Sagging Driver Seat
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Junior User
Joined: Oct 2005
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Sagging Driver Seat
Hey guys i got a small problem thats more annoying than anything. i have a 95 f 350 xlt and with a bench seat.. my driver side sits about 2-4 inches lower than the rest of the seat. would this be due to the padding being compacted or maybe a broken spring.. is there anyway to fix this on my own and if not is there any place i can go to have it fixed? thanks guys
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 6,214
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From: New Jersey
Yes and yes, could be either or both.
Take the seat out, and pull off the hog rings, and unwrap the vinyl, cloth or leather off the bottom seat cushion and inspect. If the springs are broken, you can replace them. If the steel mesh the padding sits on is broken, it can be replaced or welded if it's not too bad. And the padding can be replaced with stuff from JoAnne fabrics fairly inexpensively. If you use JoAnne's stuff, know that you have to overstuff the seat to get it to the right thickness, by about 50%. So if you want it to be 4" thick, you need 6" thick worth of padding, because it compresses a bit.
Take the seat out, and pull off the hog rings, and unwrap the vinyl, cloth or leather off the bottom seat cushion and inspect. If the springs are broken, you can replace them. If the steel mesh the padding sits on is broken, it can be replaced or welded if it's not too bad. And the padding can be replaced with stuff from JoAnne fabrics fairly inexpensively. If you use JoAnne's stuff, know that you have to overstuff the seat to get it to the right thickness, by about 50%. So if you want it to be 4" thick, you need 6" thick worth of padding, because it compresses a bit.
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Junior User
Joined: Oct 2005
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Thanks alot man that was the fastest response ever. but what are hog rings and do you need a tool to remove them. also do i need new ones to put back on.. and how hard is it taking off the fabric and getting it back on. i have power lumbar is that a problem?
Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 6,214
Likes: 13
From: New Jersey
Hog rings are simply a steel ring, that you can open to a "C" shape and close again to make an "O" once you poke it through the seat material and around the metal structure underneath. There are official hog-ring pliers which I'd recommend, but others have said a decent pair of needlenose pliers will be just as good. I have a tool fetish so I have the hog ring pliers 
Taking off the fabric isn't difficult, it's just time consuming because you want to work it off slowly to avoid tearing it, and there are usually a vast amount of hog rings holding it on (as one would hope - so the fabric stays tight). Just go slow, take your time, and you'll see after the first ring or two how easy it really is. I recovered a pair of bucket seats for my wife's old car before we got rid of it in an afternoon. This time included removing the old seat fabric, replacing the cushions, soldering a wire to the heated seat thing that was broken on teh driver side, and putting on new seat covers that were gray leather rather than the ugly, reasonably beat up velour seats.
I was only fast to reply because you happened to post while I was doing my usual "every few days" posting spree.
Taking off the fabric isn't difficult, it's just time consuming because you want to work it off slowly to avoid tearing it, and there are usually a vast amount of hog rings holding it on (as one would hope - so the fabric stays tight). Just go slow, take your time, and you'll see after the first ring or two how easy it really is. I recovered a pair of bucket seats for my wife's old car before we got rid of it in an afternoon. This time included removing the old seat fabric, replacing the cushions, soldering a wire to the heated seat thing that was broken on teh driver side, and putting on new seat covers that were gray leather rather than the ugly, reasonably beat up velour seats.
I was only fast to reply because you happened to post while I was doing my usual "every few days" posting spree.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
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My driver's side seat has been "snowing" foam particles for the past couple years. Hasn't gotten to the point where it's uncomfortable to sit in yet. I'll have to do something with it eventually though. I don't suspect that the springs are broken.
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