UNCJD

I set out to do the rear shocks on my 1995 LS400 this morning and, non-mechanic that I am, I couldn't get the back seat cushion out. I spent a lot of my time looking for little tabs that weren't there--and on the 1995, they're NOT THERE SO DON'T LOOK FOR THEM. I spent even more time yanking on these cliplike thingies that attach the seat cushion to the seat back. No luck.
So I got out on the forums. A lot of folks seem to be having trouble figuring out what to do even after reading the forums--as I did. Some of us have a hard time translating word advice into spatial relations. So I'm posting this.

1. REMOVING THE REAR SEAT CUSHION: There are NO tabs you can push on, pull on or pry with a crowbar--this might apply to earlier years, but not the 1995. The rear seat cushion is actually really, really easy to remove. Just work your fingers under the seat between the carpet and cushion and give a mighty yank. Even if you've been skipping the gym to work on your LS, you'll be able to get it out. Go around and yank up the other side, too.








They look like electrical connectors in the photo, but there are metal tabs that click into something in there. Just yank up and they pop out.

So now the back seat cushion is out. If you're doing shocks, like I am, the seat back has to come out, too. This is held in on the bottom with four 12mm bolts.





This is passenger side, bottom corner of the seat back. The bolt is out because I removed it before it occurred to me to start taking pictures.

They were hiding, but just pull the seat back up a little bit if you don't see anything at first. Make sure you bag all these things to avoid losing them while you do whatever project it is you have planned back there.

With the bottom bolts out, I thought maybe the top would just come out. It didn't. I pushed, pulled every which way--but not too hard, because I read a post by somebody on here that actually bent his seat (Can't remember who that was, but thanks!) It took my coffee-deficient brain a few minutes to figure out there were probably some bolts holding the top in, too. Do NOT do what I did and hunt around in the trunk for a way to access the bolts from behind. DO peel back flaps of leather seat to expose the bolt heads.





Here's the one in the middle. Drop the arm rest, pull back the leather, there it is.





Driver's side. Remove the headrest to expose the flap.

Some tutorials talk about removing the seat belt buckles, but I didn't find that necessary. Check this out:




Apply just a little pressure to the clipped side and these guides pop right open. Don't be an idiot like I did with the first one and attack it with a screwdriver. I broke it.

Undo the seatbelt clips and...





The seat rotates right off. The middle belt is still attached in this one, but I haven't found it necessary to actually remove the whole piece from the car, so I just left it on there. The less stuff I screw with, the less stuff I break.

Be seriously careful with those clips. They're plastic that's been baking in the sun for twenty years.

And the backseat is out. For my project, I needed to access the nuts on the rear shock tower, so...




This is the edge of the rear deck--or, for you old schoolers, the hat shelf. There's one on each side. I pried mine out with a needlenose pliers and didn't even break them.





Peel back the sound-deadening material/insulation. This is on the passenger side; that bolt hole is where one of the 12mm bolts threads in to hold the seat back.

And, at long last, the top of the shock tower.





Just like on the front, there are three nuts holding things together up top.

I think you're supposed to remove the rear deck for easier access to the back nuts, but I'm going to try to get a ratchet back there and do it without removing the deck. It seems like something I'd easily break. If you're doing speakers, etc, the deck may have to come out. I'm just not going to remove anything unless it's absolutely necessary.

All this took me about 2 hours, mostly because I didn't know what I was doing. All the fumes from my fuel filter change yesterday probably had something to do with this, but it'll probably take you less than half an hour. It's really easy if you know where to look for all the attachment points and don't lose your mind staring at a set of instructions for how to remove the rear seat in a 1990 or 1991. I also netted about $1.50 in loose change, along with a Canadian dime that's going to make me rich when the dollar plummets. It'd be a good time to get out the ol' Shop Vac.

This is my first time posting with pics. Good luck!

dicer

Great pics and write up. To remove any of the plastic type push in retainers I use a plastic pry bar it won't mar paint or dent or scratch anything either. Get them at harbor freight or other hardware stores.

UNCJD

I do need to get one of those. Got a Harbor Freight run coming up...gotta get that funny long wrench thing to help me attack the EGR tube.

brybo86

Thx for this, subscribed for future use

mappo

Thank you for the pics and write-up!

Tappy

Awesome pictures! Do you know how to remove the rear package tray entirely?