Seats / Seat Covers washing??

[dssking]

Gentlemen,

I see that there are a few vendors that sell reproduction seat covers using the original foam.
Well, since it's possible to do this, why no remove the original covers and wash them in the machine?

Am I missing a step here? Unless they're held on with hog rings, why isn't this possible? I mean,
sure I would use a carpet cleaning tool to clean, but washing machine would be easier.......No?

Just thinking out loud......Just got the GN.......after mechanical is complete, it'll be on to the interior and this
is on my mind

Cheers

 

[earlbrown]

They are held on with hog rings. Over the years I've had to replace my DS bottom twice, and I took apart a PS back to steal the gray area to repair a ripped DS bottom (and install seat heaters).

Every time I have covers off, I run them through the washing machine with Woolite. It works better than any hand cleaning, but it sucks when my car 'smells like a fresh meadow'. lol

 

[dssking]

Great. Thanks for the reply. At least I know it's possible. So, bottoms come off with hog ring pliers......
seat backs? Zippers? how about the rear bench?

 

[Lil Truck]

They all have hog rings, one zipper on the bottom of the bucket backs.

 

[dssking]

Has anyone removed and washed?? And did they go back on 100%?

 

[fast NY Six]

I replaced the drivers side bottom foam and reused the seat cover. I gently washed it by hand in the bathtub. I was afraid the washing machine would wreck it, the foam that is sewed to the fabric is fragile. The new replacement foam is much firmer than the original. I sit up higher in the car now. The cover went back on perfectly. I messed with the uppers but gave up, at the time I couldn't figure out how to get the head rest off. The hog rings are kind of a pain if you don't have the tool, but needle nose pliers worked for me. There is a bar on each side of the seat that is hog ringed to hold down the fabric in the trenches. After seeing how dirty the water was, I would definitely recommend, the seats are much brighter.

 

[dssking]

Good to know! I'll definately get into it soon. Hopefully MOST of the work will be done before spring hits!

 

[fast NY Six]

the upper seat cover is a pain. I used a hacksaw blade wrapped with tape to remove the headrest. Slide the blade down the front of the headrest post to unlock it. Remove the hog rings across the bottom of the seat. Then remove the hog rings that hold the two vertical rods, then remove the two rods. The hog rings in the center of the seat are hard to get at. Once all the hog rings are off, slide the frame out first, then the cushion. This way seemed easier than pulling it all out together.

 

[blackgn231]

Know this the old seat covers will not work with new foam ,I tried that with the ones from Kirbans . The old covers would not pull over the new foam. So be carful if your going that route. I8 just use my Green Machine to clean my seats it works great.

 

[Boxcars]

As long as the weather is warm to hot, the best way to clean them is to remove the seats from the car, soak them and scrub with upholstry cleaner and pressure wash them. Let them sit in the sun to dry. Outstahding results.