L-seat covers

[Bitsyncmaster]

They did not sew string into the seams in my seat covers. Should I put the hog ring clamps as in the photo or above the sew seam?

[jackb]

Pull the skins tight, then install the hog ring to keep it pulled it tight. If there is nothing running along the perimeter of the skin, I'd give the rings more material to "bite" onto to keep it from ripping off if it was just pinching the end of the skin. That said, you don't want the rings to be pulling too hard, because then that will cause them to tear from the skins being under too much force.

[Bitsyncmaster]

Thanks. I was wondering if they forgot to put the string in it. The OEM covers did have string sewn into those edges. I could stick some wire in those sections but that may be hard to do on the curved sections.

[painterdave72]

an upholstery shop and get some of the edge stuff. i believe most of it is plastic nowadays... if you dont put something in there that just puts a big strain on the material in that area.. i have done lots of interior jobs for many cars over the years and always use that stuff....

[Bitsyncmaster]

an upholstery shop and get some of the edge stuff. i believe most of it is plastic nowadays... if you dont put something in there that just puts a big strain on the material in that area.. i have done lots of interior jobs for many cars over the years and always use that stuff....

Do you know the technical name for that "edge stuff"?

[Bitsyncmaster]

I used some ty-wraps to see how the bottom edge flap needed to be clamped. The inside flap is no problem but the outside has a hard time because of the seat tilt mechanism. It's almost like I need to ty-wrap the middle section to keep it from pulling down. But that would maybe show the ty-wrap bulge when the rest of the cover is pulled tight. There is a trim piece that goes over most of that flap but it does not cover the seam area.

I tried feeding some 16 AWG copper buss wire into the seat seams where they need hog rings and could only get about 3 or 4 inches inserted. I thought of another idea is to stick a finishing nail into the seam at every place where it gets clamped. That is unless I can get that plastic clamp stuff.

Also, how did you all measure where to cut for the seat back tilt lever? The OEM seat covers the cut is 2.6 inches from the front seam but it looks like my front seams may not sit right where the OEM covers were. Right now I have that metal lever tilted back by lifting it so it would move off the slot.

[painterdave72]

i think its just called edging.. its usually a nylon rope type .. can u just take it out of your old seat skins??? i have done that on a few cars over the years if the new ones dont have it...

[Ron]

"Welting" or "piping".

I used stainless fence wire, with a bead glued on one end...

[Bitsyncmaster]

i think its just called edging.. its usually a nylon rope type .. can u just take it out of your old seat skins??? i have done that on a few cars over the years if the new ones dont have it...

Where they had metal rods, I reused, but the sewn in welting you can not remove and even if you could you could never get it in the finished stitched edges. I looked on the internet for that plastic edging and the only type I could find is the type you sew on.

[painterdave72]

you might just have to go to an upholstery shop and ask if they can sell u some....

[SS Spoiler]

I brought Ron Westers Gullwing Magazine with
the installing seat cover article to a local auto shop.
They said it really helped....

[Bitsyncmaster]

"Welting" or "piping".

I used stainless fence wire, with a bead glued on one end...

Thanks. With your idea I filed and sanding the end of my 16 AWG copper wire round and put a coat of car wax on the wire. I was able to install the wire even at the curved section. The sides do require more pull so I don't think doing it without any welting would not be good. I bet stainless wire probably 16 AWG size would be even stronger.

I also used a scalpel to cut away a little of the foam at the bottom so that corner piece would fit better. It worked very well on the side without the adjuster knob. Will have to see how well it works on that side.

Think I will run down to tractor supply and see if they have any stainless wire.

[Bitsyncmaster]

Went to Tractor supply and they did not have stainless but they did have galvanized steel fence wire in 17 or 14 gauge. I bought a roll of 14 gauge and will try that next chance I get. You really don't need stainless unless you get caught in a flood.

[Ron]

Went to Tractor supply and they did not have stainless but they did have galvanized steel fence wire in 17 or 14 gauge. I bought a roll of 14 gauge and will try that next chance I get. You really don't need stainless unless you get caught in a flood.lol...that will work.
FWIW, I wouldn't use copper...It doesn't like vibration.

