TheAMCForum.com Homepage
Forum Home Forum Home > The Garage > Body/Interior
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - installing new seat "socks"/covers
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Click for TheAMCForum Rules / Click for PDF version of Forum Rules
Your donations help keep this valuable resource free and growing. Thank you.

installing new seat "socks"/covers

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <1234>
Author
Message
Lyle View Drop Down
AMC Addicted
AMC Addicted
Avatar

Joined: Jul/17/2014
Location: None
Status: Offline
Points: 772
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lyle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar/17/2018 at 3:42pm
If replacing a section of foam with new it's sometimes best to then cover the whole section (seam to seam) with 1/8" to 1/4" new foam after the fill. This way if there is a difference in compression you will not feel or see a seam in the vinyl later. 
That and add or replace with new high density pieces to the bottom - center and front. Your butt and back will thank you later!
Yeah - new rings and decent straight + angled pliers, absorbent towel or rag handy for the blood before it gets all over everything. Bandages once the bleeding is under control.
Good luck.
Back to Top
pit crew View Drop Down
Supporter of TheAMCForum
Supporter of TheAMCForum
Avatar

Joined: Jul/08/2007
Location: delete
Status: Offline
Points: 5341
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pit crew Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar/17/2018 at 8:23pm
Bill,

For the straight pliers I would suggest the DEWALT P7DW. You can load it up and move right along without having to stop and reposition for each ring. It allows one hand operation.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I7PCF3K?m=A1E762P8U66W9X&ref_=v_sp_widget_detail_page

73 Hornet - 401EFI - THM400 - Twin Grip 20
Back to Top
billd View Drop Down
Moderator Group
Moderator Group

Forum Administrator

Joined: Jun/27/2007
Location: Iowa
Status: Offline
Points: 30894
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote billd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar/17/2018 at 8:46pm
Since that tool required the rings be loaded sideways, the tool itself has to come in from the side-  how does that work compared to coming in straight at the parts?
It should be ok for these seats and not having to fumble with loading individual rings and having a hand free sure is appealing.

Oh, and about the blood - you need to see my garage and the old phone out there. Got my hand in a table saw and the phone is still sort of gross looking from my holding a shop towel on my hand while punching 911. 47 stitches in my thumb and forefinger. I left the phone out there as a reminder.......
Back to Top
Lyle View Drop Down
AMC Addicted
AMC Addicted
Avatar

Joined: Jul/17/2014
Location: None
Status: Offline
Points: 772
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lyle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar/17/2018 at 9:41pm
Red phones were stylish in the day!
Scars are reminders every day.
Hope it healed well, must have as your posts show exceptional workmanship.
Hog ring pliers - don't get complacent in seating the hog ring in the pliers.
That tool will only do some of the work, you will still require the hand load pliers, especially the 45°.
Back to Top
pit crew View Drop Down
Supporter of TheAMCForum
Supporter of TheAMCForum
Avatar

Joined: Jul/08/2007
Location: delete
Status: Offline
Points: 5341
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pit crew Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar/18/2018 at 4:48am
Originally posted by billd billd wrote:

Since that tool required the rings be loaded sideways, the tool itself has to come in from the side-  how does that work compared to coming in straight at the parts?
Found this YouTube video showing how to use the Dewalt. At about 45 seconds in to the video they simulate doing upholstery work with jute backing included. It is not 100% clear but you can see how you hold it on just a slight angle and it works. That would cover about 99% of what you would need. for the rest of the work you could grind your own from an old set of pliers. Hope that helps.






Edited by pit crew - Mar/18/2018 at 4:51am

73 Hornet - 401EFI - THM400 - Twin Grip 20
Back to Top
amcglass View Drop Down
AMC Addicted
AMC Addicted
Avatar

Joined: Dec/11/2011
Location: NW Ohio
Status: Offline
Points: 2588
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote amcglass Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar/18/2018 at 6:59am
Good points CREW.   Thumbs UpThumbs Up
Javmanpres

BBG Mark Donohue 401

74 Jav/AMX
71 Matador 2dr sedan delivery wagon
1902 Rambler Runabout   
70 T/A Javelin
Back to Top
Lyle View Drop Down
AMC Addicted
AMC Addicted
Avatar

Joined: Jul/17/2014
Location: None
Status: Offline
Points: 772
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Lyle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar/18/2018 at 7:10am
That second video - total tool abuse. Any tool and die maker would hit the guy over the head with a 2x4 as that's all 2x4's are good for. Watch out for slivers!
Proper hog ring pliers are cheap and work as intended. It's when you get your fingers in there holding the material too close you bleed. Operator error.
Get the right tool for the right job.
Cannot see the Dewalt getting in the corners around seat springs, may be possible. 
Back to Top
billd View Drop Down
Moderator Group
Moderator Group

Forum Administrator

Joined: Jun/27/2007
Location: Iowa
Status: Offline
Points: 30894
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote billd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar/24/2018 at 11:55am
This part was fairly simple - no real issues, fingers not even close to rings. The only thing is that the tool doesn't close them as "wrapped" as I'd like so I used my hose clamp pliers, which are notched to hold the ends of the spring wire hose clamps, and closed them up a bit further once they were installed. 

The seat bottoms are going to a #%#$ - geesh, there are two sleeves for wires that are clamped down DEEEEEP into the foam to give the seats shape. I can't figure how even the factory got those fastened.
Actually - they didn't - 1/3 of the rings MISSED  the seat frame and were only around the wires in the sleeves in the seat covers!! So even the factory missed a lot. When I got the few rings out, and the cover of the driver seat removed, I found several rings around the wire in the cover only.


Back to Top
pit crew View Drop Down
Supporter of TheAMCForum
Supporter of TheAMCForum
Avatar

Joined: Jul/08/2007
Location: delete
Status: Offline
Points: 5341
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pit crew Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar/24/2018 at 1:18pm
Nice job Bill. We are going to have to send you all our upholstery work from now on. Big smile

73 Hornet - 401EFI - THM400 - Twin Grip 20
Back to Top
billd View Drop Down
Moderator Group
Moderator Group

Forum Administrator

Joined: Jun/27/2007
Location: Iowa
Status: Offline
Points: 30894
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote billd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Mar/24/2018 at 4:33pm
By the way - the DeWalt hog ring tool works fine. Any rings I thought should be tighter, etc. I used my hose clamp pliers to finish the job on those few that aren't wrapped like I want. Picky, I guess. 
It does a great job and is simple to use. Love that it is self-loading and I can hold the wires together with one hand and shove that into place and squeeze.

The seat BOTTOMS are going to be a pain - wow, you gotta go deep into the foam to clip those. 
Of course I'm dealing with some rust on the seat bottom frames, and the rails have some rust so I spent the afternoon working with seat frames and trying to locate one of the nuts that spun out of the socket when I used my impact to pull the nuts off from below. Then I got to the right seat and found the prior owner must have lost or screwed up some nuts as there's a mix holding the right seat in place - which drives me nuts so I'm going to have to get a dozen new nuts so I can put the seats back in when done.
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <1234>
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.03
Copyright ©2001-2019 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.172 seconds.
All content of this site Copyright © 2018 TheAMCForum unless otherwise noted, all rights reserved.
PROBLEMS LOGGING IN or REGISTERING:
If you have problems logging in or registering, then please contact a Moderator or