Recovering the seats

[elgyqc]

Originally Posted by LoneWolfGal

Grant, how did you stretch the leather enough to wrap it so far around the edge of the plastic seat base? Looks like your covers have a whole lot more slack (or leather) than mine. And how did you fasten it after wrapping it around — staples?

As Stiglitz sait it is a PITA. If I remember correctly it was the most difficult part of the installation. I was forced to get my girlfriend to help me. As I said in my thread...

"We started at the back on one side and worked our way around to the other side. The toughest part was the front and the secret was for one of us to push in the front of the foam to give some slack while the other rolled the the bead into place."

I think the important part is to compress the foam as much as possible by leaning on the cushion.

While I am making suggestions...
The biggest problem that I have with the covers is that the bead in the back of the seat was difficult to get seated and has tended to pull out of its channel. Both my seats are like this now and I have not had the time reseat them.



It is not only Lseat that has this problem, my friend Tony's 2000 Boxster has the same thing with his original Porsche leather seats.

You can perhaps see in the photo that I inserted a wire staple at the very top to hold the bead in place (This was done with the seat out of the car and before the seat back insert was installed). If I was to do it over again I would put staples or screws in a couple of strategic places to hold the bead in place.

[LoneWolfGal]

Originally Posted by elgyqc

As Stiglitz sait it is a PITA. If I remember correctly it was the most difficult part of the installation. I was forced to get my girlfriend to help me. As I said in my thread...

"We started at the back on one side and worked our way around to the other side. The toughest part was the front and the secret was for one of us to push in the front of the foam to give some slack while the other rolled the the bead into place."

I think the important part is to compress the foam as much as possible by leaning on the cushion.
.
.
You can perhaps see in the photo that I inserted a wire staple at the very top to hold the bead in place (This was done with the seat out of the car and before the seat back insert was installed). If I was to do it over again I would put staples or screws in a couple of strategic places to hold the bead in place.

Thanks, Grant. I was crossing my fingers you wouldn't tell me it was just a matter of reefing on the leather to stretch it over the edge. Since that's the case, I've prevailed upon a couple friends of mine with big, strong hands to assist me in that endeavor. And perhaps applying some heat (again, judiciously) will help. I have a heavy-duty stapler I can press into service. However, I doubt the staples will penetrate the seat base's plastic. Seems to me, though, that Lseat is a little stingy with the leather. Wish they'd made the bottom edge on mine a bit longer.

Another question: Is the appearance and texture of the leather on your covers more like vinyl than leather? The grain of the leather on mine is absolutely uniform, with no variation whatsoever. Furthermore, the texture gives the leather a matte appearance; most leather seats I've seen are smoother. I was so suspicious I emailed Lseat and asked them if perhaps they had used vinyl by mistake, but they assured me it's leather, except for certain side sections, like the factory covers.

I'll tell you this, I'd much rather replace an IMS bearing than reupholster these seats. It would be easier by far. To achieve a decent result, I'd give it an eight or nine on the PITA scale.

[LoneWolfGal]

Work stoppage due to extremely sore fingertips from seating plastic edging into the hooks deep in the seat's foam. But I have a solution for that:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008MY3VU2

Liquid Callus is chiefly used by guitar players, but it should be standard equipment for installing Lseat leather covers. The installation takes a toll on one's hands in general and fingers in particular. My Liquid Callus won't be here until Saturday, but I have plenty of other things to do in the meantime.

[elgyqc]

Originally Posted by LoneWolfGal

Thanks, Grant. I was crossing my fingers you wouldn't tell me it was just a matter of reefing on the leather to stretch it over the edge. Since that's the case, I've prevailed upon a couple friends of mine with big, strong hands to assist me in that endeavor.

That's what you need!

Originally Posted by LoneWolfGal

Another question: Is the appearance and texture of the leather on your covers more like vinyl than leather? The grain of the leather on mine is absolutely uniform, with no variation whatsoever. Furthermore, the texture gives the leather a matte appearance; most leather seats I've seen are smoother...

Your description is accurate, but I look at the back of the material, where it is obvious what is vinyl or leather. Perhaps they use a leather that has the pattern embossed on it? When I studied my original Porsche skins I found that the cushion sides where vinyl and the tops where leather. I think the vinyl is stretchier which would help explain why the Lseat skins are harder to install.

[LoneWolfGal]

Originally Posted by elgyqc

Your description is accurate, but I look at the back of the material, where it is obvious what is vinyl or leather.

Yeah, I guess it's leather, all right. But it sure looks and feels like vinyl.