Headrest removal on newer seats

[clean8485]

I recently picked up a pair of bucket seats from a 2002ish Pontiac Grand Am, that I want to install in my Monte. I'm going to get the seats recovered before they go into the Monte, and I'm trying to figure out how to get the headrests out. The headrests are mounted on 2 round metal supports that go into the back of the seat. You can raise the headrest about 2-3 inches, then you can hear a click, and the headrest stops and won't go up any further. I can't see any kind of release for the headrests. A friend suggested using a thin narrow metal strip, and sliding it down with the supports to try to release the locks. Is this how its done, or should I be looking for another solution? Thanks very much.

 

[axisg]

LOL. I recall a friends car and his kid would pull them up and it was a PIA to get them down, his had a little hole on the side and he'd have to put an awl or a really heavy paperclip in the hole to get them to release. My 03 van has a little tab to push in on each side and then fight to wiggle it down. Don't know why them made them so hard to get them back down once they were raised

 

[clean8485]

Thanks George. I can raise and lower the headrests OK, I just can't remove them completely. It seems like there's a lock on at least one of the 2 supports, that won't allow it to be raised more than about 2-3 inches off the top of the seatback. I can't find any kind of hole around either support rod. I'd like to get a thin narrow piece of metal to try to slide down the support rods, to see if the lock can be released.

 

[drogg1]

Just doing a quick google search for your model grand am headrest removal, you might need a special tool to do as you are thinking. Evidently, you may be able to rent this from a parts store.

http://www.justanswer.com/pontiac/3t82q ... aztec.html

Or maybe you don't need the tool?

http://www.ehow.com/how_5842806_remove- ... drest.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_12206363_off-he ... nfire.html

Google results:
https://www.google.com/search?q=2002+gr ... e&ie=UTF-8

 

[clean8485]

Thanks very much drogg1. I looked over the links that you posted. The EHow links weren't much good, but the other were useful. I think I may need a special tool. As I look at the 2 posts on the headrests, there are no detents on the visible part of the posts. I think the only detent there is, is at the bottom of the posts, inside the seatback where you can't see it, and its the detent that locks the headrest when you raise it, so you can't take it out. I think that's why I might need the special tool. Thanks again.

 

[clean8485]

Just wanted to post an update on this question. After trying to fabricate a tool to remove these headrests in a couple of different styles, and out of a couple of different types of material, I finally broke down and ordered the correct GM Kent Moore headrest removal tool, J42372 through EBay. It ended up costing me $61.00CDN, by the time I got through with the cost of the tool, shipping exchange and taxes. After that, it took me about an hour to fully understand exactly how you're supposed to use the tool. To make a long story short, it does work, I got the headrest out. After looking at the way the headrest and mount are designed, I understand now why you need this tool. Nothing else short of seat disassembly will get these headrests out.