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Re: Viggen Seat Leather - replacement?! Salvage Yard Notes  1 Saabers Like This Post!
Posted by thetallguy [Email]  (#1698)  [Profile/Gallery]
(more from thetallguy) on Sun, 11 Mar 2018 05:53:43
In Reply to: Re: Viggen Seat Leather - replacement?!, Jeremy R., Sat, 10 Mar 2018 19:38:33 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
I have a solution for the leather problem which may be a little different than what some have done. My experience with the replacement aftermarket leather "repair" of a single panel is not good. The first year looks great but several years of wear and sun leaves the "new" replaced panel looking worse in terms of color and texture than the old. My wife bought a Viggen three door three years ago with the seat back bolster split and worn to the point of no return. I pulled a complete rear seat bench (both bottoms and seat backs plus headrests="bench") from a Saab 9-5 Aero (salvage yard) and used the original Saab leather with the correct grain/color to replace all the panels which were showing any signs of wear-a total of four panels. The seat now looks new and has been that way since the refit three years ago. Total cost including the sacrificial seat bench and the labor was $160. Considering the seat is now "perfect" Saab leather including the original "backing fabric" right down to the different panel "grain" finishes, I was happy to pay that price. The rear seat bench leather is usually in perfect condition so the leather suppleness is also great. Plus, I now have extra leather for the center console arm rest, seat bottom panels, and any other problems that come our way. One note: for Viggen seat bottoms, the largest panel on the front of the seat bottom is not going to be found in a rear 9-5 seat bench. However, it does appear that the convertible upper rear seat back panel will work/be large enough-I have not yet confirmed this but hope to do so soon. A second solution for the seat bottom is to pull a passenger's side "bottom" off and sub that for the drivers side. The bottoms are symmetrical (I understand the 9-5s and 9-3s BOTTOMS also interchange-not personally verified). For Viggens, it's difficult to find just a passenger seat-I bought a set with a near perfect passenger side but worn drivers side. The bottom "cushion" with the leather installed resides on a steel pan attached to the rail assembly by two front fasteners (bolts) and two side fasteners (sheet metal screws). Disassemble the seat back, electric seat heater connectors, and side trim and pull the "pan". That's it. I did this job last weekend on my daughter's 2003 convertible Viggen clone. Currently I am looking at the seat back and what is involved with a swap from passenger's to driver's side.Problem areas: seat "bolster" knob is on wrong side and would interfere with the opening of the center cup holder cover, the side airbag is on the wrong side of the seat, there are two "tilt" adjusters (I am not concerned about that). I think these problems could be resolved but not entirely sure what method is utilized to insure proper seat bag deployment "through" the leather seat cover. I will have a look and report back if anyone is interested. Perhaps someone else has this knowledge...One additional piece of information for convertible owners: due to the high humidity in the convertibles rust develops on the headrest supports-headrests from 9-3 hard tops and 9-5 Aeros do not have this problem and do interchange.
For those of you who do not frequent salvage yards a little education is in order: Front seats are generally $30 each without the mechanized rails and motors and $50 with. Rear benches are usually $35 for the complete bench less the framework or $50 with. Headrests are included in that price at the yards I frequent; headrests individually sell for ~$9. I once actually cut one leather panel out of a seat bench (the largest) and paid $5. I'm not sure if you can get away with this at any salvage yard but it did work for me one time without a problem probably because I was buying other parts. Pulling front seats quickly requires a battery booster to energize the seat motors so as to get to the seat's rail bolts (batteries are not allowed in some yards but boosters are). Assuming one does not bitch about the price and act like a jerk, there is no tax (depending on the state) plus a thirty day warranty. I quite enjoy going to the "yard" after looking at the on-line inventory of available cars. It's the perfect place to "wrench" over a job you might not have done before with no risk/stress. It's good "Saab" therapy. That and the heady feeling of "getting away with grand theft" every time I leave the yard.
->Posting last edited on Sun, 11 Mar 2018 08:52:20.
, Sun, 11 Mar 2018 12:25:00, Sun, 11 Mar 2018 05:53:43 <-- Viewing This Message
1, Sun, 11 Mar 2018 11:27:25
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