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Beaver24

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Wish me luck, I'll be a busy Beaver tonight.

Updates below. Took me probably 6hrs. It sucked. Like most things, it gets easier/quicker after doing one seat.
Before moving to an Engineering tech position at Altec Ind. I worked in production for 13yrs as an installer, hydraulic tech, tester, and electrical tech. My hands and forearms haven't hurt like this in about 5yrs lol. If you are not one for manual labor, you will want to pay for the install. It is totally doable on a weekend by a DIY person. I've never done upholstry before. It will be years before I think of doing it again. I'd rather do the timing chains and water pump on my sons Cobalt again haha.

Ford Bronco DIY With Photos: Katzkin Leather Seats Install in Big Bend Bronco 20220825_162701





UPDATED WITH RESULTS:

Damn, I don't plan on doing that ever again lol. Looks good, smells good, feels good to sit on, and feels even better knowing I saved over a grand doing it myself. I did not intend to do a writeup, so there are things I left out. I took photos of some things for myself as I was doing it. Sorry I didn't get better details for you guys reading in the future. It's all off memory. It's a bit backwards in order and messy.

I did not use any heat gun or steamer. It's hot and humid here in MO, worked out fine. My fingers and forearms are tired. Made a few mistakes and learned some things.

I'll post some tools and more pics later

Ford Bronco DIY With Photos: Katzkin Leather Seats Install in Big Bend Bronco 20220827_164315


Ford Bronco DIY With Photos: Katzkin Leather Seats Install in Big Bend Bronco 20220827_164406


Ford Bronco DIY With Photos: Katzkin Leather Seats Install in Big Bend Bronco 20220827_164422


Ford Bronco DIY With Photos: Katzkin Leather Seats Install in Big Bend Bronco 20220827_164523





DIY WRITEUP & PHOTOS:

Tools I used
:
-Dykes/side cutters,6-8"
-Hog Ring Pliers (Harbor Freight)
-Needle nose plyers, 6"
-Flat head screwdriver or small prybar
-Fir tree removal tool if you have one
-1/4" impact driver
-socket extension
-impact socket swivel
-18mm socket (deepwell)
-13mm socket (both deep & shallow)
-10mm socket (deepwell, I think size is right, airbags)
-T50, T30 & T20 torx bits/driver
-Razor knife (smaller, for cutouts of rear cargo anchors, rear seat latch releases and headrests)
-Plastic bags(for front headrests)
-Vaccuum (for front headrests)

-Hog Rings (I found these Dewalt ones for ~$12 at Tractor Supply Company. Work great. Really sharp and are staggard so they wrap around without the tips touching (šŸ˜›)

Ford Bronco DIY With Photos: Katzkin Leather Seats Install in Big Bend Bronco 20220827_150954


Ford Bronco DIY With Photos: Katzkin Leather Seats Install in Big Bend Bronco 20220827_151124


Ford Bronco DIY With Photos: Katzkin Leather Seats Install in Big Bend Bronco 20220827_151011


Cut holes for the headrest, rear cargo anchors, etc. with a small razor knife. Cut holes smaller than the plastic so it hides under when you press down.
Go slow, and don't screw it up

Ford Bronco DIY With Photos: Katzkin Leather Seats Install in Big Bend Bronco 20220827_161648


Ford Bronco DIY With Photos: Katzkin Leather Seats Install in Big Bend Bronco 20220827_145224


Ford Bronco DIY With Photos: Katzkin Leather Seats Install in Big Bend Bronco 20220827_163754


The plastic guard has one T30 Bolt under the butt-hip area of seat, and one spring clip that pops in near the T50 hing bolt. You can see the slot in the arm for the clip. Just pop it loose and manhandle the plastic off.

Ford Bronco DIY With Photos: Katzkin Leather Seats Install in Big Bend Bronco 20220827_142840

Don't forget to put this inner plastic guard back on BEFORE bolting the legs to the floor. I had to take it back apart a little. the inner arms arm close together, so you have to twist/pursuade the plastic guard back on there.
Ford Bronco DIY With Photos: Katzkin Leather Seats Install in Big Bend Bronco 20220827_144442


Ford Bronco DIY With Photos: Katzkin Leather Seats Install in Big Bend Bronco 16616454192617522112699537299134

All the seat bolt covers just pop out with spring clips
Ford Bronco DIY With Photos: Katzkin Leather Seats Install in Big Bend Bronco 20220827_144756


Don't get in a hurry and be a dummy with the razor knife like me. You do NOT need to cut a slit in the section for the rear driver seat belt lol. It runs over it, not through it... Luckily my screw up hides behind the belt well.

