SteveG Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 I bought a re-trim kit for my 90 to replace existing vinyl seats with Outlast Black Canvas covers and new foams. Kit comes complete with new rubbers, bars and fixing studs for base seat and multi purpose adhesive for both base and back. Also instructions .. Started with back first (Glad I did as base was harder ). undo plastic clip on back.. unravel 3/4's of the way up.. so that you can unhook the three hooks that pass through seat foam.. Pull cover off fully and carefully peel away seat foam from frame.. Spray foam and fit to seat frame, then spray back of frame to secure foam flap at top of frame.. Turn new cover inside out and place on foam but remember to stop to put 3 hooks on.. Pull seat cover down and then the fun starts. You now have to pull cover down enough to close this gap. The bar at the top is just far enough away to take the skin off your knuckles if you slip! .. A short while later you'll be able to close clip and start on the headrest. Start by undoing metal bar at base of the headrest.. remove the staples and then the cover.. Pull on new cover. I then used spray adhesive to glue it down and trim around headrest bar. Finally place metal bar back on and screw down.. da da, one finished seat back and headrest.. Now for the seat base. Like the back, it's a lot easier to take off the old cover than it is to fit the new one. Remove rubber strip around base.. remove bar at back by simply pulling through.. remove plastic studs with some needle nose pliars.. LR hold the cord in by placing it in the final hole at rear of the base and then hold in place with a plastic stud.. Carefully pull off old foam and cover and then spray seat base and fix new foam.. Leave it to dry a while and the turn seat base cover inside out and glue cover to centre seat base.. Leave this to dry a while too, and then start to stretch the cover over rest of base. Push down cover enough to get the cord into the securing strip and then with your third hand bang rubber strip into place Easier said than done. Carry on all the way round until it looks tidy... Pierce some holes in the cover to enable you to push through plastic stud and then hammer them in.. Tie the cord and pull the rear flap down and hammer in the last two plastic studs. Then place the rod back in.. One finished base... One down, and one to go - Repeat the above... both done.. It's straight forward, and Exmoor's instructions are clear. I just thought I'd post up so that people would know it's ok to fit them yourself if you wished. Cheers Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8 Freak Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Looks really good Steve. I did consider this but whimped out and bout a new seat base and some nice black seat covers...... May have to reconsider. Suprised you didn't go for the heated bases. Neil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Looks really comfy Steve, I fitted new base foams a few months ago, heck of a job to pull the cover back into place, but well worth the effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben_J85JTY Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 Looks really comfy Steve, I fitted new base foams a few months ago, heck of a job to pull the cover back into place, but well worth the effort. Good Job Steve, Where did you get the re trim kit from? I am thinking of doing the base on my XS seats as the leather has cracked and is looking carp, but cant find a price anywhere! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveG Posted November 14, 2008 Author Share Posted November 14, 2008 re-trim kit was from Trakkers, www.trakkers.co.uk Exmoor no longer sell direct. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headhunter Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 Looks really good Steve.I did consider this but whimped out and bout a new seat base and some nice black seat covers...... May have to reconsider. Suprised you didn't go for the heated bases. Neil Not good for haemorrhoids so they say! John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat_J Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 Is it me or have prices gone up since they went wholesale? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellow Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 Priced at (Exmoor factory price + Exmoor profit + Supplier profit) so yes, the prices went up... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben_J85JTY Posted November 14, 2008 Share Posted November 14, 2008 Cheers Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveG Posted November 14, 2008 Author Share Posted November 14, 2008 Is it me or have prices gone up since they went wholesale? From the products I know about, prices haven't gone up at all since change, doesn't mean others haven't though. