how do 9 get to centre console front screws without removing seats!?

bishop130771 · August 18, 2020, 23:28

as title. Have yet to find short enough screwdriver to get them out....!

shnazzle · August 18, 2020, 23:38

Screwdriver bit and pliers /small mole grips

Then leave the fronts out going forward

Ardent · August 19, 2020, 00:16

Quicker to unbolt seats.
4 bolts. Wizz em out. Tip seat back, forward. Tip whole seat back. Wizz screws out. Reverse.

Topdownman · August 19, 2020, 07:09

The other option is a right angle (offset) screwdriver which will fit in the space if you find shnazzles method too fiddly!

I doubt anyobe puts the front 2 back in so you only need to do it once. The screws shouldnt be too tight so not a hard job.

Call the midlife! · August 19, 2020, 07:45

Cloth or leather? You can actually push the seat squab down far enough to get a long screwdriver at them without removing the cloth seats. I've also managed it with a leather seat but it was a fairly tired example.

scm2004red · August 19, 2020, 09:03

Quote from: Ardent on August 19, 2020, 00:16Quicker to unbolt seats.
4 bolts. Wizz em out. Tip seat back, forward. Tip whole seat back. Wizz screws out. Reverse.

Having just done it to adjust brakes, it is that easy, seat fully forward remove rear screws and seat rail bolts, seat fully back remove front seat rail bolts, tilt seat back forward and raise front of seat and access front screws from underneath. Just remember to grease seat rail bolts when replacing, makes life easier next time.

m1tch · August 19, 2020, 09:13

Remove the seats (its 4 bolts each), leave the front screws out, I only run with the rear ones that can easily be removed with the seat forward - really handy for the yearly pre MOT handbrake reset/unseize work.

normanh · August 19, 2020, 23:28

I have a right angled drive that takes bits so easy as it has a ratchet bought it in screwfix

Norman

Petrus · August 20, 2020, 08:09

Quote from: Topdownman on August 19, 2020, 07:09I doubt anyobe puts the front 2 back in so you only need to do it once.

Í do.

I second Jason about simply taking the seats out. It´s a cabrio so a non challenge to lift the seats out.

paulj · August 20, 2020, 08:10

Mine came with the front screws missing - so don't waste time and effort putting them back in

shnazzle · August 20, 2020, 08:37

Quote from: paulj on August 20, 2020, 08:10Mine came with the front screws missing - so don't waste time and effort putting them back in

I don't have any in mine I think

Never moves.

Petrus · August 20, 2020, 08:42

Quote from: paulj on August 20, 2020, 08:10Mine came with the front screws missing - so don't waste time and effort putting them back in

I fail to see the logic of the conclusion.
Toyota engineers thought it necessary and that seems more of a ´thus´ to mé not omit something because it´s a small effort.

Do (or not, in this case) whatever you see fit but apart from not wanting to be arsed there is no good reason not to fit them.

Now don´t get me wrong: It´s just a beauty panel. Not really functional so you could leave it out all together. My point is that if you have it in the small effort to fit al the screws is not a logical ´thus´ to omit them and have the thing half fixed down. It´s just lazy, not logic.

househead · August 20, 2020, 09:14

Quote from: Petrus on August 20, 2020, 08:42
Quote from: paulj on August 20, 2020, 08:10Mine came with the front screws missing - so don't waste time and effort putting them back in

I fail to see the logic of the conclusion.
Toyota engineers thought it necessary and that seems more of a ´thus´ to mé not omit something because it´s a small effort.

Do (or not, in this case) whatever you see fit but apart from not wanting to be arsed there is no good reason not to fit them.

Now don´t get me wrong: It´s just a beauty panel. Not really functional so you could leave it out all together. My point is that if you have it in the small effort to fit al the screws is not a logical ´thus´ to omit them and have the thing half fixed down. It´s just lazy, not logic.

There is logic there ... that if you think you're going to need to get in there again any time in the near future that you'll save yourself some time and hassle (of taking the seats out again) by just securing it with two.

Perfectly logical thing to do, you just happen to disagree, which is also perfectly fine.

m1tch · August 20, 2020, 09:52

I have to remove the panel more than once a year, with just 2 screws is still solidly mounted as it also sits on a few support brackets under there as well at both the front and back.

shnazzle · August 20, 2020, 10:00

It does move it I bump into it, reach down in the passenger footwell and it rubs on my arm and other such rare and specific circumstances. If it moved anybody would think "well this car isn't very well built, the center console just lifts off". So there's a few tiny screws to hold it in. Makes perfect sense. It SHOULD be screwed down, as per design. But, I've got nobody to impress with the quality of my interior and it's more practical to leave the two fronts out in case I need to do some wiring (had some piggyback wiring there, and reversing camera wiring), adjust handbrake, remove change a switch, fix heated seats wiring, change gearknob gaiter, etc etc.

You'd have a fit if you knew how many other screws I'm missing

LOL!!!

Call the midlife! · August 20, 2020, 10:42

Two chocolate screws, self tapping into some tinfoil purely to keep the centre console tidily in position.
Leave them out/put them back in it makes no massive difference either way, mine are long gone and replaced with rivnuts and allen key heads for what it's worth.
The OPs original question has nothing to do with this line of discussion though and was answered from the start.
The things we find to argue about lately are getting ridiculous...

shnazzle · August 20, 2020, 10:47

Quote from: Call the midlife! on August 20, 2020, 10:42Two chocolate screws, self tapping into some tinfoil purely to keep the centre console tidily in position.
Leave them out/put them back in it makes no massive difference either way, mine are long gone and replaced with rivnuts and allen key heads for what it's worth.
The OPs original question has nothing to do with this line of discussion though and was answered from the start.
The things we find to argue about lately are getting ridiculous...

Point taken. Will moderate accordingly in the future

Call the midlife! · August 20, 2020, 10:55

Quote from: shnazzle on August 20, 2020, 10:47
Quote from: Call the midlife! on August 20, 2020, 10:42Two chocolate screws, self tapping into some tinfoil purely to keep the centre console tidily in position.
Leave them out/put them back in it makes no massive difference either way, mine are long gone and replaced with rivnuts and allen key heads for what it's worth.
The OPs original question has nothing to do with this line of discussion though and was answered from the start.
The things we find to argue about lately are getting ridiculous...
Point taken. Will moderate accordingly in the future

Wasn't any kind of criticism towards anybody's moderating Patrick, I apologise, it's maybe just me being a touch sensitive this morning...

We all share ideas and information garnered from experience and it's down to the individual to decide what's best for them.
Nobody leaves any potentially unsafe suggestions without challenge and that's the best thing, if there's nothing constructive to add then just keep moving along, no need to digress into borderline insults because you don't share the same opinions.