Ford Bronco DIY With Photos: Katzkin Leather Seats Install in Big Bend Bronco 20220827_142417


Ford Bronco DIY With Photos: Katzkin Leather Seats Install in Big Bend Bronco 20220827_142444

Be careful pushing down on the cargo flaps behind the rear seats. I leaned on it, hyperextending it too much. The springs shot loose and nailed my knuckles and chest
Ford Bronco DIY With Photos: Katzkin Leather Seats Install in Big Bend Bronco 20220827_143115

Seat belt bolt is 18mm. After the nut is removed with deepwell 18mm and extension from under seat, use pry bar to push the spring retainer washer loose. I pryed it up a little and cut it with dykes. It did not want to come off.
Ford Bronco DIY With Photos: Katzkin Leather Seats Install in Big Bend Bronco 20220827_123840

Use something like cable or thick string to pull the zippers on and off. One of my zippers sliders broke. I found a #5 zipper slider at Hobby Lobby for a purse that worked perfectly.

Ford Bronco DIY With Photos: Katzkin Leather Seats Install in Big Bend Bronco 20220827_094152

Air bags have two nuts on the inside-rear of seat frame;outside facing edge of seat. Might have been 10mm socket, I didn't take note of that. Bags slide out of the yellow sleeve. I did not unhook my battery. You can though. Once I hooked my seat connectors back in, there were no warning lights on dash.
Ford Bronco DIY With Photos: Katzkin Leather Seats Install in Big Bend Bronco 20220827_093536


Ford Bronco DIY With Photos: Katzkin Leather Seats Install in Big Bend Bronco 20220827_093531


Ford Bronco DIY With Photos: Katzkin Leather Seats Install in Big Bend Bronco 20220827_084341


I actually used needle nose pliers for the new hog ring crimps more often then hog ring pliers. There just isn't much working room in there. Maybe my hog ring pliers were a little big. Have a good 6" set of needle nose. You have to be sort of rough and force your way into the foam.

Have some sharp dykes, maybe two pair. You will cut a lot of hog rings.

Ford Bronco DIY With Photos: Katzkin Leather Seats Install in Big Bend Bronco 20220827_084854


Ford Bronco DIY With Photos: Katzkin Leather Seats Install in Big Bend Bronco Screenshot_20220831-184514_eBay


Ford Bronco DIY With Photos: Katzkin Leather Seats Install in Big Bend Bronco Screenshot_20220831-184525_eBay

The front headrests-look up the plastic bag vaccuum trick on Youtube, it works. I even used Walmart bags and it worked haha.
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RickDeckard

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2020FordRaptor

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KennyCJR

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Howā€™d it go?
 
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Beaver24

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Howā€™d it go?
Not perfect. I didn't end up with much time to work on it. Passenger seat install was almost done and one of the zippers broke! So, I will attempt a remedy for that after work. The hog rings suck. This is my first go at upholstry. I'll do pics whenever I finally get done. I see why they charge so much for installs. Like with other mods, it will be nice knowing I did it myself though.
 

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Lowcountry Bronco

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Not perfect. I didn't end up with much time to work on it. Passenger seat install was almost done and one of the zippers broke! So, I will attempt a remedy for that after work. The hog rings suck. This is my first go at upholstry. I'll do pics whenever I finally get done. I see why they charge so much for installs. Like with other mods, it will be nice knowing I did it myself though.
Yep, the older I get its just worth paying an expert to do it. I upholstered the bench in my Ranger and its good enough for an old truck but I'm not interested in repeating it again.

Good luck though!
 

KennyCJR

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Looks great!
 
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Beaver24

Beaver24

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DallasCajun

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Looks good, youā€™re braver than I am! Iā€™m planning on Katzkin when mine comes in but will certainly be paying for the installation!
 

AK SNO RIDER

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Great color combo. What exact colors did you go with? Nice to compare real life to the CGI on the website
 

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Squatch

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Looks good!

I think we'd all like to know the details; colors, material, why no Degreez?


*optional pedantic statement
We all know they're DiC's (pronounced dykes) because that's short for diagonal cutters, right?
 

MNBigfoot

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Great photo's, great write up. Did you have heated seats in it? And even if it didn't, do you think it would be possible to slide those heating pads into the seats without removing too many hog rings? If it would be relatively simple, I might take on the task myself.
 

Donkeygyrl

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Looks awesome šŸ‘yes i did a full recover a couple of times and swore i would never again.
I have the base and cloth and big dog dont mix .
Went with prp seat covers ,still alot of work just no hog rings.

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Gresthy

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Looks good, youā€™re braver than I am! Iā€™m planning on Katzkin when mine comes in but will certainly be paying for the installation!
That's what I thought too. And I don't make trouble for myself.
 

Dads_bronze_bronco

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@Beaver24 - can you post up or pm me the directions for removing and re-installing the front passenger seat back rear panel?

I have a Corbeau inflatable lumbar bag I am going to install when I finally get my Bronco.
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