My seat is finally wearing out

Mark K 2 · Apr 13, 2015

My good, old ST has been a reliable ride. It's a 2001 Job 2 and has 141,000 miles on it. The pic below shows the wear on the edge of the driver seat. Two questions:

1. Can I swap the driver seat cover with the passenger seat cover and will it look OK?

2. See that broken seat back angle adjustment lever? What's the part number?

swshawaii · Apr 13, 2015

Handle was never sold separately, only the complete recliner assembly. Seat covers and parts discontinued long ago, salvage yard may be your only source.

Dean Hedin · Apr 13, 2015

https://www.leatherseats.com/home/

Yardsale · Apr 13, 2015

Also check auto and boat upholstery shops.

Some seat covers are pretty nice. I put a two-piece set in my old 4Runner and they look original (and without the baggy look where the bottom and back meet).

My lever broke just like that. I fixed it with a piece of 1x1/8" cold rolled, button-head Allen bolts and two-part Nylon Welder epoxy. I took pictures as I did it, but the image function here isn't working, so ... I'll get them up ASAP.

Duane Foster · Apr 13, 2015

I think you can swap the covers side to side. I've swapped the passenger side seat bottoms to the driver's side several times.

You can use a good lever from most any seat that uses the same type lever. There's a bolt or 2 up under the seat cover where it bolts to the seat frame. It's a pain, but not that bad. I used a lever from an Aerostar, but it doesn't have as much travel as the Explorer/ST seats since the Aerostar seats aren't meant to tilt forward. Works though.

Mark K 2 · Apr 13, 2015

Thanks, everyone. My passenger seat bottom fabric is perfect. I rarely have a passenger. I'll do the swap in a few days.

Duane Foster · Apr 13, 2015

Thanks, everyone. My passenger seat bottom fabric is perfect. I rarely have a passenger. I'll do the swap in a few days.

That's exactly why the passenger to driver's side seat bottom cushion/fabric swap is popular.

Kyle Hadfield · Apr 14, 2015

No lie, I was just thinking/wondering this the other day. My seat bottom has no plump and looking over to the other side-nice and firm, hardly used. I've dealt with this since new to me so I don't know what it should of felt like. Thanks Duane for the confirmation. Now to look into proper removal

Mark, when you do this can you take note of any tips or tricks you wish you used along the way and report back? The 1st time always takes longer than the 2nd, thanks

Mark K 2 · Apr 14, 2015

Yardsale · Apr 15, 2015

Images of lever repair uploaded.

I used the Nylon welder between the lever and metal to eliminate the possibility of movement between them. Applied and tightened the bolts.

Kyle Hadfield · Apr 15, 2015

I guess I misread your original post. I don't really want to just swap the covers side to side but the whole bottom foam seat and covers side to side. seems like swapping just the covers would be tedious and extra work.

Mark K 2 · Apr 16, 2015

I'd prefer to swap the bottoms and not do that bullsh*t covering swap.

Kyle Hadfield · Apr 16, 2015

I was assuming that if you were to remove the bottom cushion (cover and all) from the hardware and basicly switch side to side and hook up the opposite hardware it would work? I thought that was what Duane was talking about.

I have never took the seats off or apart so not sure if it connects differently but both bottoms look identical on the inside and outside edges minus where the trim/handle attach. There is no way I'll do this if it has to keep covers and only swap foam but if the foam will fit either side I would think that the same would go for the covers-i mean?they are just covers. Again if that is right, your tear would be on the passenger seat belt-hidden as would my depressed non plush foam.

Kyle Hadfield · Apr 16, 2015

With the seats off/apart, I would lube whatever needs to be lubed down under. Not sure exactly what but springs and tracks come to mind

Duane Foster · Apr 16, 2015

I've not done the swap with a ST/Gen 2 Explorer seat, so I'm not sure about the frames, but the Gen 1 Explorer seats use the same bare frame under the cloth/vinyl and foam for both passenger and driver's seats. The threaded holes for hinges, levers, etc are there on both sides of the frame. Only the pedestals/legs that bolt to the floor, and possibly the tracks differ from side to side. The ST/Gen2 Explorer seats are surely the same, too. Could actually be the same frame as the earlier ones. Should be an easy job.

Dre L · Apr 18, 2015

My lever broke just like that. I fixed it with a piece of 1x1/8" cold rolled, button-head Allen bolts and two-part Nylon Welder epoxy. I took pictures as I did it, but the image function here isn't working, so ... I'll get them up ASAP.

LOL, I was going to say, I've been having a lot of success with popsicle sticks and JB Weld lately. Fixed the ash cup hinge with a McDonalds straw and JB Weld :bwahaha:

Yardsale · Apr 21, 2015

JB Weld is the best!

user 62851 · Apr 22, 2015

My 2004 driver side seat is also pretty worn out at 184k miles. The lever broke, seems like forever ago and also the plastic side cover had broke off. There was no way to make it connect because the plastic connects on it broke and it doesn't exactly just come off. It is connected to the back of the seat in some sort of way. Being it was broken and in the way every time and unable to fix, I just ended up cutting it off.

One day, I will fix it. Or with all the other electrical problems it is having, I will just trade it in.

Igor Smetaniuk · Apr 22, 2015

Swapping the seat fabric is easier than changing out the whole rack assembly. They are inter-changeable from driver to passenger.

I had left my moonroof open overnight many moons ago and a rain deluge that night soaked the hell out my seats. The thin piece of crap wire supports for the seat cushion got rusted and eventually broke away to where I felt like I was sitting on a toilet seat. I wound up rebuilding the seat cushion support assembly and used some better wire that came from the small orange surveyor flags. Perfect size and are better than OEM. I spray painted the rods with black rustoleum this time for when I leave the moonroof open during a rainstorm next time. :banghead:

NOTE*** I just noticed that I can't see the pictures below anymore in this thread (black box w/'x') so you can find them in my library.

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Kyle Hadfield · Apr 22, 2015

Can you clarify when you say swapping the seat fabric versus whole rack? I tried looking at the service manual to get an idea of assembly but obviously a bit confused. I assumed the seat fabric with foam could be separated from the base. I'm guessing that's not the case?

Maybe my wording is off also causing confusion

My seat is finally wearing out

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