Just in case- For long/tight curved runs, you can pinch the wire a few inches behind the bead and push the fabric past it. Then pinch the bead and work the slack on down.

[Bitsyncmaster]

lol...that will work.
FWIW, I wouldn't use copper...It doesn't like vibration.

Just in case- For long/tight curved runs, you can pinch the wire a few inches behind the bead and push the fabric past it. Then pinch the bead and work the slack on down.

The wire did slid in easy in the strait area. Now getting to run past bends is very tricky since it's so hard to bend. I think the fact it does not bend is why it slides in easy. I did sand the end but did not use any wax.

[Bitsyncmaster]

Well I don't know how others had done it but getting the bottom of the seat back cover to overlap with the lower flap looks impossible. The seat tilt mechanics just don't let that flap sit where it should. I'm down to trying one last thing and that is to cut the foam almost all out where the flap lays.

[Bitsyncmaster]

Here is a photo of the completed back L-seat cover with the original lower seat skin. That problem I was having with the lower corner I cut most of the foam under the corner away but I still may need to sew the flap to the rest of the skin. Right now the pressure of the foam is holding it in place.

[Bitsyncmaster]

I pulled the bottom old skin off. I assume I slip the old steel bars into the new skin but what do you use to make the six attachments that were plastic "pins" and push on washer clips. Not sure if the old washer clips will hold since a little damage when pulled off.

pulling these hog rings was easy. I used some heavy wire cutters to grab them and give a slight twist then the rings would just slip out.

[louielouie2000]

It's been 10+ years since I did this job... but I believe we used zip ties and metal washers to replace those plastic washer clips on the seat bottoms. See post #21 in this thread to see what I'm talking about:

http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?9823-How-To-Installing-DMCH-Leather-Seat-Covers-some-thoughts&p=208177&viewfull=1#post208177

[Bitsyncmaster]

It's been 10+ years since I did this job... but I believe we used zip ties and metal washers to replace those plastic washer clips on the seat bottoms. See post #21 in this thread to see what I'm talking about:

http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?9823-How-To-Installing-DMCH-Leather-Seat-Covers-some-thoughts&p=208177&viewfull=1#post208177

That is a great idea. Thanks.

[Bitsyncmaster]

lol...that will work.
FWIW, I wouldn't use copper...It doesn't like vibration.

Just in case- For long/tight curved runs, you can pinch the wire a few inches behind the bead and push the fabric past it. Then pinch the bead and work the slack on down.

Got the 14 gauge wire into the bottom seat cover. That job is pretty easy if you put the wire in before you put the cover on the seat. That way when you get to a curve you just hold the curve of the cover area straight, push in the wire and than bend it later. I straighten the wire bending it mostly straight, cut it a little longer than you need, lightly grind the sharp edge from the cut of one end then insert the wire. I bought a 200 foot spool and they have shorter and longer lengths but the larger spools will be less work to straighten.

This 14 gauge is probably way overkill. Maybe a plastic welt may be easier or 17 gauge steel wire.

[Totally 80s]

Would you buy these seat covers again or go for the better quality more expensive ones? I'm gonna need covers soon and I worry about all the extra work involved on the cheaper covers.

[FABombjoy]

Would you buy these seat covers again or go for the better quality more expensive ones? I'm gonna need covers soon and I worry about all the extra work involved on the cheaper covers.

These covers are like building a model kit. The end result is much more than just the assembly of it, but applying a critical eye throughout the process.

I posted some of my own experiences with the L-seat covers, along with a few modifications I had to make to the seat bottom so it would clear portions of the frame correctly:
http://dmctalk.org/showthread.php?17703-Lseat-com-seat-skins-covers-Review-notes-modifying-for-heat-ventilation

I've still only done one seat still but will be tackling the second seat soon.
Planned changes for seat #2:
-Resew the seat bottom pockets that hold the 2 metal bars that shape the bolsters. The bars sit too far down and you can't cinch the cover far enough down for my liking. Raising the bar closer to the leather should fix this.
-Pre-install shaped 1/2 round molding to the seat back "little neck roll" under the headrest. Your head & neck never touch that spot and I can't see any reason why it can't be solid. It bugs me when that feature isn't correct and it's very hard to get correct with new covers, even seemingly the "good" ones.
-Seat back leather needs to be pulled tight enough so that the piping sits slightly proud of the backer board, the side that faces the seat. The piping looks "lazy" once the backer is installed if the cover is squared up to the edge. I'll fix this one in-situ on the first seat since it's an easy job.

