Davenlei

iTrader: (1)

Are there any step by step instructions on how to replace the drivers side seat bottom leather? My stock one finally has a hole in it and I bought the new leather part for the seat bottom (where your butt goes), but don't want to tear the seat all the way apart if not needed. Has someone done this and is there a guide to do it?

cr4west

You MUST remove the seat. Plan to spend a Saturday on it all told. Unhook the battery first because there is an air bag in the seat. The plastic seat surrounds are held in by screws from the bottom so there is no way to work on it in place. The perimeter of the bottom seat skin is a easily removed plastic reverse channel. Be careful of the cables and connectors for the seat heater and air bag. The center attachments for the seat skin are hog rings buried deep in the foam holding reinforcement cross wires in a pocket seam. Most new seat skins do away with this system and simply provide a thick plastic spline or rib along the seam to pierce with the hog ring. You do not need new hog rings. I had no success using hog ring pliers due to the deep foam and found a medium needle nose pliers and a regular pliers to hold the ring steady were most effective. Only open up the hog ring about 1/4" to slip out the old wire reinforcement wire. Leave the hog ring in it's original position with opening facing up to slip in the new seat skin spine. Carefully remove the stitching holding seat heater mat from the seat skin. Use a light coating of 3M spray adhesive to attach it to the new seat skin. Reassemble seat. This is a great time to clean and lube (white lithium) the power seat track especially on the drivers side that gets a lot of use.