Replace cushion of seat?
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y=mx+b
New member
Check xtremewlr's 4runner build thread over on tacoma world, hes doing the seats in his 4runner with new leather covers and also replaced the front cushions, PN is in there. Looks like its 71501-35080
My daily driver 2003 4Runner Limited 4wd V8 | Page 9 | Tacoma World
Seat Cushion Pad - Toyota (71501-35080) | Toyota Parts
Berty_K
Member
Here ya go. HOW TO: Replace Drivers seat bottom Foam- PIC HEAVY
I did it myself. Tedious but 100% worth it. Back nolonger feels funky after long drives.
Make sure you have a good pair of snips for the metal clips/rings.
Terminator03
New member
Yep, I did it to mine since I was going to reupholster anyway, but once I got it apart I realized the my original cushion was actually in great condition, it was just the leather that was all jacked up. Since I spent the money, and had it all apart, I decided to replace it anyway, but kept the other one since it was still better than most I’ve seen. If anyone is interested, I still have it and will sell it reasonably. While it was apart, I also decided to get new seat heaters since the ones that I had originally weren’t working well.
xtremewlr
Member
That part number is for the driver side only.
The passenger side will be different since it has the air bag weight/pressure sensor in it and is not transferable to the new foam. It's actually molded into the seat foam.
This is the passenger side foam with the sensor coming out the back, the three flat cables.
The seat heaters are attached to the factory seat covers, or at least the factory leather ones. Those can be transferred over if replacing the seat covers.
y=mx+b
New member
That part number is for the driver side only.
The passenger side will be different since it has the air bag weight/pressure sensor in it and is not transferable to the new foam. It's actually molded into the seat foam.
This is the passenger side foam with the sensor coming out the back, the three flat cables.
The seat heaters are attached to the factory seat covers, or at least the factory leather ones. Those can be transferred over if replacing the seat covers.
Interesting, I didn't know the weight switch was in the actual seat foam itself, but I learn something new everyday! All of your pictures are great, definitely a great resource for anyone looking to swap the seat cushions and covers.
theladyviola
New member
I saw where a guy used a 1st gen Tundra seat foam because he could get it for less than $70. I know it fit the seat frame but not sure how the seat cover turned out going back in it. [emoji2370]
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Syr4RinNC
New member
thanks. the 3rd gen 4r cushions look thinner. I wonder if the tundra is thinner seats too
CAL_4R
Junior Member
This video (@6:55) suggests if you steam the foam it will come back to shape closer to original. I can't confirm since i replaced my foam when i did it. However, i don't see why you couldn't try this and/or add a layer or two of memory foam to the existing pad.
In any case this video was super helpful for me.
GX470 Leather Seat Cover Replacement and Issues - YouTube
DrivenKeys
New member
I've been looking at this option. You can get an ebay Tundra foam with a tan fake leather cover for about 80 bux. I've never sat in a Tundra, but it almost seems worth trying it, considering the only t4r option is the factory foam now going for about $250.
Perhaps a better compromise: the GX470 cushion looks similar to the 4runner, and the lower seat frame, controls, and plastic surround look the same when comparing recover videos. There are foams for that seat going for about $120, and covers around 30.
Can anybody share the differences between sitting in the Tundra seat, or the GX? If it's equally comfortable, I might just experiment with this option. I'm sure I'm not the only person interested.
Is there anyone who's tried this?
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DrivenKeys
New member
Well, I think I'll be the one to experiment here. After deeply studying some excellent Youtube videos, I strongly suspect the 4Runner and GX470 lower seat frame is identical. The GX seat is taller, but that appears to be the lower rails, which look to have taller feet. I could be wrong, but we're about to find out! Here are the videos, if you'd like to compare:
GX videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=ufsPW70zta_hVW7-&v=lPUhnkwc4hY&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=I9dsxQ79LoaHB9gM&v=LNqppLMU9Mo&feature=youtu.be
4Runner video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=KmVRxzrFuceTklXo&v=8eGyi5b2Zik&feature=youtu.be
I love that Youtube allows frame-by-frame viewing from pause (comma and period keys). That allowed me to really study the seat frame details.
I'm going to try the GX470 padding from US Auto Seat Cover:
For 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Lexus GX470 FOAM - Driver Bottom ONLY | usautoseatcover
And the real leather cover from Texan Auto Seat Cover:
2003-2009 Lexus GX470 Driver Side Bottom Leather Seat Cover Ivory Tan – Texan Auto Seat Cover
The foam is about $125 and the leather is about $170. So, it's about the same cost as getting the factory 4Runner foam (~$250) and the fake leather cover (~$45). For a real leather cover plus a foam that people say is more comfortable than Toyota's, I'm willing to give it a try. After all, I can return them if a test fit fails. Plus these products are actually USA made! Also, if you're ok with fake leather, that cuts about $120 off the final cost.
Wish me luck (and all of us with these dying seats). I'll post my progress, whether it works or not.
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NaijaRunner
New member
Use of GX470 padding from US Auto Seat Cover for 4th Gen 4Runner
Good day,
I wanted to check with you to see if using the GX470 padding worked as a solution for your T4R.
Please let me know, as I am considering the same option, but wanted to hear your feedback on how it went first.