Anyway, back to Dave's experiences :)

[Bitsyncmaster]

Would you buy these seat covers again or go for the better quality more expensive ones? I'm gonna need covers soon and I worry about all the extra work involved on the cheaper covers.

It looks like L-seat copied the original covers with the exception of the back flap of the bottom seat it is sewn on and original was one piece. I compared the back cover where I had the fit problem with the original and the original looks like they cut a little of that flap on the side where the adjuster is. I plan to do the next seat a little different in that I will hog ring the bottom right after I do the head rest bars (those have to be done first) and pull it lower than I did on the first seat.

I'm not sure if anyone else had modified their covers to cure that problem I had. Or if others include welt inserts with their covers.

L-seat also includes the cover for the back board. It looks like the original those are stabled on so I'm not sure how I will do those. The staples would have to be very short since the board is very thin.

[painterdave72]

when i recovered my rear seat boards.. i just used shorter staples for my staple gun like they did.. works great..

[Bitsyncmaster]

Here is the same problem doing the seat around that adjuster. The seat covers are cut different than stock. Stock has that flap shorter but the L-seat that flap is long and I can't for the life of me find a way to get it to fit. There is a plastic cover around that area but this is a problem with the L-seat covers. Would be interesting to see how other vendors covers are fitting.

[Bitsyncmaster]

I found out why I had such a problem with those lower flaps. I was running them over the outside of the hinge but looking at the other seat with OEM cover, the flaps go inside the hinge. Now I have that large area of exposed foam. There is some exposed on the OEM covered seat but not as much as I have on the L-seat cover. It would be hard to see when the seats are in the car though. I found this doing the seat bottom which also runs those flaps inside the hinge. Those flaps don't get pulled much and you have to make some cuts in bottom skin to get them pulled.

Edit: photo how it came out fixed.

[Bitsyncmaster]

I feel much better about the L-seat covers now that I fixed my dumb mistake. Still have to hog ring the bottom which is looking to big (not stretched enough) at first.

[Bitsyncmaster]

Finished the bottom. There was not much pulling to get the hog rings on. Just a little pull at the back side (which I did first). None else where. Not sure if the covers were sewn a little smaller if the job would come out better (tighter) or if my foam had compressed over the years. I used the old plastic flat washers to hold the six ti-wraps. My ti-wraps would not hold if I pulled really hard and I put two of them on to help but that did not make the hold either. I put some hot glue on the end in hopes it helps. I used some freeze spray to speed up the hot glue setting.

The end flaps don't get hog ringed anywhere so you just make some cuts if a support "spring" is in the way and pull the flaps enough to look good.

[Bitsyncmaster]

Drivers seat is done and installed back in the car. Looks very nice. Working the tilt knob feel a little tight. I think the tightness of the nut that holds the knob on determines how easy or hard it is to turn. Also, should the seat belt rotate around the bolt? Not sure if I put that back in the way it came out. The passenger side does not rotate either but I did have that one out also before when I did my fuse box.

I just put the old back board back on for now but nothing is wrong with it anyway. I need to find some really short staples and the gun to use them.

I also need to order some more hog rings before I do the other seat. I had 200 but I think I have less then 100 to go.

One thing I found to help installing the hog rings was to give it a little bend before putting onto the skin and locking rod.

[Victor]

I just received my LSeat order too, in tan, but reading from the post, I choose to ask the upholstery shop to install them instead. They will do other parts as well so.

[Victor]

Because of all the useful information and details instructions, I decided to try installing L-Seat cover. 64480

[Victor]

Here is what a Delorean seat in tan color looks like. The stitching colour is ivory.

