Leather seats query

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FTO338
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Post by FTO338 »

payaya wrote:hey all i got my seat covers but they are a bit creased. How did you guys remove the creases?

I used an iron didnt work properly.
You just have to stretch them. I didn't use anything except elbow grease heehehehe
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sunraider
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Post by sunraider »

Kaz,

PM me your details for the whichever weekend you are free. I bring cable ties n what else?? Me n FTO617 will be over in a flash, because i know us dumbasses wont know where to start. I dont even know how to take off the seats in fear of screwing the whole thing up, and don't wanna even think about giving the fiance the job, because he's a nerd and knows nothing about cars.

Let me know when and where n I'll be there!

PS. How long did it take ya?
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Post by shue »

ok who else in melb got them? im kinda in need of some help to fit them :oops:
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FTO338
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Post by FTO338 »

Hey Shue, what you need help on??? Since you around the block from where I am, we can tee up a time & I can show you what to do.
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Post by shue »

hehe like everything, ive got the covers in my lounge room and i havent started anything yet coz im scarred i'll muck it up. what do i need to buy to start off? any weekend is good or im free this friday arvo too :D
Last edited by shue on Tue Aug 16, 2005 12:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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FTO338
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Post by FTO338 »

Check your PM
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kazbah
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Post by kazbah »

sunraider wrote:Kaz,

PM me your details for the whichever weekend you are free. I bring cable ties n what else?? Me n FTO617 will be over in a flash, because i know us dumbasses wont know where to start. I dont even know how to take off the seats in fear of screwing the whole thing up, and don't wanna even think about giving the fiance the job, because he's a nerd and knows nothing about cars.

Let me know when and where n I'll be there!

PS. How long did it take ya?
Ill PM u
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astroboi
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how to do it....lol

Post by astroboi »

hey i recieved my seat covers today..all the way @ perth...haha

Thanks, great job organising it...cheers!

however i am not near anyone that has also bought a set of these covers...can anyone post a detail DIY..or maybe some pictures to help while u guys are putting yours on...? also...what do we need...all i hear is cable ties and elbow grease...haha theres nothing else to it?

lemme know...i cannot wait to put the covers on...haha
regards....tommy
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Re: how to do it....lol

Post by OC »

astroboi wrote:hey i recieved my seat covers today..all the way @ perth...haha

Thanks, great job organising it...cheers!

however i am not near anyone that has also bought a set of these covers...can anyone post a detail DIY..or maybe some pictures to help while u guys are putting yours on...? also...what do we need...all i hear is cable ties and elbow grease...haha theres nothing else to it?

lemme know...i cannot wait to put the covers on...haha
regards....tommy
Yea I second this!!! :D :D
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Post by kazbah »

Ok the main components are a shite load of different size cable ties, wire (preferably not too strong or it wont bend), a leather hole punch (comes in very handy), tin snips or pliers, alen key to seperate the top half of the front seat from the bottom half, 14"socket to remove the top half of the back seat, a shite load of elbow grease and metal fingertips (relating to stretching the covers to fit) :D :wink:
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FTO338
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Post by FTO338 »

I guess everyone is different, I just use 300mmx4.8mm UV resistant cable tie for everything, they kind of medium length. They are flexible enough to work on smaller places, & you can join them for longer length for some places if require.

Remember plastic will harden & crack after a while so if you don't want it to snap off after a while, you better off getting the UV resistant one. As temperature inside a car can get up to 60-80 degree in a hot day. You probably need around 400 cable tie for both front & back seat, depends how many holes you going to put through & how you going to tie it.

I use a hobby knife to cut a small line on cover where I want to put through the cable tie, by putting a smaller opening, it will be much easier to stretch the cover, so you don't need to use much force, as the cable tie will stretch it for you.

Everything else is the same as what Kazbah said, get a tool box if you don't have one, its always handy to have a socket tool set.

Just in case you guys wondering how do I know about the front seat since I never brought the cover for it. Well I took all my seats out for doing audio system & replaced the front seats with Sparco (which you guys already know)
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astroboi
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putting these seats covers on..

Post by astroboi »

alright i had a go at putting these seats covers on myself yesterday and the day before...be prepared to spend at least arnd 8hrs if this is the first time u are doing it...it will take that long.. it really is quite easy once u get started..basically snip off the brown rings that hold your existing covers and replace them all with cable ties..and thats it!

some notes to remember though..

1 - the bottom of the front seats are a bit too small, so done go tightening the middle part of the seat too tight, or else u might not have much material left to go round the outside of the seats.

2 - there is a difference between the drivers side and the passenger sides!! where the seat belt holder is meant to go, there is actually a difference in size to allow for that, so the drivers side will have a bigger width to the right side of the cover, as for the bottom part of the seat, the bolsters/cushions on the sides are bigger on the right on the drivers seat as well...

