Replacing the seat bottom foam (1 Viewer)

[hank14]

I know there have been lots of posts covering this, but I decided to repair the driver's side tear in my seat bottom. I wanted to go cheap when replacing the foam, so I decided to try and cut my own foam instead of ordering the molded foam from SOR. So far, I'm pleased and about $200 in the black.

The pictures don't show the whole process, so ask questions if anything isn't clear.

Materials needed:

12 and 14 mm sockets
Needle nose pliers for positioning hog rings.
Wire cutters for cutting old hog rings
Hog ring pliers and size 2 hog rings (<$15.00 from hardware store)
Seat foam from SOR.com (about $160.00 per side plus shipping) OR
Blank foam and an electric kitchen carving knife if you're cheap like me.
I bought the 35 pound superfoam, 1- 24x6.5x80 inch sheet of it so I would have some extra.

Untitled Document

I also bought a one inch thick sheet of the 50 pound superfoam. (The weight indicates how dense it is- how much weight it takes to depress the seat a certain depth). I used this sheet for the seat back.

American Trim and Upholstery Supply was good to deal with. Your local upholstery shop could also order some for you. Another place I found was:

Boat Cushions, Foam, Mattress Replacement, Camper Chair Couch Filling

Here's what the sheet of foam looked like:

 

[hank14]

The first step in this process was to remove the old seat foam.

1. Remove the seat from the 4 brackets on the floor.
2. Remove the sliding portion of the brackets- the are 2 bolts on each one, accessed from underneath.
3. Remove the plastic cover over the reclining handle. Use a Phillips screwdriver. The handle slides off.
4. There are 2 or 3 bolts that go through the seat bottom cover that need to be removed.
5. Using sharp wire cutters, cut and remove the hog rings. There are 2 connected to a depression in the middle of the seat.
6. The cover and foam should slip off.

 

[hank14]

If you're smart and you ordered the SOR seat bottom foam, place it on the seat, put the cover over it, use the hog rings to secure it to the seat, and install in the reverse order of disassembly. Then spend the rest of the day wheelin.

If you decide against this, the cut out some foam. I placed the old foam next to the new foam, traced the general dimensions, and then cut it with the knife. Go slow and do small sections at a time.

This foam is soft and has very good cushion and bounce. If you want a firmer seat, get the 50 pound superfoam. The 50 pound foam is easier to cut with the electric knife as well.

The minimum size to order for one seat bottom would be 24x24x6 inches, but I wanted a little extra to allow for errors.

The factory foam has a wire that runs inside it for extra support. I did not try to replicate that.

 

[hank14]

Here's what the seat looks like installed. As everyone else that has replaced their foam has said- I should have done this the day after I bought my cruiser. Night and day difference in comfort.

Notice the non-torn driver's side. The upholstery shop had a leftover piece of brown vinyl to use. Not a 100% match, but close. Charged $50.00 to replace the vinyl.

 

[hank14]

As an alternative, the upholstery shop showed me how they trim out worn pieces of foam and replace them with new. I did this on my DS to see how it would turn out. Use 3M spray adhesive or equivalent to glue the foam in place.

I also cut a piece of the firm 1" thick foam to place on top of the old seat. It is noticeably more comfortable- even on the non-worn PS.

 

[Spike Strip]

Damn good job -- and a nice write up. I've got to do this, too, so thanks for the info!

 

[bbing]

SOR standard density

If you order the SOR replacement foam; I would stick with standard density (I have sat on the High Density foam and it is too stiff and you sit too high) IMHO.

 

[GLTHFJ60]

Excellent write up! I'm sure you could cut a couple of those out and sell them to people without the knife and shop, like me!

 

[hank14]

If you order the SOR replacement foam; I would stick with standard density (I have sat on the High Density foam and it is too stiff and you sit too high) IMHO.

That's good to know- I didn't know SOR offered different density molded seats.

Excellent write up! I'm sure you could cut a couple of those out and sell them to people without the knife and shop, like me!

Why didn't I think of that?

(See my signature- shameless plug)

 

[hank14]

Well, after 1 1/2 years, I decided my custom cut seat foam was too soft, so I ordered the SOR custom molded foam. It is very firm- right now, probably too firm. I swear I'm sitting 3-4 inches higher. The ideal foam would probably be somewhere between what I custom cut and the SOR one in firmness.

Mine was still very comfortable (way better than the worn out stock foam), but it was sagging some and causing the seat vinyl sides to start to wrinkle to where I thought it would crack again over time.

I'm looking forward to my next road trip again!

 

[beaufort-fj60]

awesome job. You can put polyester batting (or some gauze) over the foam to help slide the cover back on. Foam is sticky as hell.

 

[bridges]

....The ideal foam would probably be somewhere between what I custom cut and the SOR one in firmness....

My solution that was probably a firmness between SOR and the custom foam.

passenger foam on drivers seat