C5 Seat Rebuild - Better than new

[hougland]

View attachment 8127

The rear switch is for the seat sides.

 

[mcsevan]

C5 Lumbar Bladders

A lot of times, those bladders go bad. GM wants $800 to replace them (parts only). When I refurbished my seats, I replaced those bladders with some medical bladders that are a little more stout that the stock ones. They work like a charm and give excellent support. I also reinforced my seat but I didn't buy any kit. I just made it up. It's funny how a kit mysteriously showed up on Corvette Central. You can make your own for less than $10 bucks. That's some serious Corvette tax that they are charging!

Here are the old bladders and the bladders that I used as a replacement. The old, leaky ones:

The replacements (cost was around $49)

Here's how I reinforced the seat. I covered the fiberglass edge and taped the hell out of it so that it would no longer bust through the bolster after replacing the foam and leather:

For the bottom, I bought some really hard carpet like you would find at the front door to the unemployment office and laid it on the springs. That was over 3 years ago and my seats are showing no wear in those problem areas. I drive the hell out of my car so it gets a lot of use.

Don't pay that Corvette tax!

Junkman2008 - I just took my C5 sport seat apart and found all the bladders are broke. I found a source for ADC bladders but I do have 2 questions: What size bladders did you use??? and How did you fasten the bladders to the plastic bladder support??? Your solution is be far the best I have seen for bladder replacement, just need a little clarification on the above questions.

Thanks for sharing you ideas with us rookies.

 

[Mez]

I find the repair kit is exactly what I wanted. It has everything I needed and has instructions.

The price you pay for ANYTHING is more than the cost of the raw materials. And, yes, you can go out and buy the raw materials for less, but the kit save me time I don't want to spend looking for the right materials comes right to my front door.

Its like a friend of mine that complains about the cost of everything including a pizza. Yes, you can buy all the stuff for a pizza for a lot less than you can get it at Domino's. But it cooked an and ready to eat.

 

[Junkman2008]

Junkman2008 - I just took my C5 sport seat apart and found all the bladders are broke. I found a source for ADC bladders but I do have 2 questions: What size bladders did you use??? and How did you fasten the bladders to the plastic bladder support??? Your solution is be far the best I have seen for bladder replacement, just need a little clarification on the above questions.

Thanks for sharing you ideas with us rookies.

The sizes are listed on the boxes. I bought 2 of each, an adult and a child size.

I believe that I used Gorilla Tape to hold them in place but it has been so long that I can't remember. I need to remove that seat cover again so maybe I will remember to look at it when I do. Once the seat is put back together, they ain't going anywhere.

 

[mcsevan]

Many Thanks

The sizes are listed on the boxes. I bought 2 of each, an adult and a child size.



I believe that I used Gorilla Tape to hold them in place but it has been so long that I can't remember. I need to remove that seat cover again so maybe I will remember to look at it when I do. Once the seat is put back together, they ain't going anywhere.

Thanks for the info, I will now proceed.

 

[mcsevan]

Thanks

I find the repair kit is exactly what I wanted. It has everything I needed and has instructions.

The price you pay for ANYTHING is more than the cost of the raw materials. And, yes, you can go out and buy the raw materials for less, but the kit save me time I don't want to spend looking for the right materials comes right to my front door.

Its like a friend of mine that complains about the cost of everything including a pizza. Yes, you can buy all the stuff for a pizza for a lot less than you can get it at Domino's. But it cooked an and ready to eat.

I like some of your ideas on the seat pan and I plan to incorporate several of them in my sport seat rebuild. Thanks for you pictures in your earlier post.

 

[RBS-C5]

My C5 seat foam repair job with pictures

I recently installed a seat bottom repair kit. This post has some pictures and comments from the job:

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com...eat-foam-repair-job-pictures.html#post1153507

 

[Richard Marvin]

Leather seats

I have a 2004 ZO6 and my drivers seat is starting to show separation where it is stich. This is only the area where I get in. I would like to repair this before it gets badotfl

 

[Junkman2008]

Take the cover off and take it to a seat cover place or maybe even a seamstress. Could be a cheap fix, under $100.

 

[hoosierdaddy]

Air bag replacement for Corvette Sport seat, breakdown, step by step and parts needed exactly. . . .Thanks very much!!!

What did you use for the lines and connectors installing blood pressure bags in lieu the factory lines, mine are for the most part shot.


More precise details would be nice, parts needed and where to get them; is that possible?

Thanks,
-Bill

 

[Junkman2008]

Lumbar Support Fix REDEVIL Style! - Corvette Forum

 

[Richard Marvin]

Seat rebuild

I would like more information this please. dickandpattie@gmail.com

 

[Junkman2008]

I would like more information this please. dickandpattie@gmail.com

What else is there to know that ain't covered in that link?

