Seat Heaters (1 Viewer)

[hobbes]

My seat foam is disintegrating to the point it is creating a dusting in the cab of my 1974 FJ40. Wife says new seat foam for health reasons and I agree. Local upholstery guy says he'll install seat heaters at no charge if I bring them in with the seats. This works for me as my heater remains on my work bench since it would get little use in Florida. The best thread I've found on this topic is from 2013 below. Any updated seat heater recommendations? How wide should I go? 10"? I'll just wire the switches into my CruiserCrap center console.

After market seat heaters in an FJ40?

I've done a little searching but have not found much on this topic. I am about to recover the seats in my LX and want to add seat heat to the factory seats. I have looked at the Champion heater kit http://www.championseatheaters.com/content/order.html?gclid=CMz93d6isbUCFQ84nAodPUUABw and...

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[Jdc1]

I haven’t gotten mine wired yet but went with some off of amazon that had good reviews. I like the idea of wiring the switches into the console. A positive and negative bus terminal inside the console would simplify a lot of future wiring as well.

 

[Suntreemcanic]

I would recommend putting them on a relay that is controlled by your ignition switch so you do not forget to turn them off when you leave the vehicle.

 

[Oregon LC]

I haven’t gotten mine wired yet but went with some off of amazon that had good reviews. I like the idea of wiring the switches into the console. A positive and negative bus terminal inside the console would simplify a lot of future wiring as well.

@Jdc1 Did you ever get your seat heaters hooked up, if so how do you like them? I was looking at the Dorman brand on Amazon.

 

[Jdc1]

@Jdc1 Did you ever get your seat heaters hooked up, if so how do you like them? I was looking at the Dorman brand on Amazon.

I haven’t yet. Our ‘72 build that they are in might qualify for one of the slowest builds on mud.

 

[hobbes]

I bought a generic brand of Amazon ($100 for both seats together). Love 'em. I just need to figure out how to cleanly mount the switches in my CruiserCrap console. The switches (1 1/8" x 11/16" or 28.6mm x 17.5mm) are smaller than the hole template (1 7/16" x 13/16" or 36.5mm x 21mm ). Still not sure what to do there, short of cutting new holes.

For the wiring, I ran a single wire from an unused "computer" wire under the dash for the switched signal. The power wire, I ran off the battery since its 20 AMPS total.

I've got new seat covers (SOR) than the ones pictured above. It take a couple minutes for the heat to work its way thru the material.

Edit: I see mine are already NLA on Amazon, so no link to it.

 

[Braden620]

What brand were the seat covers you had in the picture, and how do the new ones look? I need some for my 75' but I don't want them all loose like that.

 

[BrianSanDiego]

Seat heaters are well worth the effort, IMHO. Especially with doors or roof off. Sorry, I don't remember which brand I went with

 

[Oregon LC]

Seat heaters are well worth the effort, IMHO. Especially with doors or roof off. Sorry, I don't remember which brand I went with

Are folks installing heaters on the bottom cushion only or on lumbar portion as well?

I'm pretty certain my Toyota tundra has two heaters, one on the butt and one on the lumbar. It's really nice.

 

[franklin40]

I would recommend putting them on a relay that is controlled by your ignition switch so you do not forget to turn them off when you leave the vehicle.

you can also power them off a fuse/circuit that is only on with ignition right off the fuse block. that’s what i did with mine. might be simpler wiring

 

[hobbes]

The seat covers pictured above were 20 years old. They came from the cheapest Mexican shop I could find as I lived on the border at the time. Below are my recently installed SOR covers and seat bottoms. (You have to go with what you have for the upper seat backs).

The shop that installed the seat covers for me tossed in the seat heater installation (pads only) for free. They are both on the bottoms and lumbars.

I chose not to run the seat heaters off the fuse block. Each seat heater draws 10 AMPS. Since I did both seats, I didn't want an additional 20 AMPS on any factory circuit. Each heater also came with their own relays and fuses which are all in the bottom of the console. I just need a fuse up by the battery for my main power source wire to complete the wiring (and mount the switches).

 

[BrianSanDiego]

Are folks installing heaters on the bottom cushion only or on lumbar portion as well?

I'm pretty certain my Toyota tundra has two heaters, one on the butt and one on the lumbar. It's really nice.

I installed them on both butt and back. There are times when I'll want all the heat I can get.

 

[Brost]

Anyone have links to the kit they used?

 

[V8FJ4078]

I am curious what kits people have used to do this and how they have held up since the install.
I just purchased the SOR seat bottoms and will install factory like covers made by my local upholstery shop.
I have read the other links I have searched here, but some are lot available, and when I look online some say you can cut, some say no.

I would like to cut to pull the seat down through like the factory.


Thanks!

 

[FJCowboy]

I’ve been thinking about adding heaters to the seats as well and would be interested if anyone had any current information.

 

[hobbes]

My seat heaters are all wired up and have been working fine. Not sure if that’s what you are looking for. Wish I had done those, the foam, and the seat covers sooner.

 

[V8FJ4078]

My seat heaters are all wired up and have been working fine. Not sure if that’s what you are looking for. Wish I had done those, the foam, and the seat covers sooner.

Are you able to share the specific ones you ordered? Did you install or let someone else install them?
Did you cut to pull down the bottom seat cover through them?
Thanks!!

 

[hobbes]

They were a generic brand from China that are NLA. They all appear to be about the same, just different switches.

I took the seats to an upholstery shop to have everything installed. I believe the answer to your third question is "yes", but since I didn't install the covers I'm not positive.

 

[Buffchief]

I haven’t yet. Our ‘72 build that they are in might qualify for one of the slowest builds on mud.

Started mine in 2001, just now almost finished!!

 

[V8FJ4078]

My wife loves them, especially when it is cold. Well worth the money and time to install the seat heaters!