Replacing Seat Upholstery

[jetmechmarty]

I posted this in another thread:

This may be of help to someone else recovering a seat:

SPIKE STRIP

There is a how to video on the page.

After reading a critique, perhaps I can do it better with some notching pliers and some sheet metal strips. Would this be appropriate?

K&S Stainless Steel Strip .028x3/4" (6)

What is the nomenclature for a proper notching tool? I'm not much of a sheet metal guy. Feedback please!

[DGXSER]

Marty that would be approximately 22 ga. Pretty stiff stuff in stainless steel. It certainly is thick enough, and will have the strength. It may be a little wider than your after. And it will not be easy to cut with hand tools.

I just replied to the other thread. As an HVAC engineer of 20 years, I have lived around the folks who make ductwork and use the tools suggested. If you go to an HVAC shop that makes ductwork, or talk to a local HVAC shop and see where they get their ductwork made. The places that make it will have plenty of scraps in the sizes your after. It will be galvanized sheet metal about 26 ga. Plenty stiff enough for this purpose, and corrosion resistant.

The pop rivet method is not bad. If I were doing an entire seat that way, I would probably use some washers inder the rivets to spread the force out on the material.

[Cobia]

Marty,
It seems to me that is a replacement for the factory 'spikes' that hold the seat cover on, if your spikes are too far rusted so as to not hold a new seat cover on.
I'm in that same situation where I need to replace my seat cover, although I think my factory 'spikes' will still hold up. But if your 'spikes' are too far gone that seems like a good altrnative.
Good find bud.
BTW - Merry Christmass to you and your family !!

[jetmechmarty]

I have a few nice seats for various bikes that need new covers. I assume those little pointy things are going to break off.

This is the tool?

Hand Notcher

[DGXSER]

Yep, that would be it. 30 - degrees sounds about right for the purpose.

I know your no stranger to materials Marty, and proably relaize that using those hand notchers on 22 ga Stainless is going to give you a REAL workout at best!! You will need a few days rest before you try to go tugging and pulling on seat covers! Seriously, I made some custom flashing for a bay window a couple years ago. A friend of mine got me some 26 ga S/S metal to make it with. Cutting and bending that stuff was very tough work.

[jetmechmarty]

OK then. It's 1/2" wide 26 ga galvanized strips I'm after.

[Rasputin]

If I had known about this whole deal a few years ago I may have saved about three seats that I simply threw out due to the tabs being beyond repair.
Good idea and a great post for those of us who need it. Had I only read the post about the availability of the fix I would have ordered it, now with the new input I can get a tin-basher to make me one in a heartbeat. Too bad those old seats are gone but the seat pans were nearly KAPUT anyhow. If the seat pan is toast bad enough to require this fix it is only a short time solution at best though.

[jetmechmarty]

Here is another nice tidbit. Those rubber bumpers on the bottom of the pan are still available from Yamaha!

Yamaha Motorcycle Parts 1980 XS1100SG SEAT Diagram

items 3 & 4


Add black paint and cushion repair and we have a new seat!