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NedHan79 Hockenheim
Joined: 08 Nov 2018 Posts: 677
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Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2019 10:22 pm Post subject: Seat base restoration
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Can the base of a 996 seat be removed without taking the seat out of the car?
My drivers seat has sunken badly, more so on the left and as luck would have it, that’s where I get a lot back and hip pain.
I have found out that for whatever reason, these seats where fitted a few years ago. Condition wise they’re in decent shape except for this. The foam has sunken away down.
On a few quick searches, it may be possible to steam the original foam to put some volume back into it. The leathers quite saggy but I’d imagine if the foam comes up a bit, it’ll help take some shape again. Failing that, it’ll have to be some new sponge.
I have absolutely no experience with this but I’m not afraid to have a go.
Has anyone any experience on this?
I’m hoping to be able to remove the seat base, steam it from below and then treat the leather.
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Alex Le Mans


Joined: 06 Mar 2014 Posts: 17144 Location: The Ribble Valley, Lancashire
2000 Porsche 996 Carrera 4
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Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2019 10:29 pm Post subject:
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I'm led to believe (after discussing spraying my hard backs) that if you want to do any work on the seats, it's easier to remove the seat out the car than messing around in the limited space there is. _________________ 2000 Manual 996 C4 Arctic Silver Convertible
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infrasilver Fast & Furious


Joined: 04 Oct 2010 Posts: 8507 Location: East Midlands
2001 Porsche 996 Targa
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Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2019 10:37 pm Post subject:
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Takes about 15 minutes to remove a seat so it's not worth the hassle of trying to work on it in the car.
Also the foam bases are interchangeable, I used my slightly worn drivers seat base and changed it with the less worn passengers seat with better bolsters etc. _________________ http://euroroadtripper.blogspot.co.uk/

Last edited by infrasilver on Sun Jan 27, 2019 10:51 pm; edited 1 time in total
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NedHan79 Hockenheim
Joined: 08 Nov 2018 Posts: 677
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Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2019 10:41 pm Post subject:
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I totally understand that Alex but my problem is limited space. If the seat has to come out, I’ll maybe just go all out and paint the hard backs as well but atm it’s simply a fix to get me comfortable driving the car. Might be a case of taking the seat out and sitting on a milk crate to reverse the car back in. But I’m guessing that’ll have it’s own problems with air bag sensors?
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NedHan79 Hockenheim
Joined: 08 Nov 2018 Posts: 677
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Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2019 10:45 pm Post subject:
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Infrasilver are the seat bases all the same? Mine are the wing back ones if that’s a decent term for them and I also think they’re from a boxster as they have strap at the shoulder.
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infrasilver Fast & Furious