They were hard to put on the seat, even by adding leather conditioner ... and because it was the first time I tackle with upholstery thing. We learn all kind of stuff by owning such a car. And thanks to this community, it makes that possible.
Even if it’s not perfect.

[Bitsyncmaster]

My seat release back levers are pointed to the back. I thought that was stock but maybe not.

[Victor]

My seat release back levers are pointed to the back. I thought that was stock but maybe not.

No sorry, I think I installed it the wrong way.

There that is corrected.

Maybe the last two messages should be move to mod. However they contain L-Seat

[Bitsyncmaster]

I started recovering the passenger seat. This one seems to be more of a problem in that It takes much more work to stretch it. I had done the first one outside and temps were higher so that may be the difference since I doing this one inside. I'm using a lot of ty-wraps to help pull it.

I also would use a smaller hog ring in the headrest or ty-wraps may be better since that would pull it tighter. There is not much pull in that area. I did see my local hardware store had 3/4" and 1/2" hog rings and better looking hog ring pliers. The first seat bottom also was not very tight so I would use the smaller rings there also.

I may wait for another sunny hot day to finish that back part. What I do is pull with the ty-wraps then push the cover where it sits on the foam and pull the ty-wraps tighter.

Also on this one I did put one of those grocery plastic bags over the head rest and that really made it easy pulling the new skins over it. When it's on you just pull the bag to rip off any extra.

[Bitsyncmaster]

This second seat cover the ribs in the back section were to long. I guess someone messed up when they made the cover. The other set was fine. That is the sewn fabric with the plastic rib you hog ring through the slots in the foam.

You can check your by measuring the OEM cover and your new ones before starting but probably this was a one time error.

[Victor]

Ok thanks, I ´ll measure the passenger seat fabric. I do hope they are the same length. I have not started recovering the passenger seat yet, as my hands was hurting, and got blistered with all the effort of recovering the driver seat!

It is quite a task and I don’t have much the necessary tool and skill to do that. The backing should be easy with an electric stapler gun. But I am taking my time; I am probably going to start working on the other seat next week.

Have a pleasant weekend all, and take care.

[Bitsyncmaster]

Ok thanks, I ´ll measure the passenger seat fabric. I do hope they are the same length. I have not started recovering the passenger seat yet, as my hands was hurting, and got blistered with all the effort of recovering the driver seat!

It is quite a task and I don’t have much the necessary tool and skill to do that. The backing should be easy with an electric stapler gun. But I am taking my time; I am probably going to start working on the other seat next week.

Have a pleasant weekend all, and take care.

Agreed. Doing the covers is like doing isometric exercise do to the constant pulling and maneuvering to do the hog rings.

I did buy an air powered stapler and 3/16" staples and will see how that works on the back boards.

[Bitsyncmaster]

This is how much foam you need to cut off. Not that it matters because you don't see the shorter sides but I wonder if this is only a problem with the L-seat covers. You can't pull that edge down because there is nothing to attach to.

The 14 gauge fence wire works great. I put it in the top (back of head rest) after the cover was installed over the seat. You just make a small cut in one end. The back sides also were done after cover is on the foam. The small curve at the top was no problem bending the wire as you push it in.

The only major thing I guess with all the covers is making that cut for seat back release lever. It has to be done before you pull that side tight so you have to measure your best guess and make the cut before it's pulled tight.

[Bitsyncmaster]

This is how you measure where to make you cut. After finishing the other side so you know where the edge of the skin should sit, you use a tape measure to locate your cut location. Remember the lever is sitting at it's lowest point and the lever pulls up to the headrest so don't cut below the lever location.

[Bitsyncmaster]

Well I forgot to take into account for the foam getting compressed a little. So my cut at 3" from the edge should have been about 2.75". So remember that when your ready to make your cut.

Well that error shows a little. So maybe that cut should have been 2.5 ". Better to erorr on the short side since the lever points to the back. A little black electrical tape and you would only see it looking for it.

[Bitsyncmaster]

I measured it after the seat cover was installed and the bottom (side to seat) is 2 3/4" and the top edge of the steel latch is a little more at 2 7/8". The OEM cover the cut bottom screw hole is about 3 1/16". Don't know why there is a difference but these give you some numbers to start with.