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Recovering Seats Question

Baller

Baller

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Hey guys, I'm going to attempt to install the new Legendary seat covers that I bought. I need to purchase hog ring pliers and I notice that the sell both straight and curved pliers. Which would I need? If anyone has any good tips or a link to a site or video, I'd appreciate that as well. I did take 2 books out from my local library, but they were pretty useless. Thanks.
 
It's not brain surgery, either will work. Helps to have a needle nose close by as well.
Take pictures before you remove the old ones, and simply duplicate the places with the rings.
Be sure the covers are nice and warm before you try to install. Leave in the sun is the best way for a few hours so they are stretchable ... you will need that.
Certain ones need some massaging, so be prepared. Legendary covers are not what they used to be.
They also have a video on their site if I am not mistaken.
Maybe someone will chime in with specific issues on your model covers. So good luck.
 
Their price of $8 for the pliers & $5 for 200 rings is a decent price...$30 for the kit is a bit steep. If you use a couple pair of needle nose to open up the old ones when removing, you can re-use them. A standard pair of pliers will get the job done. It's just a bit easier re-installing with the 'grooved pliers. As ODZKing mentioned, the key to getting the covers on is to put them in the sun. Even a mere 15 minutes will greatly help, this time of year.
 
ODZKing said:
It's not brain surgery, either will work. Helps to have a needle nose close by as well.
Take pictures before you remove the old ones, and simply duplicate the places with the rings.
Be sure the covers are nice and warm before you try to install. Leave in the sun is the best way for a few hours so they are stretchable ... you will need that.
Certain ones need some massaging, so be prepared. Legendary covers are not what they used to be.
They also have a video on their site if I am not mistaken.
Maybe someone will chime in with specific issues on your model covers. So good luck.
Click to expand...

This^^, and I will add the help of another pair of hands helps greatly. But can be done by yourself. Good Luck
 
Thanks guys. Dante threw in a bag of hog rings with the covers so I just need to grab a set of pliers. I'll check out Legendarys site for the video.
 
Yes let them warm up, see if you can get a helper, if they are buckets do 1 at a time so you have an example to look at, make sure the covers are lined up correctly before you really go to town with the hog rings, and if there is burlap between the cushion and springs you may want to replace it. It prevents the cushion from sinking down into the springs. Jo Ann fabrics has the burlap. Good luck and don't forget to transfer the stays from the old covers to the new ones.
 
I bought a pair of pliers and clips kit off a Mustang site for $16 shipped. My only suggestion with the pliers is get a spring-loaded pair that opens on their own.

I used a pair of flush wire cutters to get the old clips off. Made the job quick and easy.

There a bunch of videos on Youtube that show how to do it and it is pretty easy, but all of the Legendary videos direct you to put the covers on the rear area of the seat and stretch them over the front, which is the hardest way to do it. I put the covers over the front of the foam first and stretched to the back and that made things much easier since the foam is thickest at the front.
 
Baller said:
Hey guys, I'm going to attempt to install the new Legendary seat covers that I bought. I need to purchase hog ring pliers and I notice that the sell both straight and curved pliers. Which would I need? If anyone has any good tips or a link to a site or video, I'd appreciate that as well. I did take 2 books out from my local library, but they were pretty useless. Thanks.
Click to expand...
I bought the straight ones...but after doing several interiors I wish I had gotten the curved pliers There are some places that it's hard to get to with the straight pliers.
Regards,
 
Thanks again guys. Guess I better watch some of those videos; I have no idea what a 'stay' is.
 
A stay is a piece of heavy duty wire that runs through a sleeve on the underside of the cover and keeps the cover from sliding around on the foam. If you've ever used universal covers and seen how they slide all over the seat you know what I mean. By attaching the stays to the cover and the seat springs you keep the cover from shifting around.
 
A good set of hog ring pliers will have a spring that keeps the pliers closed on the hog ring, keeping it from falling out if you have to lay them down. ................................MO
 
One of the members here (trimmer) is the guy you need to hear from.Hope he can post on this if he is around.
 
FOR ME, have an expert do the install. Too important. I got late model seats (if 1989 is late model) so no dog in fight.
 
Whoever said "if you can make your bed you can recover seats" was right. :) They are not hard at all.
 
I hired a guy at the local upholstery shop to do mine on the side $100 each. I tore them down sandblasted and painted the frames myself and he put the new foam on the seats then the covers and I didn't have to worry about them being off a little or a lot because of something I did wrong!

- - - Updated - - -

I hired a guy at the local upholstery shop to do mine on the side $100 each. I tore them down sandblasted and painted the frames myself and he put the new foam on the seats then the covers and I didn't have to worry about them being off a little or a lot because of something I did wrong! he also told me how to put on my vinyl top and that was easy just intimidating
 
Bruzilla said:
Whoever said "if you can make your bed you can recover seats" was right. :) They are not hard at all.
Click to expand...

I've said that it's like changing sheets on a bed. Same same I guess?
 
How many stays are on the rear bench seat? I saved one when I removed my covers and not sure if there was more. Thanks guys
 
I found a pair of channel-locks handy, and I also happened to have a pair of upholstery pliers (kind of like duck bill, but with a groove to hold the wire), but the channel locks were more useful.
 
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