Joined: 04 Oct 2010 Posts: 8507 Location: East Midlands
2001 Porsche 996 Targa
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Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2019 11:19 pm Post subject:
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The comfort seat has slightly shallower bolsters (15mm if I remember correctly) than the sports seat. Unsure about the strap on your seat back but I assume this is for the seat belt and wouldn't then be interchangeable.
Your base foam should be able to be swapped between N/S and O/S. _________________ http://euroroadtripper.blogspot.co.uk/
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NedHan79 Hockenheim
Joined: 08 Nov 2018 Posts: 677
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Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2019 11:26 pm Post subject:
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I’d be more interested in getting a foam from somewhere else as I don’t want to ruin the passenger seat.
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NedHan79 Hockenheim
Joined: 08 Nov 2018 Posts: 677
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Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2019 11:28 pm Post subject:
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Just a random picture. Not my seat but that’s the strap
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Hans Gruber Monza
Joined: 24 Mar 2015 Posts: 165 Location: Huddersfield
2002 Porsche 996 Carrera 4S
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Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 12:00 am Post subject:
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I had exactly the same issue with my drivers seat, one saggy bum cheek area.
I did take the seat out and noticed that the foam had come away at the sides so I repaired with tie wraps as shown in the pic.
It did the trick and my bad back disappeared along with the noticable dip in the seat _________________ 2002 Porsche Carrera 4s
2008 Saab 9-3 Aero ttid - Sold, not arsed
2013 Kawasaki ZX6R - Sold not sorry
2019 Skoda Superb Estate - Bored
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NedHan79 Hockenheim
Joined: 08 Nov 2018 Posts: 677
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Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 12:19 am Post subject:
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Hans Gruber wrote: | I had exactly the same issue with my drivers seat, one saggy bum cheek area.
I did take the seat out and noticed that the foam had come away at the sides so I repaired with tie wraps as shown in the pic.
It did the trick and my bad back disappeared along with the noticable dip in the seat |
The seats not the cause of my back problem as I’ve only had the car a short while but it definitely dosnt help. I’ll give that a go if I can get a chance to look at it
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wasz Sepang
Joined: 28 Dec 2012 Posts: 2998
1999 Porsche 996 Carrera 2
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NedHan79 Hockenheim
Joined: 08 Nov 2018 Posts: 677
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Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 1:54 pm Post subject:
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Ok so I went to take the seat out and didn’t have the correct spline sockets so went to my local motor factory and bought a set. Got home and the rear one was rung so couldn’t get the seat out anyway.
I just flipped the base out with the seat in the car. The canvas below the foam had torn away from the lading edge of the seat so the foam had no support below it. I fed cable ties into it and where it had torn from and also cable ties like the photo above.
While I was at it I got the steamer out and onto the cushion to put some volume back into it.
Fitted it all back together and the cable ties across the base broke immediately. Admittedly I’m not 12 stone and the ties weren’t big enough. The ties holding the canvas are still in place so the seat has some shape and not just a hole where my left cheek sits
The leather is badly stretched as god knows how long it’s been like that but atm it’s more of a comfort thing than show winner.
I don’t think there’s much point in doing much with the leather. I’ll give it a spruce up but ultimately I’d like a new base so I’ll keep an eye open.
I’ll try and add photos here if it’ll let me
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NedHan79 Hockenheim
Joined: 08 Nov 2018 Posts: 677
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Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 1:56 pm Post subject:
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Ripped canvas
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NedHan79 Hockenheim
Joined: 08 Nov 2018 Posts: 677
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Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 1:57 pm Post subject:
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Foam hanging out on handbrake side
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NedHan79 Hockenheim
Joined: 08 Nov 2018 Posts: 677
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Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 1:58 pm Post subject:
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Adding a little volume with steam
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NedHan79 Hockenheim
Joined: 08 Nov 2018 Posts: 677
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Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 1:59 pm Post subject:
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Leathers still saggy but at least foam has some shape and support
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g911omr Spa-Francorchamps
Joined: 29 Sep 2009 Posts: 307
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Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 2:28 pm Post subject:
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The seats in my car have sagged a tad. Is removing the base just a case of pulling it up and away from the frame?
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NedHan79 Hockenheim
Joined: 08 Nov 2018 Posts: 677
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Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 2:38 pm Post subject:
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g911omr wrote: | The seats in my car have sagged a tad. Is removing the base just a case of pulling it up and away from the frame? |
No but it’s not hard. Look under the front, there’s 2 white clips. Pull the bit Down that sticks out of them and then prise them down from the back. The bit sticking down is like a locking tab to let the rest of the clip move.
Pull out the electric seat adjuster, should slide right off and then just pull the seat up from the front. There’s some wiring underneath so don’t go mad. Just disconnect the plugs to give a little more movement.
My seats are not heated so easy enough.
Just to clarify, mine wasn’t sagging, it was more useless
Time will tell how it goes but it’s better than it was
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g911omr Spa-Francorchamps
Joined: 29 Sep 2009 Posts: 307
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Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 2:59 pm Post subject:
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Thanks.
I'll give it a go. My car has ruffled leather which wasn't my ideal choice TBH. It just needs a bit of 'plumping up' if you know what I mean. I'd rather change them for standard seats, but finding some has proved more difficult than I thought it would be.
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NedHan79 Hockenheim
Joined: 08 Nov 2018 Posts: 677
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Posted: Mon Jan 28, 2019 3:33 pm Post subject:
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Are mine ruffled? I don’t even know.
Ive got a thing for the gt3 jobs but time will tell with my back.
And bank balance
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