 

[jwawhite]

My perspective

What else is there to know that ain't covered in that link?

Hi Junkman! Doing well?
i did the deed on my drivers seat, I have not read the entire post but I assume your question is about the seat repair. Here's what happened on my end, I did the repair not too long ago:

small hands and patience helps on the electrical connections, the Ms helped. I did not determine if the seat mounting nuts have a torque....I just tightened them down. You have to be careful with the 3m glue...off your hands, wear a mask and eye protection, I held my breath any way and left the area to breathe, spray in the proper place and do a dry run on how you place the ballistic mat...if the mat touches the glue, it stays! Prepare a nice area to work on the seat, I put out some horses and plywood sheeting. Might as well clean the covers while the seat is out of the car. I could not find the small size bull rings to set the cover back on the seat but the next? Size up was okay, now have a new tool, bull ring pliers!! If the button eschucheon is broken buy a new one....I found two broken areas on mine. I put the jute? Pad on mine, the seat feels great now, what an improvement. Oh yes, I also placed some ballistic type material on the L edge of the seat...the metal also cut into the seat bottom foam, again with the fantastic ! Glue. An easy way we removed the seat back handle: We used a 2" long needle ( needle thin) nose pliers ....the nose of each end was pressed against the tips of the C clip and off came the handle, easy peasy. As far as I know there is no fix for the seat back that pops out of place if your back presses hard against it while adjusting your man stuff. The seat back handle pops the seat back in place. I am really pleased with the outcome of project.

 

[Junkman2008]

Hi Junkman! Doing well?
i did the deed on my drivers seat, I have not read the entire post but I assume your question is about the seat repair. Here's what happened on my end, I did the repair not too long ago:

small hands and patience helps on the electrical connections, the Ms helped. I did not determine if the seat mounting nuts have a torque....I just tightened them down. You have to be careful with the 3m glue...off your hands, wear a mask and eye protection, I held my breath any way and left the area to breathe, spray in the proper place and do a dry run on how you place the ballistic mat...if the mat touches the glue, it stays! Prepare a nice area to work on the seat, I put out some horses and plywood sheeting. Might as well clean the covers while the seat is out of the car. I could not find the small size bull rings to set the cover back on the seat but the next? Size up was okay, now have a new tool, bull ring pliers!! If the button eschucheon is broken buy a new one....I found two broken areas on mine. I put the jute? Pad on mine, the seat feels great now, what an improvement. Oh yes, I also placed some ballistic type material on the L edge of the seat...the metal also cut into the seat bottom foam, again with the fantastic ! Glue. An easy way we removed the seat back handle: We used a 2" long needle ( needle thin) nose pliers ....the nose of each end was pressed against the tips of the C clip and off came the handle, easy peasy. As far as I know there is no fix for the seat back that pops out of place if your back presses hard against it while adjusting your man stuff. The seat back handle pops the seat back in place. I am really pleased with the outcome of project.

Lol! Thanks, but I was the one who wrote the original thread, which contained detailed information on how to do the upgrade. As people who have seen my threads know, I leave no rock unturned. I cover everything, which is why I posted that question.

 

[jwawhite]

Ha! Anything new from me?

Has my car been giving me trouble, on the list to do: L side window regulator, horn button...got a 2 am wake up call!

Hoorah, Go Army!

 

[hoosierdaddy]

C-5 Drivers Seat and air bags for lumbar shot . . . . .

I am getting ready today, here in about an hour of removing the drivers seat out of my 2000 C-5 with sport seat. Is there any last minute advise before I get started, Looks like it is going to be cramped of course, thought I would remove the roof panel, might help some. I found air bladders (blood pressure cuffs) but did not find the sizes listed in the pictures on here, like the way they look is there anyway I can get a good part number, the ones I got for the side esspecial were infant and they are way too small. I had read some pretty detailed instructions I think from Junk sometime ago but can not find them now. Wanted to refresh my mind a little bit before I get started, but if there is extra help and or advice I would like to hear it before I screw up. Thank you very much, again any help would be appreciate, pictures, and etc a plus too!!

Thanks,
-Bill

 

[Junkman2008]

If you go back and read this entire thread, you will find links to everything you need to know.

 

[adrichard1]

Repair kit

Where can I get the repair kit, or even better, where can I find someone to do the job for me?

Al

 

[Junkman2008]

You don't need a kit, you can buy everything yourself for cheaper. As for someone doing it for you, do you have any room to do it yourself or you just don't want to deal with it?