Options for Vinyl Fix on Seat

[Maritimer]

I have leather seats and the vinyl on the right of the driver's seat is shot. I don't know what to do. The seats are heated, so I'm not sure a cover will work out well.

1) Cut and sew myself.
2) Replace cushion. (Not sure how to move heater.)
3) Sheepskin cover. (You heard me. But, hesitant about heaters.)

I don't want to use vinyl repair kits, and there is no upholstery shop around here.

 

[TheDurk]

I have leather seats and the vinyl on the right of the driver's seat is shot. I don't know what to do. The seats are heated, so I'm not sure a cover will work out well.

1) Cut and sew myself.
2) Replace cushion. (Not sure how to move heater.)
3) Sheepskin cover. (You heard me. But, hesitant about heaters.)

I don't want to use vinyl repair kits, and there is no upholstery shop around here.

Are you sure you don't mean the left (outboard) side? If so, there is a way (for 3G's at least) to swap just the lower cushion with the passenger side so the left side is then the inboard against the console. Search the 3G forum.

 

[Maritimer]

Of course I mean left. Doh! I'm slow that way sometimes. Maybe I'll repair the vinyl so that it is stable and then do the swap.

 

[Ron Helmuth]

just ran into this issue myself. For the labor expended to remove the seat covers and swap them around you may as well just fix the issue. Meaning that vinyl panel is removed and replaced. Not a bad idea to even out the wear between the front seats, but my experts claim the juice is not worth the squeeze expended.

If you want to go more durable than find leather to match or contrast. Given your temperature extremes Maritimer this is likely to happen once again if you go with vinyl. Even if you swap the passenger side seat cover over there is no guarantee this will not crack over time anyways.

So it comes down to a sewing issue. If you have no one nearby that does such work then you'll have to learn to do it yourself or coerce someone to do it.

My guess is that you'll just learn to live with it until you visit a nearby big city with an upholstery operation.

I know an excellent place here in Denver that did this for me for $175. Big city prices to be sure -give you an excuse to come to the Rockies.

Got craigslist? run an ad to see if anyone has such skills near you. This is just like a furniture repair if you see my point...be sure you want them messing with your nice leather seats...

 

[Maritimer]

If you want to go more durable than find leather to match or contrast. Given your temperature extremes Maritimer this is likely to happen once again if you go with vinyl. Even if you swap the passenger side seat cover over there is no guarantee this will not crack over time anyways.

So it comes down to a sewing issue. If you have no one nearby that does such work then you'll have to learn to do it yourself or coerce someone to do it.

My guess is that you'll just learn to live with it until you visit a nearby big city with an upholstery operation.

Leather would make me happy, so I guess I'll be a little patient and see what they offer in Halifax.

 

[Ron Helmuth]

a darker (brown) leather would be a nice compliment say to the woodgrain of the dash-but if you decide just to match to existing vinyl color my guy can sell me the material alone.

 

[Maritimer]

a darker (brown) leather would be a nice compliment say to the woodgrain of the dash-but if you decide just to match to existing vinyl color my guy can sell me the material alone.

I'm so tempted to find an old dark brown suede jacket and sew it myself. That would be so much fun for me, surprisingly. If I take my time it would be a nice looking and durable fix (satisfying).

 

[Maritimer]

OK, I ignored the better advice here and currently have two disassembled seats sitting inside my 4Runner. It's a PITA to take the seat covers off, but very simple mechanically. Too bad the passenger seat has that extra sensor, otherwise a cushion swap would've been so fast. I know what I'm doing tomorrow. Glad I don't have to drive anywhere. :ybrick:

 

[Maritimer]

Update is that things went well. Although the swap took a long time, I found it was worth it. I got to WD-40 where the seats were bolted in, and clean out and solidly re-install the covers, cushions, etc. Got to vacuum under the seats really well, too.

The saving grace is that I have fresh vinyl where it was ripped on the driver's side, and although the vinyl glue sucked, my wife is amazing at sewing, and put in a cloth panel on the inner side of the passenger seat where the rip ended up and where the vinyl was. She used canvas, and fishing line for thread. Love her for making my fix work.

 

[Ron Helmuth]

congrats

eager to see pics! glad to hear you could get it done on your own

 

[Maritimer]

I'll get some pics of the fix--unfortunately I didn't photo doc the whole process. Just a warning for purists--the cloth is not a matching color; it's close, but I'm totally a function over form guy, and this is solid and working. The best thing is the fresh vinyl on the driver's side, which I'm already planning on how to fix when it goes. I'm gonna start looking for some matching canvas right now.

 

[Maritimer]

We've got the vinyl I gave up on and cut out.

The view of how things look with the swap and the repair done.

Stitching close-up.

Chair forward close-up. You'd have to have your head under the steering wheel to see it like this. Mostly smooth without much wrinkling. Considering coloring the fabric while it's on there.

Fire-extinguisher mounted. No sag after three weeks, so the plastic panel piece supports it fully.

Bolt with nut inside panel, foam to take care of the curve, bolt with nut inside panel.

My $35 box and bungee set-up. Got my extra fluids and soon those boxes will have winter survival kits in them.

Salamander's throne. My SR5 is named salamander because I found this little plastic guy under the front seats, wedged in out of view and in safety when I cleaned the car out after buying it. Muck, water, rocks... highways and city streets... he gets us home safe every time.