Vinyl seat starting to tear/crack - what can I use?

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Vinyl seat starting to tear/crack - what can I use?

CountryBumkin
It's not surprising to find a seam or tear/crack in the vinyl beach seat on a 33 year-old truck.
Is there any product (like a glue?) that I can put into this crack to keep it from growing?

This rip is on the seat base (the photo is rotated). So there are forces on it every time I sit down.

-Mike
1982 F250 4x4 XLT Lariat, 460cid, 9.5:1, TFS 290 Street Port heads, Crane Hyd. Roller cam (278/286 adv.,216/224 @.050, .560"/.586" lift), Edelbrock Performer 460 intake, MSD Atomic TBI fuel injection, MSD 6AL ignition, MSD Billet distrib., Hedman headers, NOS Cheater system, 4" Suspension lift, 3" body lift, 4.56 gearing, 17x12.5Rx37 tires MT Baja ATZ-P3.
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Re: Vinyl seat starting to tear/crack - what can I use?

1986F150Six
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I do not know of a way to stop the growth of the crack, but I have had that same piece successfully replaced on the seats of my truck and my son's truck. A local upholstery shop did it. I was supplied with a book of samples from which to pick a matching color [keep in mind the color of your seat may not be the same as when new]. The end result was quite good and cost approximately $75.
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Re: Vinyl seat starting to tear/crack - what can I use?

Danny G
leather/vinyl repair kit probably could slow it down/help.
1986 F-150|Standard Cab|4x2|300Six|C6Transmission w/3.08 rear|Name:TBD
2021 Ranger XLT Super Crew
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Re: Vinyl seat starting to tear/crack - what can I use?

ArdWrknTrk
Administrator
In reply to this post by CountryBumkin
Mike, that comes from sliding in and out, more than the driver always sitting there.
I recovered my seat just a couple of years ago and the welting right in that spot is already pulling loose.

Add the fact the vinyl's plasticizers have been offgassing for 30-odd years, and that it gets stiff and prone to cracks on cold days...
I'd say it's amazing your seat looks as good as it is.

Gluing over the crack isn't going to help much, but you could try something like Amazing Goop, Shoe Goo, or E 6000. (all really the same thing with slight variation in consistency).
Don't let it get into the foam below or it will dry to form a hard spot.

I'm interested to see what you come up with and how it turns out.   👀
 Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.
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Re: Vinyl seat starting to tear/crack - what can I use?

Rembrant
In reply to this post by 1986F150Six
1986F150Six wrote
I do not know of a way to stop the growth of the crack, but I have had that same piece successfully replaced on the seats of my truck and my son's truck. A local upholstery shop did it. I was supplied with a book of samples from which to pick a matching color [keep in mind the color of your seat may not be the same as when new]. The end result was quite good and cost approximately $75.
Since I'm getting my interior all fixed up and painted I decided I better look into getting my seat fixed as well. For a 36 year old seat it is in really nice condition except for a few small cracks on the driver's side. You can tell that this piece of vinyl has lost a lot of it's flexibility over the years and is kind of stiff. I was investigating vinyl repair kits and I just didn't have the confidence that I could do it and make it presentable. At least the cracks look natural...lol.

Thanks to David's reply here, I contacted a local shop and they said they could replace that one panel and come pretty close to matching the color too. The guy said if absolutely necessary they could dye the new piece to match better, but I'll see how it looks first. He seemed confident that he could find a match that most people wouldn't even notice unless you pointed it out to them.

Taking the truck to show him in the next few days hopefully. See if I can get some samples.



1994 F150 4x2 Flareside. 5.0 w/MAF, 4R70W, stock.
1984 F150 4X2 Flareside. Mild 302 w/ 5spd. Sold.
1980 F150 4X4 Flareside. 300i6 w/ 5spd. Sold in 2021.
1980 F100 4X2 Flareside. 351w/2bbl w/NP435. Sold in 1995

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Re: Vinyl seat starting to tear/crack - what can I use?

Gary Lewis
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Cory - I think that is going to work out really, really well.  Your truck sure is going to be great!  
Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

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Re: Vinyl seat starting to tear/crack - what can I use?

Danny G
What kind of cost is that going to run? I think a full recover kit is like $200.
1986 F-150|Standard Cab|4x2|300Six|C6Transmission w/3.08 rear|Name:TBD
2021 Ranger XLT Super Crew
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Re: Vinyl seat starting to tear/crack - what can I use?

Rembrant
TheScatch wrote
What kind of cost is that going to run? I think a full recover kit is like $200.
I don't know yet, but David mentioned above he had his done for $75. I'd get the whole thing done if it was only $200, but I've heard of others around here paying a lot more than that.
1994 F150 4x2 Flareside. 5.0 w/MAF, 4R70W, stock.
1984 F150 4X2 Flareside. Mild 302 w/ 5spd. Sold.
1980 F150 4X4 Flareside. 300i6 w/ 5spd. Sold in 2021.
1980 F100 4X2 Flareside. 351w/2bbl w/NP435. Sold in 1995

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Re: Vinyl seat starting to tear/crack - what can I use?

ArdWrknTrk
Administrator
Though many years ago, I got the local auto upholstery place to replace the horizontal panels in my seat for $200 US OTD

http://www.bellsautointeriorofgreenwich.com/

I brought them the seat (while sitting on a milkcrate ) and picked it up after a day.

Mind, this isn't a "cheap" shop.
They do leather interiors for very expensive automobiles, and convertible tops as well.
They are 500' between the Ferrari dealer and Porsche, while Aston and Bugatti are across the street.

ETA: until I went to get the link I didn't even think about McLaren, Pagani or Alpha Romeo...
the Mercedes, BMW and Audi dealers within a block are pedestrian in comparison.
 Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.
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Re: Vinyl seat starting to tear/crack - what can I use?

1986F150Six
Administrator
In reply to this post by Rembrant
Cory, the $75 was as previously posted.

The same shop would have charged ~$350/400 for a full recover. They had a book containing all the color possibilities and allowed me to select the color. The "welting" [?] was worn on the driver's side as well. This ingenious gentleman was able to cut the existing welting and splice the new piece by inserting a short piece of welding rod in each end [the old & new], for additional strength. This was on my son's truck and the repair is still great several years after!