Just installed Vicks upholstery

[micbrody]

I purchased Vicks upholstery at end of 2014. Just got around to install it. VERY happy with the fit, and final product



I also used vinyl paint on maroon seat belts............didn't work great. I think I will be ordering new belts

[micbrody]

Update:

I am still very happy with my upholstery; however, when I looked at picture I posted , I noticed some wrinkles that did not exist when I did seats, but before installing.

The problem is the plastic/fabric edges on seat bottom that get pushed into channel around seat base. With seats out of car, I folded over the edge and wedged into groove. Seemed very tight. However, in actual use of seat, when I would sit down, tension on the fabric going to this groove would relax with cushion compression, and once a small section would pop out, eventually entire base would make its way out.

I think solution is to push spline (kind of like spline used for window screen repair) to tighten up this insertion point, after I have installed the upholstery.

Anyone else have thoughts or solutions?

[DieselSpider]

Two things to help avoid this are letting the upholstery warm in the Sun before installing it so it will be more flexible along with lightly misting any canvas backing with plain water to relax it. I made in-house equipment to upholster office products and one complaint I got from the production line was there was no place convenient on the machinery for the upholsterers to hang their misting bottles for relaxing the fabric while working it. I corrected that very quickly and provided locations per their requirements.

[lglade]

I haven't done my seats yet, but I've read several times that the seat cushions break down over time and as a result people experience just what you'v described (material coming unfastened from the groove/channel). New cushions are supposed to help immensely.

[micbrody]

Thanks for suggestions.
I did steam the foam on three of the seat parts to re-expand. The fourth piece, the drivers seat cushion, was new (purchased from AR.

I am not having any problems with the foam/seat cover hog ring connections. And when not sitting in the seat, it stays fairly tightly around the foam. What happens is when I sit on seat, the foam compresses, takes tension off the side seat panel that ends in the metal seat bottom groove. Once a tiny spot leaves the channel, the residual tension "peels" out the rest of the metal seat attachment points.
When I took off old upholstery, none of the original seat edges were in these grooves.

I was thinking that maybe from factory, there was some spline to add resistance to the insertion points.

I am going to order new seat belts. When they come in, I remove seats and will attempt using spline to solve problem

[Boris61]

If your spline plan solves this issue please update us. My seats have the same issue and I was thinking new cushions might fix it as mentioned above.

[focodave]

micbrody,
I had the exact same problem with mine.
My solution was to roll (fold) that bottom edge of fabric one time over the cardboard strip running along that edge and then insert the edge into the groove around the seat frame bottom.
It looks perfect and works like a charm.
You are only effectively shortening the fabric by one width of the cardboard strip running along that bottom edge when you use my method.
I was afraid the fabric would be too tight, but it turned out to be just perfect. The bottom edge does not come out when you sit in the seat, and is not too tight when you are out of the seat.

[micbrody]

I also rolled it over; but when seats are "cold" (morning in the garage), , the vinyl is slightly stiffer; and the weight of body on cushion is translated slightly to a downward force on that edge; once a tiny corner comes out, then eventually rest of seat comes out of groove.

I do think that some spline in groove will take care of problem.

[focodave]

Ah -- sorry -- missed that you had rolled it over in your earlier post.
I did use brand new bottom cushions, which may have made the difference in my case.

[micbrody]

one of my cushions is new one, one is old but rejuvenated with steam. Both seem to fit the same way.

When I leave car out in sun, the vinyl softens up to the point that when I sit in it, there is less "downward" force on the side vinyl panels; and it does not pop out. Also, the heat eliminates all the wrinkles

[profcucchi]

We all have the same issue, it seams? They looked great on the table when I put them together, beautiful, actually. I added more cushion to up the space and it really did the trick.

In place though, they popped out. I'm thinking of folding over one more time, and rubber malleting them in place. If that doesn't do it, then I might cut the plastic ribbon, tighten the band, and screw the whole thing in place, covering with plastic caps.

Anyone else notice how much higher you sit? I can't wait for them to sink!

[80spiddy]

I wedged a small foam strip in the groove, and also put two small sheet metal screws with small washers through the rear most of the bottom to hold in place to keep from coming out. Works great. My World Upholstery had plastic, not cardboard binding on the bottom strip.

[Boris61]

80spiddy would you please post pictures of your solution?

[micbrody]

Ditto; 80Spiddy, pictures would help. I think I like your solution!