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Anyone with experience installing vinyl seat covers? #1561798
01/11/14 12:12 PM
01/11/14 12:12 PM
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,703
Mohnton, Pa
DodgeCharger Offline OP
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DodgeCharger  Offline OP
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Mohnton, Pa
I am installing a seat cover and it appears that the seat cover is to big for the seat foam. I guess the foam shrunk or compressed over the years. Is there a way to shrink the vinyl to get a tight wrinkle free fit? I think a heat gun will shrink it a little but I don't know how much? Are there any tricks to shrink it up like a shrink tube?
Thanks,

Re: Anyone with experience installing vinyl seat covers? [Re: DodgeCharger] #1561799
01/11/14 03:08 PM
01/11/14 03:08 PM
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 181
Stow,Ohio
RBSat66 Offline
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Posts: 181
Stow,Ohio
I have not had any experience with seat covers, but I wonder if you could cut a 1" piece of foam and glue it to the back and/or bottom of your seat foam to make it thicker and tighten up the vinyl covers? You could probably get the foam and adhesive from an Interior Shop.

Re: Anyone with experience installing vinyl seat covers? [Re: RBSat66] #1561800
01/11/14 03:42 PM
01/11/14 03:42 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 32,947
Grand Prairie,Texas
stumpy Offline
I Win
stumpy  Offline
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Posts: 32,947
Grand Prairie,Texas
Add foam don't try to shrink the cover. Cover is the right size but the foam has compressed over the years.

Re: Anyone with experience installing vinyl seat covers? [Re: stumpy] #1561801
01/11/14 05:47 PM
01/11/14 05:47 PM
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 338
Bellevue,Mich.
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Dodge33 Offline
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Dodge33  Offline
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Posts: 338
Bellevue,Mich.
is this a ledgendary cover? I got a set of cover from
them and they where made too big,sent them back and got
another set fit good. so if they are not somewhat snug
this may be it. just my 1 cent's worth.

Re: Anyone with experience installing vinyl seat covers? [Re: Dodge33] #1561802
01/11/14 06:24 PM
01/11/14 06:24 PM
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,703
Mohnton, Pa
DodgeCharger Offline OP
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DodgeCharger  Offline OP
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,703
Mohnton, Pa
No not legendary. I had problems in the past with them being to small.

Re: Anyone with experience installing vinyl seat covers? [Re: stumpy] #1561803
01/11/14 06:31 PM
01/11/14 06:31 PM
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 21,831
Kirkland, Washington
Pacnorthcuda Offline
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Posts: 21,831
Kirkland, Washington
Quote:

Add foam don't try to shrink the cover. Cover is the right size but the foam has compressed over the years.




Yep. And I would recommend getting new foam

Re: Anyone with experience installing vinyl seat covers? [Re: Pacnorthcuda] #1561804
01/11/14 07:01 PM
01/11/14 07:01 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 13,601
md
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mopars4ever Offline
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md
I have added foam before with good results. New foam for my car wasn`t available.

Re: Anyone with experience installing vinyl seat covers? [Re: mopars4ever] #1561805
01/11/14 10:25 PM
01/11/14 10:25 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,105
Horsham, Pa.
Finoke Offline
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Finoke  Offline
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Horsham, Pa.
Use new reproduction foam if available. I have reupholstered seats a half dozen times and found it looks best with new foam.

You can do a good job by adding foam but you have to play around with it a lot.

Buy hi density memory foam from your local sewing supply if you want to add where necessary.

Re: Anyone with experience installing vinyl seat covers? [Re: Finoke] #1561806
01/11/14 10:53 PM
01/11/14 10:53 PM
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 553
DE
Ply72rr Offline
mopar
Ply72rr  Offline
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 553
DE
Comfortable seats start with a good base. This seems to be lacking in many cars, which can only lead to one thing-duct tape! To beef up the seats, you must take them down to the bare frames. Then after inspecting the springs and making any repairs, stretch a piece af burlap (sagless burlap is best, but you can glue two pieces of regular together) across the springs. Pull tight and hog ring it to the outer wire frame or onto the springs. Keep it tight! If it is difficult to attach to the base due to it's design, you can sew or glue strong listing wires into the edges of the burlap and hang it like curtain rods from the springs, bridging across the gaps and use less hog rings. Then you glue your foam cushions onto this base. This keeps the springs from cutting into the foam. If your seats need some lift, glue a 1 inch thick layer of good foam between the burlap and your molded foam. You can also cover your molded foam with a layer of 1/4" to 1/2" thick foam to puff it up a little. Dacron on top helps with removing wrinkles in the covers. The magic trick is STEAM ! It puffs old, collapsed foam back up and makes the vinyl soften up and snuggle down into place when shot into the underside of the covers. We use industrial pressure steamers, but I've been wondering if these steam cleaners they sell on late night infomercials could work.

This was written by "Stitcher Bob" on c-body drydock.

Re: Anyone with experience installing vinyl seat covers? [Re: DodgeCharger] #1561807
01/12/14 11:52 PM
01/12/14 11:52 PM
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 69
Commack NY USA
2
2Red2LoudDodge Offline
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2Red2LoudDodge  Offline
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Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 69
Commack NY USA
I recovered my back seats with new covers. The local fabric store sold foam in whatever length you needed starting at 1/4, 1/2 and 1" thicknesses. I added 3/4" to the bench and 1/2" to the back. Spray glued the foam layers together and to the original seat foam. Warm sunny day and extra hands to hold the vinyl while I hog-ringed to the frame was a big help. As long as your base foam is good you can add a little more height as needed.







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