100 series wet okole front seat install (1 Viewer)

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Oct 21, 2017
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Location
Durham, NC
I picked up a set for the front seats on the black friday deal and they showed up in about 2 weeks (sooner than expected). I looked around a good bit and found enough helpful tips to get the install done but figured maybe others would find an easier time with it all laid out. The install was done on a 2001 LX--not sure whether all of this applies to the LC or for all years.

I eventually read that removing the front seats is the way to go. Had I just started off doing this, it would have been much faster.

You will need only the following: 14mm socket (I used a 14mm ratcheting wrench too), a trim tool, something to cut a zip tie with, and maybe a screwdriver. You will want a couple zip ties too.

The seats are attached by 4 14mm bolts. To remove seats, start by popping the trim covers that cover the bolts. As usual, be careful and take your time. Easiest do move seat all the way back to access the front, then all the way forward to get at the rear.

I've circled the location of the 4 clips that hold the trim in place. The pattern is the same for all except the inboard front trim which lacks the inner front clip.

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Here is the back side so you know where you're going. Yes, I cleaned it up.
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After you've removed the trim, just remove the 4 bolts using your socket wrench. Make sure you recenter the seat on the rails before you do the next step. This makes it easier to get the seat out of the car and reduces chances you gouge something with the rails on the way out.

Just tip the seat back and find the weird zip tie like thing holding the wires in place and carefully cut it. You don't need to mess with the other tie that is holding the wire in a hairpin.
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Next, just unhook the harness. The button is on the top. You don't need to mess with any of the others.
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Now you've got your seats free. Take them out and take this chance to clean beneath them. I found all kinds of weird stuff.
 
You're ready to put the actual covers on now. Remove the head rests. Then put on the seat back cover first. It's self explanatory and easy enough, but you do need to give some firm tugs to get the velcro to meet at the bottom. Next you need to put on the bottoms--this is the part that for me required removal of the seats.

Just push the rearmost straps between the seat back and the bottom. You'll want to guide them so as not to put pressure on any of the wires on the underside when you cinch them down. Here is how I did it.
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Now you get to do the single strap that goes around the sides. You need to remove the buckle so that you are dealing with only the lashing. Now just squeeze the lashing between the leather and under the plastic trim. It's a tight fit but just keep milking it in there and you'll find it on the inside and be able to put things back together. If you can't get it through, there are 4 screws that help secure the trim which can be loosened to give you a bit more space (one in the way back, one in the way front and two kind in the middle). I did not need to do this.
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Finally, replace the buckle and connect, cinching things down nice and snug. Here is how I ended up.
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You'll want to tuck the bottom of the covers into the crack between the leather and the plastic trim. See above about screws if you need more space. The hard stuff is over.

Now pop on the head rest cover. Easy. For the arm rests, the hole on the inside was not large enough and I had to trim a small amount to give me space--you don't need much but I absolutely had to do it to make it work. Here's what I trimmed.
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Now put your seats back in the car. You'll need those zip ties now to re-secure the wires where you cut them free before. You pull the old tie out and reuse the little slot it came from.
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Now enjoy your covers. Will post back with my impressions and the degree to which I experience swamp ass.

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Nice write up.

I've been debating some covers for my front seats, and think the wet okole are the best looking. The swamp ass has so far been a deterrent. Interested in your experience with that, and with how well the light color holds up to dinginess.
 
Nice write up.

I've been debating some covers for my front seats, and think the wet okole are the best looking. The swamp ass has so far been a deterrent. Interested in your experience with that, and with how well the light color holds up to dinginess.

Will definitely report back. The color is not as light as it looks--I think the LEDs in the truck and the one on my headlamp which I was wearing for seeing under the seat washed out the colors a lot. It is their "tan"--much closer to the leather and trim color than it looks in that picture. That said, if I did it again, I'd give more thought to trying to match the darker of the two interior colors as I bet it will hide messes better. Between winter MTBing, the dogs and trails it'll see some dirt so we'll see how easily it cleans up.
 
Ok I see what you mean. They looked almost white in the picture.

These are meant to be machine washable, right? Anyone who's had them for a while able to comment on colorfastness over time? And how well do they hold stains?
 
Ok I see what you mean. They looked almost white in the picture.

These are meant to be machine washable, right? Anyone who's had them for a while able to comment on colorfastness over time? And how well do they hold stains?

I'll take a better picture for posterity tomorrow. The instructions that come with them suggest a cleaner that is sold by Wet Okole which supposedly does a nice job of cleaning them up in place. I've heard they clean up quite well and hold color too but I'm interested in any tips from those who have had them a while.
 
Nice write up. That would have made my install go a lot faster :)

I don't really notice any more swamp ass than I did with the leather.
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I have a set in my 80 and love them. Hate cloth due to wear and ability to hold dirt and dust making them feel grungy. Not a huge fan of leather for cold dealing in the winter. No mater how much dust piles up on my dash. Seats feel great heat or cold. My 100 is still oem leather. Summer swamp ass is similar in both.

Who’s doing the first a/c seat swap???? Wonder if that style seat with a fan just to circulate air would do anything.... just something to think about while in your turkey coma.
 
I had Wet okole's in my 95 4runner for several years here in the hot humid south and swamp butt was never an issue for me. Now that my leather is actually splitting open on my 98 LC I'm going to recover with WO's.
 
Ok I see what you mean. They looked almost white in the picture.

These are meant to be machine washable, right? Anyone who's had them for a while able to comment on colorfastness over time? And how well do they hold stains?

I don't know about machine washable, they would be a pain to take off regardless. They make a wet suit cleaner to use on them. The color will hold over time, I think we have over 3 years on the one on the GX. They will stain, but I have not tried to clean the stains out so can't comment on that. They are definitely top quality though.
 
Ditto. It's a very good match for the tan trim on the base of the seat.

I've got a pair of front covers sitting in my cart on their site. Tan looks like what @87warrior has, plus I added taupe piping which should match the dark color inside. They're doing 15% off right now... It's tempting.
 
Ditto. It's a very good match for the tan trim on the base of the seat.

I've got a pair of front covers sitting in my cart on their site. Tan looks like what @87warrior has, plus I added taupe piping which should match the dark color inside. They're doing 15% off right now... It's tempting.
@Alibaster did the opposite - taupe seating and tan piping. Said they recommended it because the tan shows dirt.

I'm trying to decide between Wet Okole's and a replacement leather seat bottom. Most of my leather is in pretty decent condition (for a 98) but the driver side is ripped. I can't make up my mind.
 
@Alibaster did the opposite - taupe seating and tan piping. Said they recommended it because the tan shows dirt.

I'm trying to decide between Wet Okole's and a replacement leather seat bottom. Most of my leather is in pretty decent condition (for a 98) but the driver side is ripped. I can't make up my mind.
Same boat. All of my leather is great except the drivers seat bottom. I just hate to recover one or both front seats and they not match the back, which are pretty much perfect. I actually really dig the taupe color shown earlier; sort of reminiscent of the King Ranch trucks.
 
Mine are tan with tan piping. Not very exciting. I wish I had called and tried to order the taupe with tan inner color.
 

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