A recent addition to the Troy family has been a 1999 GMC 3/4 ton 4WD Suburban. This will do nicely for family hauling, Jeep towing, etc. It was in great shape but the drivers leather seat had the typical wear at the outside edge where the driver slides in and out time after time.
The previous owner had installed some WalMart special seat covers that bascially were awful. The elastic had all stretched out and they really did not fit the seat properly. To prove this, they popped off the seat base every time you got in and out. I did like the look, kind of a floral Hawaii white/blue/black theme. They just needed to be of better quality.
As I was shopping the net for new covers, I made a stop at the Wet Okole web site. As far as I know, they are the original maker of custom fit neoprene seat covers. The web site was vast in the selections of styles, colors, options, etc, but I waded in and ordered a set for the 'Burban.
A few weeks later, a big 'ol box showed up on the porch. I grabbed the camera and dove into the install. Below you can see the cheapies I started with and how one complete set of the new covers looked laid out and ready to be installed.
You can see how nicely the fabric is put together. The covers are very heavy compared to the cheapies that want to blow away in a light breeze. Also, you can see that I opted for a back facing map pocket.
I began the install with a brief look at the instructions. Pretty straight forward, I began with the passenger seat base. It was a bit of a challenge to get the velcro attached behind the seat base. It was a good, snug fit and I attached the straps under the seat keeping things out of the way of the power seat motors, etc.
I had to consult the instructions to find out how the headrests came out. There is a hole that needs a sharp object to press on a release mechanism as shown in the pic, then it lifts out. My hand is sticking out of the hole for the arm rest. The ones on this truck do not come off easily, so the cover is designed to slip over them while they are in place. Just align the hole with the armrests as you pull the covers down and slip the armrest through the holes. They will stretch and slide over. The last pic shows the cover in place around the arm rests.
I pressed the velcro edges together at the back of the seat, and installed the separate covers for the arm rests.
That was pretty much it other than installing the covers for the headrests and snapping them back into the seat back. I elected not to cut around the seat base mounted electric controls for now and it is pretty simple to feel the knobs through the covers. My wife is happy and the new covers feel snug and comfy. I also elected to get the seat cover treatment solutions and shampoos for future spills and stains. This option is available during the order process on the website.
The Family Wagon Gets Some High Class Seat Covers.
By Michael Troy
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