Repair Advice Requested: Tears in the Back Seat Vinyl

[ricsix 13]

Hi Everyone,

 

I’d like to repair three tears I have in the bottom front portion of my back seat. The rest of the seat is in good shape, so I don’t want to go for a re-cover. This portion of the seat doesn’t really get seen by anyone (check out the photos) so it doesn’t have to be all that elegant. Furthermore I’m planning on dying the vinyl black so a patch could be any color. I really just don’t want the tears to propagate. Have any of you done this or have recommendations on how to go about it, what material/adhesive/technique?  
 

Kind regards,

 

Ric 

[Mike Self 3,708]

If you can access the back side of the upholstery, try cutting a patch panel from a scrap piece of vinyl and using contact cement, glue it to the back side of those tears, then clamp until the glue dries.  

 

Or, if you can find some matching vinyl (or a trashed back seat cushion) have an upholstery shop take the entire cover off the springs and either make a new piece or use the same piece from the parts seat.  I'll wager a piece cut from a derelict door panel with matching vinyl would be large enough to fit as a replacement piece.

 

Wonder how those tears happened--that's an odd place for 'em. 

 

mike 

[ricsix 13]

Thanks Mike, I should be able to access the back of the tear as they're just near the fold-over. I'll give it a try.

 

 

[Einspritz 636]

Remove the cover, then get a patch of muslin to cover about an inch more than the tear. Buy some Bish's latex adhesive and paint the back of the vinyl and one side of the muslin. Wait a few minutes until tacky, then attach the two together and use a roller to press together. Wait a few hours to dry. Better than new😀.

[2002iii 187]

If it was me I'd get some gorilla tape and put it on from the back side, maybe use a  hairdryer to try and stretch the vinyl a bit too fill any gaps.

[ricsix 13]

On 1/3/2021 at 11:39 PM, 2002iii said:

If it was me I'd get some gorilla tape and put it on from the back side, maybe use a  hairdryer to try and stretch the vinyl a bit too fill any gaps.

A good idea - a man has often has no greater friend that a roll of Gorilla Tape. I was an engineer in the space program for some time, and you would be amazed at how often it was used.

[2002iii 187]

7 hours ago, ricsix said:

A good idea - a man has often has no greater friend that a roll of Gorilla Tape. I was an engineer in the space program for some time, and you would be amazed at how often it was used.

Duct tape saved apollo 13. If you cant fix it with duct tape, bailing wire, visegrips, and wd40 you shouldn't be messing with it lol.

[ricsix 13]

1 minute ago, 2002iii said:

Duct tape saved apollo 13. If you cant fix it with duct tape, bailing wire, visegrips, and wd40 you shouldn't be messing with it lol.

Amen!! 

[Son of Marty 1,125]

All I got to say

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 6 by Son of Marty