Gransport seat backs and easy entry fix.

Chimaera500

Member
Messages
189
I removed the passenger seat back yesterday to fix an issue that my car has with the easy entry function. Driver side works perfectly, but the passenger side wouldn't move forwards when the seat back is tilted.
After removing the seat back, problem quickly traced back to the microswitch (PN 980145844) Fairly easy fix, if not a little expensive for the used replacement from Eurospares!

Both of my seat backs have a bit of cosmetic wear and tear so as I have the backs removed from the car, I thought I would start to remove the soft touch coating in prep for a re finish.
It comes off pretty easy with a fingernail, but this will take many months and many fingernails.

So far I have tried just about every chemical I can find in the house, including oven cleaner, Acetone, turps, heat....... Nothing seems to even slightly budge the soft touch coating.
Have now ordered a few more poisonous things to try out, including Isopropanol, Meths, and DOT 4 brake fluid.

I'm now trying Vodka, with coke.....in my lounge... had enough. Have a feeling this is going to be much harder job than I first thought!

Anyone got any tips that might help me get this stuff off with a bit less pain?

Plan is to Wrap in 3M M261 matte grey. Will post some pics when I finally get there :)
79108
 

spkennyuk

Member
Messages
5,932
I removed the passenger seat back yesterday to fix an issue that my car has with the easy entry function. Driver side works perfectly, but the passenger side wouldn't move forwards when the seat back is tilted.
After removing the seat back, problem quickly traced back to the microswitch (PN 980145844) Fairly easy fix, if not a little expensive for the used replacement from Eurospares!

Both of my seat backs have a bit of cosmetic wear and tear so as I have the backs removed from the car, I thought I would start to remove the soft touch coating in prep for a re finish.
It comes off pretty easy with a fingernail, but this will take many months and many fingernails.

So far I have tried just about every chemical I can find in the house, including oven cleaner, Acetone, turps, heat....... Nothing seems to even slightly budge the soft touch coating.
Have now ordered a few more poisonous things to try out, including Isopropanol, Meths, and DOT 4 brake fluid.

I'm now trying Vodka, with coke.....in my lounge... had enough. Have a feeling this is going to be much harder job than I first thought!

Anyone got any tips that might help me get this stuff off with a bit less pain?

Plan is to Wrap in 3M M261 matte grey. Will post some pics when I finally get there :)
View attachment 79108

Its the same coating as on the air vents. If you have a look at any of the airvent refurb threads they tend to use a chemical to soften the coating and then scrape it off.

Post 51 on the thread below used oven cleaner and then a scouring pad which may be better for size of the area your dealing with.


You can also buy a ruberised spray paint that may be suitable as a new coating.
 

Navcorr

Member
Messages
3,839
How deep is your pain? Maybe a possible alternative is a custom CF replacement.
The person who took this on has a test piece on the way to him and he's currently awaiting it's arrival.
If of interest have a search on ML for "Carbon Fibre Seat Backs".
 

Twinspark

Member
Messages
460
For what its worth the tech cloth cars have tech cloth on the seat backs, so you could wrap the seat backs in vinyl.
 

Moz1000

Member
Messages
820
I've not tried it but cellulose thinners might help remove the old coating. Beware though, it may also eat the plastic so be careful.
Moz
 

Chimaera500

Member
Messages
189
How deep is your pain? Maybe a possible alternative is a custom CF replacement.
The person who took this on has a test piece on the way to him and he's currently awaiting it's arrival.
If of interest have a search on ML for "Carbon Fibre Seat Backs".
I did see this post. Interesting idea but I think the costs are looking to be a bit more than I was planning to spend. They would look fantastic if they turn out to be of high quality though!
 

Chimaera500

Member
Messages
189
I've not tried it but cellulose thinners might help remove the old coating. Beware though, it may also eat the plastic so be careful.
Moz
Good point, may give this a try if the other chemicals I have ordered dont work. I am concerned about the plastic though as I need the base to remain in good order for whatever refinishing is applied.
 

Chimaera500

Member
Messages
189
For what its worth the tech cloth cars have tech cloth on the seat backs, so you could wrap the seat backs in vinyl.
I did think about using Alcantara. Changed my mind as its pretty costly stuff and deviates a little to far away from standard for me. Will see how the wrap turns out first.
 

Twinspark

Member
Messages
460
I did think about using Alcantara. Changed my mind as its pretty costly stuff and deviates a little to far away from standard for me. Will see how the wrap turns out first.
I agree, for me once I finish my conversion from tech cloth to leather, i will remove the tech cloth in the seat black.

ill leave it in the OEM soft coat plastic, otherwise I’ll go for a matte black respray or even gloss black. Either those of CF are the best options really.
 

Chimaera500

Member
Messages
189
In case anyone else takes on this mission...

after lots of trial and error, the best stuff to remove the soft coat from seat backs is.... DOT 4 Brake fluid!

Nothing else on my list really touched it, but brake fluid works well and does not effect the plastic base or the grey primer underneath the soft touch coating at all.
Wipe a liberal coating of fluid over the soft touch and leave for 24 hours. the coating remains firm, but will now be fairly easy to scrape away with a plastic scraper.

I wouldn't try this on any other soft touch coated parts, just in case. OK for Seat backs.
 

Chimaera500

Member
Messages
189
Soft touch black stuff is now gone, and a change of plan with the vinyl wrap. Decided to give the seat backs a try in the same colour as the car (Argento Luna)

I was really unsure as this does deviate from standard, but its pretty easy to change and I think it looks pretty smart! Certainly adds a little something to the interior.
Just need to get the passenger side finished now......but my paint shops courier cant deliver into tier 4 so will have to wait a while :)

Few pics of my progress so far. Driver side complete.
79443794447944579446
 

BL330

Member
Messages
1,121
Very impressive in silver. I think Rosso Mondiale in mine would be a bit too much, but love the look body matching has in yours.
 

tmc0011

New Member
Messages
29
Very nice, was the seat back removal straight forward? I just got told by a wrapper that the original plastic coating will not permit wrap to adhere, but by removing the coating it might adhere to the base. I dont expect you will have taken many photos of the process but any help you can offer would be great. I am going to try the other way around, passenger first!
 

Chimaera500

Member
Messages
189
Very nice, was the seat back removal straight forward? I just got told by a wrapper that the original plastic coating will not permit wrap to adhere, but by removing the coating it might adhere to the base. I dont expect you will have taken many photos of the process but any help you can offer would be great. I am going to try the other way around, passenger first!

This covers the process of removal of the seat back pretty well. This is the really easy bit! Getting the original coating off the seatbacks was very hard work as described in my post above. Maybe someone else has found a better way but for me it was just time and patience in the end. Best thing I found to remove the factory coating was brake fluid but it still wasn't quick. Please be super careful with brake fluid on any other painted surfaces you don't want damaged. Can confirm it does no harm at all to the seat shell.

 

tmc0011

New Member
Messages
29
Thanks very much. One thing in Maserati ownership I have discovered is that it all depends on the search criteria. Sometimes the answer is really quick other times it takes time. Thanks for directing me to a new resource I was not aware of.
 
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PhillV8S

Member
Messages
124
Way too much hassle for me, so opted for the carbon seat backs which were a 30 minute job to swap over and look great and won’t need to be touched up in years to come. Not a cheap option but worth it imo.
 

safrane

Member
Messages
16,749
Way too much hassle for me, so opted for the carbon seat backs which were a 30 minute job to swap over and look great and won’t need to be touched up in years to come. Not a cheap option but worth it imo.
Linky?