Thank you,
-Jordan
Good day,
I wanted to check with you to see if using the GX470 padding worked as a solution for your T4R.
Please let me know, as I am considering the same option, but wanted to hear your feedback on how it went first.
Thank you,
-Jordan
AuSeeker
Elite Member
[MENTION=791977]DrivenKeys[/MENTION] , you said you would post if this worked or not, well what the verdict???
DrivenKeys
New member
Hi! Sorry to disappear, I wasn't sure anyone was actually paying attention.
YES, it does fit! And it seems just as comfortable as stock. I actually think the US Seat Cover brand GX foam could be more comfortable than stock, but I don't really know. The Texan Seat Cover brand leather cover is definitely better than stock, I wish they made 4Runner covers as well. I ended up replacing the rest with a cheap chinese set, but that lower seat cover is premium.
Both seat pads are very similar, and the GX foam and cover fit the 4runner frame just right, even down to the area with the controls. I didn't fully install the T4R cover, but I confirmed that the stock T4R cover will probably work just fine with the Lexus foam, except the center seam is too far off, preventing any attachment in the middle. So, you could probably use the original T4R cover with the GX foam using only the side attachments along the bolster seams.
When I compare both seat cushions side by side, the GX foam MIGHT have a tiny bit less foam under the knees. Then again, my 20 year old T4R foam is very abused, so it's hard to tell. Either way, I'm happy with the results.
I'll post some pics sometime soon. I ended up needing to completely remove my 4runner's entire interior to clean and disinfect everything, so it's become an upgrade project where I even designed a vented seat system.
I bought the truck in Sacramento (a very dry and hot place) from an outdoorsman who spent a decade offroad, sweating and hunting in it. In that arid climate, the 4Runner smelled just a bit like an old car. After two months in my humid area, it smelled so much like a monkey's jock strap I could barely sit in the car. At first, I thought it must just be the seats, which took actually soaking the foam in bleach/detergent solution to get right. However, once I started pulling interior parts, I found layers of dust covering almost every square inch, and after baking in the Sacramento sun for years, that dust had formed into a sort of mud that retained the nastiest smells of b.o., dog, and dead elk. Even surfaces that looked clean had to be disinfected several times to get the smell out of the plastics and paint. It was so pervasive I even replaced the headliner fabric with vinyl so it will never stink like this again.
So, lemons into lemonade, I'm upgrading everything, since I had to even remove the dash. Carpeting was exchanged for vinyl, and every single piece of jute padding has been replaced with closed cell foam that won't absorb smells. Around the end of the month, I'll hopefully post the progress and show off the seat upgrades. I'm pretty proud of the ventilation system I came up with, it's better than most factory versions.
YES, it does fit! And it seems just as comfortable as stock. I actually think the US Seat Cover brand GX foam could be more comfortable than stock, but I don't really know. The Texan Seat Cover brand leather cover is definitely better than stock, I wish they made 4Runner covers as well. I ended up replacing the rest with a cheap chinese set, but that lower seat cover is premium.
Both seat pads are very similar, and the GX foam and cover fit the 4runner frame just right, even down to the area with the controls. I didn't fully install the T4R cover, but I confirmed that the stock T4R cover will probably work just fine with the Lexus foam, except the center seam is too far off, preventing any attachment in the middle. So, you could probably use the original T4R cover with the GX foam using only the side attachments along the bolster seams.
When I compare both seat cushions side by side, the GX foam MIGHT have a tiny bit less foam under the knees. Then again, my 20 year old T4R foam is very abused, so it's hard to tell. Either way, I'm happy with the results.
I'll post some pics sometime soon. I ended up needing to completely remove my 4runner's entire interior to clean and disinfect everything, so it's become an upgrade project where I even designed a vented seat system.
I bought the truck in Sacramento (a very dry and hot place) from an outdoorsman who spent a decade offroad, sweating and hunting in it. In that arid climate, the 4Runner smelled just a bit like an old car. After two months in my humid area, it smelled so much like a monkey's jock strap I could barely sit in the car. At first, I thought it must just be the seats, which took actually soaking the foam in bleach/detergent solution to get right. However, once I started pulling interior parts, I found layers of dust covering almost every square inch, and after baking in the Sacramento sun for years, that dust had formed into a sort of mud that retained the nastiest smells of b.o., dog, and dead elk. Even surfaces that looked clean had to be disinfected several times to get the smell out of the plastics and paint. It was so pervasive I even replaced the headliner fabric with vinyl so it will never stink like this again.
So, lemons into lemonade, I'm upgrading everything, since I had to even remove the dash. Carpeting was exchanged for vinyl, and every single piece of jute padding has been replaced with closed cell foam that won't absorb smells. Around the end of the month, I'll hopefully post the progress and show off the seat upgrades. I'm pretty proud of the ventilation system I came up with, it's better than most factory versions.
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Tearing a Toyota Seat Apart to Replace a Cover | Toyota Seat Common Problems
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi298Jv8xYE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi298Jv8xYE
DrivenKeys
New member
Yes, this was actually the first video I watched on the subject. I love The Car Care Nut! I spent hours watching his videos prior to buying my T4R, and I still watch him now. He's a Toyota/Lexus genius, but also reviews other cars and discusses the industry in general.
