My LSEAT leather seat experience and install directions

[asutherland]

As a few others have sprinkled into this thread, don't expect any longevity with the lseat leather. I'm at 4 years and about 20k miles on mine, and now have several wear/tear areas in the driver seat bottom. This with semi-regular care and treatment of the leather.
All the "just installed" pics are great but just know that you will be doing the work again soon....

Agreed... I now have multiple tears on my driver's seat, including some zero wear locations (like my headrest??)

I've updated my first post.

 

[1stchair]

For those who have had issues with the LSeat material coming apart some time after install, did you purchase the “full leather” option or just order the standard?

I have a set of Recaro LX seats I am considering reupholstering and using in my 60 (leather on the bolsters and reusing striped oem material on the centers), and I noticed a few comments on lseat.com about paying extra for the full leather option.

Seems the standard covers they offer use vinyl (of low quality) on all but the main seat surface, and the wear/degradation you’re experiencing is on those secondary surfaces (headrest, upper and lower sides, rear of seat back).

LSeat full leather option

Related, I also noticed a comment that piping isn’t real leather, even with the full leather option purchased. Choosing to have piping on your seats may open that area up to accelerated wear since it’d be the same crappy vinyl.

 

[asutherland]

Mine are full leather, and no piping.

Andrew

 

[SmokingRocks]

I've redone both of my e-30 seats with LSeat's skins. The tan seats held up nicely over time, the black seat is new as of last week so we will see. They did do my custom diamond pattern and layout which was super nice. Also they are making a rear set for me for material cost only because they haven't patterned an e30 tourings folding rear seats yet which is super awesome of them. For the cost its super worth it, and it's really not that hard of a job to do, just tedious.

 

[Kwikvette]

Seeing many of these pics disappoints me.

I installed new LSeat leathers in the rear at the same time I replaced my driver seat with a Sparco just over 10 months ago.

No one sits in the back, but I often fold the seat forward when picking up metal and any large cargo -

 

[Box Rocket]

I recovered my 2nd row with L seat leather almost 4 years ago. It's had a fair bit of use since then with my 4 kids and our two dogs and is holding up very well so far. I guess time will tell if it continues to be as durable but so far it has done quite well.

IMG_3424 by Adam Tolman, on Flickr

 

[SmokingRocks]

4 years for a $400 skin... pretty good, hell even if you get 8 this $50/year

 

[jht3]

I've redone both of my e-30 seats with LSeat's skins. The tan seats held up nicely over time, the black seat is new as of last week so we will see. They did do my custom diamond pattern and layout which was super nice. Also they are making a rear set for me for material cost only because they haven't patterned an e30 tourings folding rear seats yet which is super awesome of them. For the cost its super worth it, and it's really not that hard of a job to do, just tedious.

did you install these skins yourself? what about the back panel? curious as i have an e30 as well, but with cardinal red sport seats. no rips yet but surface wear to the bolsters of course.

i don't see how full leather seats will rips and tear like the pics of what seems like vinyl sides. disappointing for sure.

 

[jtmosca]

After looking over the samples, I'm kinda torn between the Bisque and the Ecru White

Cleaned up a spot on my leather and it kind falls somewhere in between these two samples

Has anyone here gone with the Ecru White?

I had the same question. Has anyone here gone with the Ecru White?

 

[lumbee1]

I've really got to post pics of my Lseat leather. 7 years old now and full of cracks. It needs to be replaced however my wife tells me I'm spending too much on the Cruiser.

 

[Trollhole]

As someone who has installed a few dozen of these over the years including my own cruisers I would not buy these. I don't even quote out Lseat anymore. Have had numerous quality issues with the leather. Sure it looks great to begin with but within a year some of the leather dye starts coming off. I've tried several leather treatments to keep the seats from doing this and nothing works. I've had them send me dye to touch up spots. It didn't work. If you are going to pay someone to install these or spend your time installing them then don't cheap out. You can buy a way better product from Frank and it will last more than 3-4 years. I stopped offering LSeat as an option years ago.

 

[jtmosca]

As someone who has installed a few dozen of these over the years including my own cruisers I would not buy these. I don't even quote out Lseat anymore. Have had numerous quality issues with the leather. Sure it looks great to begin with but within a year some of the leather dye starts coming off. I've tried several leather treatments to keep the seats from doing this and nothing works. I've had them send me dye to touch up spots. It didn't work. If you are going to pay someone to install these or spend your time installing them then don't cheap out. You can buy a way better product from Frank and it will last more than 3-4 years. I stopped offering LSeat as an option years ago.

Thank you for weighing in on the topic. I'm sure I missed it somewhere in the 7 pages of this thread, but can someone post a link to "Frank". My finger was on the trigger to roll the dice with Lseat but now I'd like to see what options Frank has. I need to replace the front seats on my '04 GX470 and my '97 FZJ80

 

[jonheld]

I had my LSeat leathers (LARK) installed in January of 2015. I did the front row with new Lexus seat bottoms and upper and lower seat heaters. I had no issues until last year when the driver's seat started to tear.
FWIW, I had no color run issues, and obviously the only trouble spots are on the driver's seat.
Currently looking for options, but it will likely have to wait until next year.

 

[jeetS]

Did we find out who "Frank" is?
I need 2 sets of front seat leather for 100 series... and I hate buying junk

 

[discoverydave]

I don't know who "Frank" is specifically — Trollhole's the one who mentioned him and I'd search his post history or just PM him directly, he seems to know his stuff.

What I can tell you from doing a lot of seat work is that if you're spending time and money on a 100 series, the generic slip-on kit approach is always going to disappoint you eventually. The 100 series front seats aren't the simplest geometry — the bolster shapes and the side airbag integration on some trims make for awkward fit if the pattern's off even a little.

For quality work that lasts, I've had better luck going with a shop that sources proper automotive-grade vinyl or genuine leather by the yard and does custom work, versus buying a pre-made kit. The difference is in how the hog rings and attachment points are handled — a good upholstery job anchors the material to the foam properly so it doesn't shift and wear through at stress points. Most of the kit failures I've seen are at the seams where the material's glued rather than stitched, or where the foam wasn't wrapped before the cover went on.

If you can't find a quality supplier for pre-cut 100 series covers, an auto upholstery shop can do both fronts in a day and the work will outlast any kit by a long shot.

 

[nakman]

Frank = Landcruiser Heaven.