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveG Posted December 19, 2008 Author Share Posted December 19, 2008 Just a quick update. Seats are working out really well. New foams are very good and outlast fabric is performing as described. Obviously I don't have any hot weather to test cooling effect but in cold weather fabric stays warm. So far they've proved easy to clean off mud too, even hot chocolate care of one of my sons Cheers Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellow Posted December 19, 2008 Share Posted December 19, 2008 I did the same a while back. I also had major issues streching the back rest cover far enough to clip the bottom seal. Managed to do the following: (only works with the sets which have pockets on the rear of the back rests) - Undo the back rest from the frame (undo big circlip) for ease of reach and balance - Find yourself a good wooden board of a bit longer than the height but a tiny bit narrower than the width of the back rest. - Make sure the board had rounded edges - Slip the board in the rear pocket. - Stand the board onto the floor, with the back rest upside down - Push the frame gently down onto the board until the fabric is stretched enough to fasten the seal This negates the need of a third hand, and putting pressure onto the fabric like this really saves your knuckles... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wozza35 Posted December 19, 2008 Share Posted December 19, 2008 Really good job there ,but i have to think you must be looking for things to do as your seats were originally 100 times better then mine are Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveG Posted December 20, 2008 Author Share Posted December 20, 2008 Really good job there ,but i have to think you must be looking for things to do as your seats were originally 100 times better then mine are The reason for changing out seat covers is to get away from having vinyl seats in the summer. They are good seats and you can wipe clean the mud off easily after off-roading, but in the summer even in moderate uk temps you get a sweaty back (or I do) too often. I went for canvas seat covers initially, but after hassle of getting the correct set (originally bought at Billing in July) I gave up and went for the re-cover route. I plan to keep my 90 for some time, so I'm happy to modify things things that I think will make it better. Cheers Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted December 20, 2008 Share Posted December 20, 2008 I have cloth covered Defender seats in my 109. I haven't re-covered them, but I did replace the bottom foams on the front pair (I have a second matching pair of front seats as a second row). Unfortunately I used Britpart cushions, so they have started to sag again. I did fit Exmoor Trim's seat heater kit, though. They're not made by ET, just sold by them. I had already put a set into my RRC, and so fitting them to the 109 wasn't a new job. Both sets have pads for the seat back as well as the base cushion. The newer kits have two heat settings, so have two heating elements per pad (one on for low, both on for high). In the RRC, the wiring loom was already in place. I just needed to add the correct LR switches to the panel on the cubby box and connect the heater pads to the wiring under the seat frame. As the LR plug was a special type, the easiest solution was to cut the plug off and splice the heater pad wiring directly to the vehicle's loom. The wiring and switches from the kit went in the bin. The 109 was a bit trickier, not having any of the wiring in place. The pads were fitted by removing the bottom cushions' cover completely, as above, and the backs' covers being unclipped at the bottom and slipped up as high as the slot in the foam for the three hooks. The kit includes double-sided tape, but you could use spray glue. Once the pads were stuck to the cushions, the covers were refitted. Wiring up the heaters on the Defender (or LR) could be done simply using the kit - everything is there - but I wanted to use direct feeds from the auxiliary battery and use the three position Carling Tech switches on the centre dash rather than the small button-switches in the kit. This also meant I could ditch the kit's relay as the Carling switches are rated to 20A. I just had to run the wiring from the middle switch position to one of the pad circuits and the the output of the other switch position to both circuits, connecting the common cable to earth. The only issue with doing this is that the way the kit is constructed, the common connection on the pads is live, with one or both circuits being earthed by the switch. The only reason I altered the polarity was so that the warning light in the Carling switches would work. The heaters are brilliant, and get really toasty within a couple of minutes. They're definitely worth fitting if you have to put up with cold weather in winter like the UK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 The reason for changing out seat covers is to get away from having vinyl seats in the summer. They are good seats and you can wipe clean the mud off easily after off-roading, but in the summer even in moderate uk temps you get a sweaty back (or I do) too often.I went for canvas seat covers initially, but after hassle of getting the correct set (originally bought at Billing in July) I gave up and went for the re-cover route. I plan to keep my 90 for some time, so I'm happy to modify things things that I think will make it better. Cheers Steve Can I ask how the Outlast Canvas is, erm, lasting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveG Posted March 29, 2009 Author Share Posted March 29, 2009 Can I ask how the Outlast Canvas is, erm, lasting? Just as well as when fitted, so good so far. Cheers Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted March 29, 2009 Share Posted March 29, 2009 Excellent, thank you. I like the look of that style, think I'll go for it when I do mine. Great thread/pics by the way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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