3 - some of the sewing may not have been done properly where the ends of the material meets. This happened to mine at the corner of the back seat (bottom)..so watch out for this, when u are pulling it to stretch make sure that the stitching is done properly so u done go pulling off the whole stitch. i just used a cable tie to make sure the ends are done properly before i go stretching it over, that way it holds it in place. prevention is better than cure!

4 - a tip to the more picky FTO owners. while stretching and cable tieing the damn covers, if u want a nicer look, try cable tieing in line with the stitching, dat way it gives it a better stretched look along the stichting and thus looks more professional. just my 2cents..

also, for those who have not realised u need to make the holes for the seat belt holders urself as well as for the screw on the bottom of the seats to hold on. so 3 holes u have to make per seat....no more!!! haha this applies only to the front pair of seats...haha

hope this helps! if there is any more questions, please feel free to fire away..haha hope to help if posible...
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fto617
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Post by fto617 »

hey guys
what do u use to cut holes to let the cable ties in?
and how u make the screw hole in the coveres for the seatbelt guide?
and as for kazba
where did u get a leather hole puncher?
what does it look liek and how much it cost?
unfortunately i cannot attend kazbaz bbq &fitting session
so please someone post some pics of the process with instructions whenthey do it thanks:D
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Post by Bennoz »

what do u use to cut holes to let the cable ties in?
I just used a box cutter - made small slices with it
and how u make the screw hole in the coveres for the seatbelt guide?
same thing, used the cutter - but wait till the cover is properly on before u cut
and as for kazba
where did u get a leather hole puncher?
can be bought at any hardware store, wouldn't be any more than 20 bucks - its just another way of making holes - probably a tider way than my cutter
what does it look liek and how much it cost?
looks like a pair of pliers with a circular metal lug on the end of it
unfortunately i cannot attend kazbaz bbq &fitting session
so please someone post some pics of the process with instructions when they do it thanks:D

Also mate - have a look at Boris' piccys here - its a good blow-by-blow shot selection. Should give you a good idea

http://www.boryadesign.net/fto/my/seats/frontseats.zip
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fto617
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Post by fto617 »

hey bennoz
thanks for that
i thought abt using a knife
but i thought after i cut a hole
it would rip the leather through that spot in the future due to extra tear and wear applied onto the holes buy the cable ties...
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FTO338
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Post by FTO338 »

fto617 wrote:hey bennoz
thanks for that
i thought abt using a knife
but i thought after i cut a hole
it would rip the leather through that spot in the future due to extra tear and wear applied onto the holes buy the cable ties...
Hmmmm it sounds like you really need someone to show you, you won't rip the leather if you do it properly with wires. And as you can read & see from pictures we been posted, we all cut the "leather" in some form or way, & we didn't have a problem of ripping it. :wink:
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Post by kazbah »

fto617 wrote:hey bennoz
thanks for that
i thought abt using a knife
but i thought after i cut a hole
it would rip the leather through that spot in the future due to extra tear and wear applied onto the holes buy the cable ties...
I agree with Kev, the most important thing is thread the wire through the seat covers before you punch holes in them or else you will rip them and you will have just wasted $200+.

If you're still unsure just ask.. :wink:
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fto617
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Post by fto617 »

hey guys thanks all for the help!!!
today i took the courage and removed the bottom back seat
i removed all the rings attach to the old trim an dremoved the old trim
how do i make holes to slip the cable tie into the actual seat itself?
do i jsut use the holes prevously left by the metal rings?
how do i go about making new holes?
thanks :P :P :P
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Post by kazbah »

fto617 wrote:hey guys thanks all for the help!!!
today i took the courage and removed the bottom back seat
i removed all the rings attach to the old trim an dremoved the old trim
how do i make holes to slip the cable tie into the actual seat itself?
do i jsut use the holes prevously left by the metal rings?
how do i go about making new holes?
thanks :P :P :P
Ok first off, remove the metal from the old trim and insert it in the same place on the new trim, (centre of the seat) the new trim has a place for it. Insert wire around the outside of the new trim, again there is a pocket for it. Bend the end of the wire so it doesnt slip back through. Now punch a hole in the new trim behind the wire, ie so the wire it at the outer most edge of the pocket it is in and the hole is behind. This will stop the cable ties from ripping through the covers. Now thread the cable tie through the hole and attach it to the seat.

If you have any more questions just ask

Good luck
K
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fto617
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Post by fto617 »

ok
as i said previously i have NOWcompletely cliped off all the old rings
in the bottom back seat
i have notice that in the inner bit s there is some metal cables stuck into the seat through the trim
how do i go about removing these???
and also i have notice some cracks in the foam
what glue did u guys use to glue them back ?
where you buy and how much it cost?
thanks!!!
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