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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Headrest's stuck

Good afternoon gentlemen
The headrest's are in the lowest position, but I would like to raise them to a higher positionr. They are stuck, though, is there a trick to loosen them......provided that they can be raised.....
Jan
Jan Kruber

Jan,
inside the seat is a thick roller type spring that holds the headrest stem this can rust/crud up as can the headrest stem, the chrome can crack and rust the two combined can make quite a solid grip.

Usual solution, as with many service and repairs, clean & lubricate or in this case lubricate, (remove) clean.

If you look at the stem just below the headrest you'll see the the stem goes at an angle, once lubricated you need to work against this angle to try to pull the stem away from the spring holder, also wriggling side to side across the shoulders of the seat will help.

When you've got the headrest fully raised to remove it lean it to one side (can't remember if it's towards the the centre of the cabin or towards the side window) and there's a (possibly very sharp) thin piece of metal that pushes itself out to the side of the stem to prevent the headrest being fully pulled out by mistake, you need to retract this (remember it could be sharp).

ETA: * I think there's only one thin metal spring to each stem but there might be two(?) as it's been a time since I had headrests. *

Also remember you want to lubricate with something that will get the head rest up or out but not so much that the grip to hold it up is lost as the spring might be weak and it was only crud/rust that held it and you can't access that spring with the cover and foam on.

Nigel Atkins

This should give you the idea, looks like the roller spring is to the rear of the frame(?), so it look like you pull the stem towards the dash(?).


Nigel Atkins

Good explanation Nigel. The only thing I would add as it isn't clear in your wording, is that the roller spring is horizontal, I presume fixed at either end onto those twin tubular uprights in the seat back. And the spring crosses behind the upright of the headrest post At least I think is it.
I seem to remember struggling to raise headrests in teh past and eventually finding that if you pushed the headrest forwards at the top and then gave a sharp tug, it would then move. But with MGF leather seats fitted in my car many years ago its hard to remeber the earlier struggles!
GuyW

Good point, yes I forgot to say the roller spring is horizontal.

I can't remember now how it's fixed.

I think I remember(?), but could well be wrong, that the spring is thicker in the middle than the ends but I might be confusing them with the of carb return springs!

I can't remember the face I see in the mirror everyday when shaving, I'm sure it's not me as I'm sure I'm younger, thinner with very dark brown black hair, who the old, fat, grey haired git is I've no idea.
Nigel Atkins

I thnk the spring fits across the bracket below the top of the seat back - where the white tape is on the seat photo you posted.
I think my memory is as bad as yours Nigel. My excuse is enjoment of too many . . . . birthdays! What's your explanation?
GuyW

Can't remember. :D
Nigel Atkins

They can be very stiff to raise - normally I have to drop the hood and stand with one foot in the seat and the other behind the seat, hook my hands under the head rest and give it a good tug vertically upwards.

Once up, a light smear of vaseline (petroleum jelly) on the lower end of the shafts helps them move easier in future.
Chris at Octarine Services

Right the, maybe the headrests aren't stuck more than "usual" then. I will instantly enter the workshop and try to acquire the technique, to find out.
Some months ago I sprayed WD40 on the tubes.
Jan Kruber

WD40 isn't a particularly great penetrating/releasing fluid, try something like PlusGas if you still have trouble (not as well produced as it used to be perhaps bit still works very well).

http://www.plusgas.co.uk/
Nigel Atkins

Ok, so I did it the Chris way, allthough I didn't have to stand on the seats :-)
I just used a little mor violence than previous, when I was convinced they vere corroded. They came loose both sides and they are not at all corroded, only they stuck. But the mechanism to hold them in posisition don't work, both sides, if I let them, they will slowly work themselfes downwards. So I made a quick temporary fix with some Gaffa and plastic strips.
I quess that a decent repair will include unwrapping the whole polstry, right?
Thanks for your help, guys :-)
Jan Kruber

And here's the pic I intended to attach to the former message.....

Jan Kruber

Possibly the WD40 is working better as a lubricant than it does as a releasing fluid so now you might need to displace the WD40. You could try something like fast drying contact cleaner to displace the WD40 (I don't know if it'd work though). You'd probably want to get the headrests out to direct the cleaner on to the seat holding-string-thing. Whilst out you could also clean off any WD40 from the headrest stems especially where they come onto contact with the seat holding-string-thing.

Cost you very little to try (except maybe a plaster on your finger or thumb) and it doesn't disturb your seat covers or foams.

I notice, like me, you have one of those very over-priced wind deflectors.

Nigel Atkins

I had one of those wind deflectors on an MGB that I bought a couple of years ago. I found that I couldn’t move the seat back far enough with it fitted, so it had to go.
Dave O'Neill 2

Nigel
"I notice, like me, you have one of those very over-priced wind deflectors"

.....yes I have - and it works :-)
Jan Kruber

Dave
Same here, but I just made some brackets so I could position the deflector further back....
Jan Kruber

I complained to MGOC about the single, too narrow, retaining bracket that's supposed to stop the screen being pushed towards the windscreen and considering the high price but was told that they'd not improve it or add a second now as they sold so few for Spridgets.

I don't have headrests to stop it either.

I will say it's very effective, too effective to use until the colder weather - or the complaints from the passenger/navigator/boss.

I'm surprised you lads did make your own, they cost £250 now I see.

Nigel Atkins

This thread was discussed between 04/10/2018 and 07/10/2018

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