Changing your seats leather ~How To~

Gipp

Gipp

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Ok, so I was asked what was the process to remove the leather from one seat and place it onto another. Also in the same breath a member asked how hard this job was. On a scale of DIY-ness Id rank it at about a 4 or 5.

Anyways, Figured Id share my pictures for anyone in the future that may be intersted in doing so.

Tools required:

1 Pack of smokes
1 pair of needlenose
1 10mm socket and rachet

As you will see there are long plastic white clips that you simply pull down and out, there is no way to mess this up, VERY EASY!!!

Top. Remove all these clips from the back + 2 of the black clips at the bottom. Begin shimmying the material around the chair and up to the front. Once you have all the material out of the way unbolt the side airbag.

Bottom. After removing the seat from the car all you have to do is give the bottom a good tug, its no longer attached and should just pop right off. Flip it over and you will see tons of rings holding the leather on. Use the needlenose to spead the rings open and remove the material (repeat for all 3 sides. I started in the back and moved my way to the right). Once you are on the final side you will see that there is a sping that the material is wrapped around. DONT FREAK OUT!!. Move the cusion out of the way, and make sure the seat is upside down. Now remove those last 3 rings. Once those are removed you will see a long small bar that holds the fabric to the spring, simply pull it up and out. Guess what... YOUR DONE!! YAY! Now, just repeat in reverse and you have a new seat... maybe try doing something custom and crazy, Id like to see some unique interior out there for the LS!! PICS below.

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And The Finished Product!!!:d

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exceptionaLS said:
wow
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haha! Yea, it looks like alot of work, but that was about 30 minutes worth.. Includes time to take pics, and smoke breaks... so its actually pretty easy, just have to know what this step is going to lead to next and just keep your ducks in a row.
 
Good job, that was a 1st gen, I wounder how much different for a 2nd gen with cooled/heated seats.
 
should be the same.. The heating elements are built into the cushion. So Id ASSUME that the cooling elements are done the same way. Just unplug them and pull them out when you remove the leather.. then wory about transplaning them into the new cushion/fabric after its removed... Should all still be pretty easy. If I had planned to keep these instead of selling them then Id tear into it and do a write up on that as well, but sorry guys, lol not gonna tear up the seats.
 
Way different, the Gen 2 seats us a peltier cooler/heater in the seat base and have ducting through the cushions. I bet the leather is held on the same but the seat construction is different.
 
I replaced the drivers leather cushion on my 04 when I sold it, same process.
 
That's some very useful information because I had looked at buying a new seat cover for mine.
 
you said the heating element is "built in into the cushion." On my BMW, the heating element pretty much lays across the foam, underneath the leather. Is the LS the same way? My drivers side heated seat option isnt functioning, and I think the element needs replacing. Also, those metal rings are called "hogrings". Most local auto upholstery shops sell them along with hog ring pliers to install them. Wire cutters snip the old ones right off, and the hog ring pliers replace them. Using needlenose to loosen them and reuse them, can be a bit tedious.
 
Is there a way to do this for the Headrests? I want to get mine embroidered but the guy says I need to remove the leather in order to get the embroidery done.

Thanks.
 
lseguy said:
you said the heating element is "built in into the cushion." On my BMW, the heating element pretty much lays across the foam, underneath the leather. Is the LS the same way?.
Click to expand...

bump for an answer..if anyone knows.
 
Okay, I replaced the seat bottom cover on the driver's seat of my 06. Here are some pictures for the curious.

First shows the fan (filter removed) and one of the two Peltier thermoelectric heat/cool modules.
Second shows the seat cushion with the air duct installed.
Third is the cushion without air duct.
Last, just the air duct.

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JaredLS said:
has anyone added cooled seats to a Gen I?
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You'd have to use the electronics from a Navigator or something like that, and the fans, ducts, heat/cool modules from a gen II LS. You couldn't use the gen II electronics because they integrate with the whole network too much. (The DATC controls them.)

The most practical way to do it is to sell your gen I and buy a gen II.

A picture of the electronics modules.

20120414_151142.jpg
 
lseguy said:
you said the heating element is "built in into the cushion." On my BMW, the heating element pretty much lays across the foam, underneath the leather. Is the LS the same way? My drivers side heated seat option isnt functioning, and I think the element needs replacing. Also, those metal rings are called "hogrings". Most local auto upholstery shops sell them along with hog ring pliers to install them. Wire cutters snip the old ones right off, and the hog ring pliers replace them. Using needlenose to loosen them and reuse them, can be a bit tedious.
Click to expand...

My Gen I driver's side heat stopped working. I bought new elements from Ford (18$) and took the upholstery off. On the Gen I the element just lays on top of the foam under the leather. Mine had a burn mark on the element where it went open. That was at about 30K 133K now and it still works.
 
If I didn't have heated seats (I don't lol), and wanted to use car seat heating pads from ebay or something and wire them in, would it work well or be a good idea? I was thinking something like this. Would it be practical or would it be a waste of time/money? I had wanted to do it for a while but didn't know how easy it would be to take the leather off to install the pads until I saw this thread.
 
loomis22 said:
If I didn't have heated seats (I don't lol), and wanted to use car seat heating pads from ebay or something and wire them in, would it work well or be a good idea? I was thinking something like this. Would it be practical or would it be a waste of time/money? I had wanted to do it for a while but didn't know how easy it would be to take the leather off to install the pads until I saw this thread.
Click to expand...

It looks like the aftermarket ones could work OK. Logically there is nothing that would prevent them.

I'm wondering if you could just wire the new pad into the existing heated seat wiring, for those of us that have that.
 
where can you buy new seat covers?

my 2004 driver's side is cracking a bit. or is it easier to use the spray leather restore stuff?
 
well im sure that the OEM ones are not still being produced, but there is probably more than a few out there left around
 
1LoudLS said:
well im sure that the OEM ones are not still being produced, but there is probably more than a few out there left around
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Yes, many are listed as out of production, but there may still be stock somewhere. Those not listed as out of production, probably actually are out of production.
 
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