This installation guide is designed as a guide for fitting an Optimise Automotive single post headrest front seat cover kit.

Installing seat covers is very different to installing “nut & bolt” items. There is movement in the materials and as a result, seat covers need to be manipulated, pulled and installed through the fitters touch & feel.

We recommend taking your time, do not rush the process and double check alignment before cutting or glueing anything.

Your Kit - What’s Included:

• 2x replacement seat cushion covers

• 2x replacement seat squab covers

• 2x replacement headrest covers

Tools Needed (Recommended):

• Slot head screwdriver

• Phillips head screwdriver

• Pin hammer

• Contact spray adhesive (high temperature resistant)

• Sharp knife

• Staple gun and 6mm staples

• Staple remover

Preparation & Pre-Installation:

Our single post headrest front seat cover kits fit just like the original covers, so when you remove the original covers from your seats take a good look at how they are installed.

Remember to keep your original trim-clips, as you will be using them to install your new covers.

A handful of single post headrest front seat cushions (often very late models) are attached to the seat frames using plastic J section strips, around the edges underneath the seat. If your original covers are installed in this method you will need to purchase the additional trim-clip pack, to install your new seat covers.

Removal:

1. Before you start removing the covers, remove the tilt handle knob, it simply screws off, remove the cap from the centre of the side flaps using a slot-headed screwdriver (you will have one either side if you have early style reclining seats, with the fixed reclining handle) and (if you have the later style reclining seats, with the removable reclining handle) remove the reclining handle, using a Phillips head screwdriver.

2. Start by removing the squab cover. The squab cover is held in place using metal trim-clips, located underneath the seat frame, at the back (the first two layers are the squab cover). Turn the seat upside-down (so you can access underneath the frame) and remove the trim clips using a small slot-headed screwdriver.
   Alternatively, if your original single post headrest front seat cushion covers are held into place using plastic strips/fixings (along the rear, underneath the seat), turn the seat upside-down and using a slot head screwdriver, remove the strip.

3. Once the clips are removed turn the seat the right way around and remove the headrest. The stalk is held in using a retaining clip, reach inside the seat, with one hand squeeze the clip and with your other hand pull the headrest out.

4. With the headrest removed you can pull the cover off, over the top of the seat. Keep the clips to one side, to reuse.

5. You can now remove the cushion cover. It is held in place using metal trim-clips, located underneath all four sides of the frame. As before, turn the seat upside-down and remove the trim clips using a slot-headed screwdriver, once the clips are removed turn the seat the right way around and pull the border upwards (inside-out) level with the face.
   Alternatively, if your original single post headrest front seat cushion covers are held into place using plastic strips/fixings (along the front and sides, underneath the seat), turn the seat upside-down and using a slot head screwdriver, remove the strips.
   The final step is to remove the cushion cover face from the foam, depending on the age and/or style of your seat covers it could be glued to the face of the foam, so take care whilst removing the cover not to damage the foam. Alternately, your cushion face could be held in place via an internal fixing, that pulls the cover between the face and the seat diaphragm. To remove the fixing turn the seat upside-down and feed the black plastic piece through the diaphragm wires and through the slot in the foam, your can then remove your cushion cover. Keep the clips to one side, to reuse.

6. Finally, you can remove your old headrest covers, to do so remove the plastic cover from underneath using a Phillips head screwdriver and then remove the staples using a staple remover. With all fixings removed, remove the stalk from the foam and then remove the cover (it will pull off) from the foam.

7. At this stage, if you have a steamer, you may want to steam your foams. This will puff the foam back up to its original state, creating a better base for your new covers.

8. We would also recommend painting your seat frames legs with black metal paint (such as Hammerite), before installing your new covers.

Installation:

With the old covers removed, you can install your new seat cover kit and essentially, you are now going to reverse the process of removing your old covers, to install your new covers:

1. Start with the cushion cover. With the border inside-out, the first step is to either glue the cover to your foam, the cover aligns around the edge (the piping will line-up around the edge of your foam). Spray both the face of the foam and the backside of seat cover, wait for the spray glue to go touch dry (tacky) before glueing the items together.
   Please Note It is vitally important that you wait for the spray glue to go touch dry before attempting to stick the covers in place. If you do not wait for the glue to be touch dry the covers will not stick correctly.
   Or alternatively, if your foam has the slot for the pull through, feed the black plastic piece through the foam, turn the seat upside-down (so you can access underneath the diaphragm) and lock it into place by feeding it through the diaphragm wires.

2. With the face installed, feed the rear tab through the gap between the squab & cushion and also turn the border down, so it sits around the foam and frame of the seat.

3. Turn the seat upside-down (so you can access underneath the frame) and starting with the rear tab, attach the tab to the frame using the original metal trim-clips (you can push and/or hammer the clips on using a pin hammer), ensuring that you pull the tab nice and tight.

4. Then, starting in the middle of the front and working out around the frame, attach the border to the frame using the metal trim-clips, again ensuring that you pull the cover nice and tight. When you get to it, cut a hole in the cover (using a sharp knife) to feed the tilt pull handle through, double check you have lined it up correctly before cutting the hole. Also, if you have early style reclining seats, with the fixed reclining handle, you will need to cut a shape out in the border, to fit around the fixed handle.
   Alternatively, if your original single post headrest front seat cushion covers attached using the plastic strips, the new trim-clips (provided if you have purchased the additional trim-clip pack) replace the plastic strips.

5. You can now start to install the squab cover, first of all turn the seat the right way around and place a plastic bag over the seat back, this will help you to pull the cover fully down, into the correct position.

6. Before you install the cover, insert the plastic discs into the pockets on either side of the cover. You can then place the squab cover over the seat and pull it all the way down, so the shoulders of the seat are tight against the inside of the seat cover.

7. Reach inside and remove the plastic bag, by pulling it back over the seat, ensuring that the seat cover remains in place.

8. Feed the inside tab (at the bottom of the face panel) through the gap between the squab & cushion.

9. Turn the seat upside-down again (so you can access underneath the frame) and starting with the inside tab, attach the tab to the frame using the original metal trim-clips, ensuring that you pull the tab nice and tight. Repeat the process to install the rear of the cover, attach the tab to the frame using the metal trim-clips, again ensuring that you pull the tab nice and tight
   Alternatively, if your original single post headrest front seat cushion covers attached using the plastic strips, new trim-clips (provided if you have purchased the additional trim-clip pack) replace the plastic strip on the rear tab.

10. Finally, install the cap from the centre of the side flaps using a pin hammer (you will have one either side if you have early style reclining seats, with the fixed reclining handle) and (if you have the later style reclining seats, with the removable reclining handle) install the reclining handle, using a Phillips head screwdriver. Also reinstall the tilt handle knob, it simply screws on.

11. With the seat trimmed, you can now install your new headrest covers to the headrests. Place the foam inside the new cover and then insert the stalk to the foam. You can now staple the inside tab to the wooden block (which runs inside the body of the headrest stalk), before installing the plastic cover, using the original screws and a Phillips head screwdriver.

12. With your new seat covers installed, if you have a steamer, you may want to steam your covers as this will smooth out any imperfections.

Post-Installation:

With your new front seat cover kit now installed, you can reinstall your front seats to your Mini.