headrests). Spy shot of the 4 matching newly wrapped headrests being installed tomorrow. Merry Christmas to me!

 

[M20F-1968]

8 hours ago, bigmo said:

My seats are done (including the headrests). Spy shot of the 4 matching newly wrapped headrests being installed tomorrow. Merry Christmas to me!

 

Your seats look quite nice.  Who did your work?  I am looking to cover my 4 head rests as well.  Could you send me the name and contact information of the shop you used.  I was going to cover them myself, but it may make more sense to have a shop do the work.  I have an old Singer machine that will do straight stitching in leather.  Roll Royce used a similar machine to manufacture their seats, but shops have the experience I do not have.   If I did it, I would sew the cover inside out, but I do not know how the stitching on either side of the seam is placed.  Are the two lines of stitches on either side of the sewn seam decorative, or do they reinforce the actual seam?

John Breda