Stratos seat failure/repair?

[kerry]

Got a Stratos suspension driver’s seat. About 45k miles on it. Whatever secures the seat foam under the seat has failed where it attaches on the right side. Feels like a kind of heavy vinyl material. Anyone repaired this? Glad I didn’t pay full price for the seat or id really be pissed at the failure

 

[kerry]

Stuck my camera under the seat. Yep it’s some kind of coarse fabric on the bottom of the foam attached to the perimeter which has ripped.

 

[SkiFreak]

I would think that any decent auto upholstery repairer could help you out.

 

[kerry]

True. But I’m on the road a few thousand miles from home and was hoping for a fix I could effect myself without a delay caused by getting an appointment at an upholsterer.

 

[SkiFreak]

Knowing these seats as I do, I don't know if you could do much to resolve the problem without pulling the seat out and partially pulling it apart.
If you are willing to do that, something like a piece of ripstop nylon sewn across the original, ripped area could get you out of trouble.

The ripstop fabric could be sourced by buying any cheap sports bag with sufficient size to do the repair. Just cut up the bag and throw away what you don't use.
You would also need a good darning needle and some strong thread. Dental tape (thick dental floss) can be used at a pinch, if you cannot source anything more appropriate, as it is very strong.

 

[kerry]

Thanks. It looked to me as though the ripped fabric was attached at the sides with metal loops. I was considering cutting a piece of corroplast slightly smaller than the fabric, putting it over the original fabric then lacing cord back and forth through the loops. Haven’t got a good enough look at the metal loops to determine if this is feasible. I haven’t come up with a decent fix which doesn’t involve removing the seat

 

[SkiFreak]

I haven’t come up with a decent fix which doesn’t involve removing the seat

Sadly, I don't think you will.

 

[kerry]

This video is about how to fix a Recaro seat but the parts, failure and solution are identical to my Stratos seat which makes me wonder if Stratos gets the seat itself from Recaro.

 

[kerry]

Some pictures of my Stratos

 

[kerry]

Rubber shower underlayment—$12
Can of glue-$10

 

[kerry]

Rather than try to redo the hog rings which hold the side bolsters to the bottom panel I decided to use some cord

 

[kerry]

I should add that I measured the width of the original piece while it was attached and under tension on the seat (it wasn’t completely ripped in two). It was just over 14”. I made my new piece 14”. Removed from the seat and not in tension the OE piece was around 13.5”. So my new piece has less tension and may be slightly easier to install than an OE replacement although the pvc shower u derlayment is not as stretchy as the OE rubber