Seat fabric come off easily?

[83Eagle!]

I have been trying to look into getting at least the front seats of my Eagle recovered.  I am hoping to meet with two other local upholstery guys here soon.  I got a quote awhile back for $700 for new tops for the fabric of my front seats.  I think that is a little pricey to be honest.  He also wants to pull the seats out to do the job. I am also not completely satisfied with the job he did on the headliner.

Talking with a member here on the nest a suggestion was made to get a set of vinyl seat covers made and just put over the top of the existing fabric. 
 
I am trying to figure out if covers can be made without pulling out the seats.  I cannot figure out how to drive it without the seats.  And I personally think it is a lot of work to swap seats; work I do not want to pay someone to do.asy to pull the seat fabric off in one piece (or two pieces)?
 
I would like to get a set of seat covers made that I can install myself to save on some of the cost.etty e

I have a set of power seats from a wagon in the shed that I got from Mavericke.  If I give the upholstery shop those seats would they be able to use them to make a set of covers?

When I was at U-Pull-It with Pigonawing he got two SX/4 seats for his SX/4.  He bought them without the fabric.  Am I safe to assume that it is pr

Can upholstery shops make a set of covers by using the old covers as a pattern?  Or am I better off pulling the seats. 

[thereverendbill]

if my memory isn't playing tricks on me your seats and the seats i delivered are both non pillow so an upholstery  shop should be able to make a set of covers using the seats in your shed. 

[IowaEagle]

Its  best, in my opinion, to have the seats out Brandon.

[83Eagle!]

I was afraid you guys were going to say that the seats need to be out.  That may not work. 

I suppose I could put the seats I have in my shed in, but looking at them the frame will need some modification as the driver's one does not look the same as the ones in my car.

[mudkicker715]

Only differance in brackets is (that I have seen) between power and manual seats. However the holes are there for both.

[83Eagle!]

Yeah the ones I have in the shed are power seats.

[MontanaEagle]

Just pull the seats out, get yourself one of these chairs (cut the legs off) and you're good to go.

[83Eagle!]

I like that idea.  However I am not sure the police in my town would.  I am sure they would notice that.

[83Eagle!]

Found a pair of Jeep Cherokee seats for sale really cheap here.  Going to call tomorrow and see if I can get them and modify them to fit the Eagle.  If I can't get them to fit I am only out a few bucks.  I think I found a website that sells nutmeg seat covers.

[shanebo]

I just got some new seats for my eagle...looking at the under side it looks like the material is attached to the seat frame with vinyl hooks...looks pretty simple to get them off for restitching or repair.

[83Eagle!]

I just got some new seats for my eagle...looking at the under side it looks like the material is attached to the seat frame with vinyl hooks...looks pretty simple to get them off for restitching or repair.

Are they Eagle Seats or are they from something else?

[JayRamb]

I have been trying to look into getting at least the front seats of my Eagle recovered.  I am hoping to meet with two other local upholstery guys here soon.  I got a quote awhile back for $700 for new tops for the fabric of my front seats.  I think that is a little pricey to be honest.  He also wants to pull the seats out to do the job. I am also not completely satisfied with the job he did on the headliner.

Talking with a member here on the nest a suggestion was made to get a set of vinyl seat covers made and just put over the top of the existing fabric. 
 
I am trying to figure out if covers can be made without pulling out the seats.  I cannot figure out how to drive it without the seats.  And I personally think it is a lot of work to swap seats; work I do not want to pay someone to do.asy to pull the seat fabric off in one piece (or two pieces)?
 
I would like to get a set of seat covers made that I can install myself to save on some of the cost.etty e

I have a set of power seats from a wagon in the shed that I got from Mavericke.  If I give the upholstery shop those seats would they be able to use them to make a set of covers?

When I was at U-Pull-It with Pigonawing he got two SX/4 seats for his SX/4.  He bought them without the fabric.  Am I safe to assume that it is pr

Can upholstery shops make a set of covers by using the old covers as a pattern?  Or am I better off pulling the seats. 

HAve an upholstery shop teach you how to hog tail the fabric in the seats with the hog tails so you can get the look of original.  Jayson

[83Eagle!]

What is hogtailing?

[shanebo]

What model is yours 83Eagle?

[shanebo]

I forgot to ask..have you gotten a chance to check those seats out yet?

[83Eagle!]

Working on unpacking them tonight.  Been a long day.

[Tennessee_Farmer]

I have fiddled a lot with Eagle seats and here is my advice.  Getting the seat out is pretty easy.  Each seat has four nuts that you access under the car.  A couple of them are a little hard to get at.  Rock the seat to get it out because it may be fused to the carpet with rust.

Putting a seat cover over an existing seat will work, but will never give you a custom job.  The original seat cover is held on by loops of cloth at various locations of the seat and anchors that tie to the seat frame and spirngs under the seat with hogrings (steel circular tiedowns).  The seat has to come out to remove these and detach the seat cover.  Once the seat is removed from the car, p[ut the seat back in the farthest down position.  Detach the seat adjustment handle and plastic cover at the pivot point for the seat back.  Remove the screws that appear under this with a torx wrench.  Take a screwdriver and pry the plate outwards and work the seat back off.  Turn the seatbottom upsidedown and remove hogrings and work the seat cover off.  Generally, you will find broken springs on the driver's seat.

For the back, you need to remove the headrest.  For this, you need to slip a thin piece of metal down the down the support bar into the seat to release the catch. 

Often, repairing a panel of a seat is difficult because the old vinyl becomes stiff and tends to break when worked with.  The seats covers I have had redone were taken apart and the pieces used as patterns to make a new seat cover.   The cost in the States is a lot because this is very slow work.  My wife is Filipina and we just returned from a trip to the Philippines.  I took along a pair SX-4 seat bottoms and had all the vinyl replaced and used the existing center fabric.  I paid about $47 for the two.

Seats from an SX-4/Kamback and other Eagle models are interchangeable.  I have done it.  However, putting seats from another car in an Eagle will take a lot of fitting to make them fit right.  I think I would stay with Eagle seats unless you aren't fussy and just want a daily driver.

Also, concerning the hog rings, you can buy the rings and the tool to install them at car parts stores or from JC Whitney.  I have used regular plastic slip tiedowns as well because they are easier to install.   

[rollguy]

If you remove the covers to get them re-upholstered, you can install your seats without the covers so it can be driven (put a blanket on the seats).  The upholsterer can make covers using the old cover as a pattern, but he may need the seats to fit them properly.   Some upholsterers have a steamer, and use it to smooth out wrinkles.  You may be able to lessen the time that the seats are out of the car by doing a lot of the work yourself.