Ghetto Headrest and Dead Pedal Improvement

[sspeedracer]

Federal head restraint standards changed a few years ago and now many cars have a non-adjustable forward leaning head rest. This along with poor lumbar support results in an uncomfortable seating position.

Removed the headrest, secured one support bar in table mounted Vice and leaned into the pad with my chest while pulling the free support bar. Switched bars and repeated. Vastly more comfortable. Before/passenger side and after/driver side comparison:

Chevy decided to place the dead pedal significantly closer to the driver than the accelerator pedal. WTF Chevy, is this mismatch left over from Daewoo Spark ICE? I removed the plastic cover/kick panel, pulled the carpet back, yanked out the foam dead pedal and returned carpet and panel back. The carpet is formed, but will easily compress 2" further when you rest your left foot. Not bad for a free upgrade.

 

[blownb310]

Nice! I like both adjustments. Thanks for sharing them with us.

 

[buickanddeere]

X2 here.
I can't stand those miserable head rests designed by some :x :evil: :twisted: sadist that shoves my head forward and my chin onto my chest while driving.
I have the seat back semi reclined on the Terrain to get the **^%^&*(*(&& head rest out of the way.

 

[CSW]

So did you bend the bars while they were still in the headrest? Or did you pull them out and reverse them? Or did you turn them around while they were in the headset?

 

[Pawl]

So did you bend the bars while they were still in the headrest? Or did you pull them out and reverse them? Or did you turn them around while they were in the headset?

He wrote that he removed it and placed in vice, one post at a time. My question is, how do you get the things out? Ive tried pressing the release button, but haven't been able to lift it out (not that I've looked too closely at it). Is there some trick to it, or is it just brute force that will get it out? I to find the angle more than annoying. I like my seat positioned upright, and so the headrest then points my head downward if I sit back into the seat. I swear, comparing the before and after in your pic makes the one look like an implement of torture.

Not sure what you mean by ghetto headrest(?).

 

[CSW]

I understand that, but is he simply rotating the post while they are still in the headrest or is he pulling them out and reversing them somehow? Just pull out the headrests dude, simple, there are little buttons where the headrest meets the seat you gotta push in while you are pulling it out.

 

[sspeedracer]

So did you bend the bars while they were still in the headrest? Or did you pull them out and reverse them? Or did you turn them around while they were in the headset?

He wrote that he removed it and placed in vice, one post at a time. My question is, how do you get the things out? Ive tried pressing the release button, but haven't been able to lift it out (not that I've looked too closely at it). Is there some trick to it, or is it just brute force that will get it out? I to find the angle more than annoying. I like my seat positioned upright, and so the headrest then points my head downward if I sit back into the seat. I swear, comparing the before and after in your pic makes the one look like an implement of torture.

Not sure what you mean by ghetto headrest(?).

It is torture. And a pathetic design to get around DOT standards.

Remove the headrest from the seat entirely. There is a release button/indent on the driver side post of each seat. Push this in entirely and the head rest can be completely lifted up and out.

Wrap one post in cloth to protect it from vice clamp teeth, or don't. Clamp on to the upper most section of post, just before the post enters to the head rest. This is where you want to bend the post.

Bending the post takes some decent amount of strength. Not everyone will be able to do it, few will be able to bend both posts simultaneously. Worst case, take the car (or head rest) to an independent mechanic, show him the pictures, and pay him to bend it.

"Ghetto" because it costs nothing, takes little cognitive ability and snob would never modify his car in such a way. Connotation attached to "DIY" implies this modification may require skill.

 

[CSW]

So just bend the straight. Got it. No rotating.

 

[nikwax]

Nice job with the headrests!


My Outback was like that, I simply turned them around and they worked fine. I like yours better though.

 

[sTeeve]

This will do for now:

Yes, those are the rear headrests. I usually have the backseat folded down (hell, I may even remove it to make more room for, um, stuff...like another battery pack, or...), and the headrests are usually in the rear footwells.

However, one day, just before I went on a road trip Atlanta - Charleston, I was looking at the headrests sitting in the footwell and it dawned on me: "wouldn't they fit in the front seats?"

Yep, and they're just that much better than the front headrests. Not perfect, but not in the way as much (except for maybe a helmet when AutoX-ing).

:mrgreen:

-Bob K.

 

[Nashco]

When autocrossing, I flip the headrest around. We're required to have the headrest in, and that way I have plenty of helmet room.

Bryce

 

[NORTON]

Both you guys are awesome!!

Thanks for the DIY/ghetto mods!

 

[Kaitsuni]

Chevy decided to place the dead pedal significantly closer to the driver than the accelerator pedal. WTF Chevy, is this mismatch left over from Daewoo Spark ICE? I removed the plastic cover/kick panel, pulled the carpet back, yanked out the foam dead pedal and returned carpet and panel back. The carpet is formed, but will easily compress 2" further when you rest your left foot. Not bad for a free upgrade.

I tried the pedal suggestion. Yes, it will create a couple of inches of extra space, but there is no firm surface to put your foot on and I did not like to mushy feeling under my foot. Not recommended.

 

[genosensor]

First "upgrade" I did with my 2014 Spark EV was to replace the front headrests
with leather A4 series VW Jetta rear head rests.
$50 (leather!) from ebay.

The look good and "drop in" with no bending.
However, you'll need to cut down the posts of the VW headrests if you are shorter than 5' 8".

Typical nanny state logic.
The compliant headrests are so awful they cause neck and back pain.

 

[CSW]

What year(s) Jetta is A4?

 

[nikwax]

What year(s) Jetta is A4?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Jetta#Fourth_generation_.28A4.2C_Typ_1J.3B_1999.E2.80.932006.29

 

[CSW]

copy. thanks.

 

[NORTON]

I changed the angle of my stock driver's side headrest on friday.
I carefully bent the metal tubes maybe 3-5°, resulting in moving the top of the headrest aft about 1.5-2".
This is so much more comfortable!

Flipping the headrest facing aft is not the way to go. Whiplash is possible, imho.

I used a big plastic 'dead-blow' mallet, a sturdy vice and a small piece of thick aluminum angle material, blended to not kink the bend.
I'll post a pic of the piece of aluminum tomorrow and a pic of the before and after showing the both seats, modded and stock.

 

[nikwax]

I changed the angle of my stock driver's side headrest on friday.
I carefully bent the metal tubes maybe 3-5°, resulting in moving the top of the headrest aft about 1.5-2".
This is so much more comfortable!

Flipping the headrest facing aft is not the way to go. Whiplash is possible, imho.

I used a big plastic 'dead-blow' mallet, a sturdy vice and a small piece of thick aluminum angle material, blended to not kink the bend.
I'll post a pic of the piece of aluminum tomorrow and a pic of the before and after showing the both seats, modded and stock.

I agree that turning the headrest around is sub-optimal and whiplash a possibility. I spent five years recovering from a whiplash, and believe me, you do not want one.


Looking forward to your photos.

 

[NORTON]

Here's the 'mandrel' bending tool and the Implement of Destruction used to slightly change the angle of the headrests. (you didn't read about it here, ymmv)


Another view:


This tool could be made with a flat and round file. I used a belt sander and a cone rotary file in a high speed.
I chucked the headrest upside down in a big vice, with the rod sticking up. I used a piece of thin aluminum on the other jaw to avoid leaving marks on the headrest rod.
Even with the 1.5 lb Dead Blow hammer it took some aggression. That rod material is strong! One side at a time. Give it a slight angle and test it. It doesn't take much.
Don't brag about your handy work... Lawyers are everywhere....