Lazy Daze Owners' Group

Cab seat covers

June 28, 2015, 01:45:41 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 153624

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I'm having a hard time finding seat covers for my 2004 MB cab seats. I travel with dogs and would like to keep the seats covered. Has anyone found seat covers that fit the ford cab seats?

Martha
2004 MB

Re: Cab seat covers

Reply #2 – June 28, 2015, 02:29:59 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 153629

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Martha, even if I had been able to find seat covers that "sorta" fit the front seats of the LD, I wouldn't have put them on because they would have been a PITA to remove and replace every time they needed washing. And with dogs and kids (and some adults!), that's a pretty frequent occurrence!

I have kept washable dog-proof "throws" on the seats and couches for the whole 12 years that I have had my LD, and the upholstery is pristine.

Carpet, too, is kept covered with washable throw rugs. Carpet in a motorhome is one of the dumbest ideas ever to come down the pike, IMO. I know it covers a lot of "ugly construction warts", and it's cheap to install, but it and the pad underneath it can trap moisture, dirt, sand, and all sorts of gubbins, and get really nasty, even with care.

(Of course, my idea of the perfect floor is concrete with a big drain in the middle and an at-floor level soap/water spray system; "morgue decor". Put any furniture on pulleys and you're good to go!)

I'll stick with my throws; as always, YMMV!

Joan

Re: Cab seat covers

Reply #4 – June 28, 2015, 03:33:33 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 153631

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If one is set on having seat covers, this site might provide some choices:

http://www.coverking.com/seat-covers.html?gclid=CMH-6KmPs8YCFQ2VfgodPcEF8w

Unless one went with a "universal fit" (which sometimes means "fits nothing"), I'd be very careful about fit; the closest model to the E-450 is the "Econoline" designation. Maybe customer service could offer guidance.

Joan

Re: Cab seat covers

Reply #6 – June 28, 2015, 07:55:43 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 153636

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I made our seat covers at a cost of less than $30 for materials and a couple hours time for the pair. For each seat, I used two bath towels from Dollar General in a color that went well with the decor, plus a contrasting piece of stretchy Lycra from the remnants bin at Beverly's Fabrics.
 Before beginning, I laundered the towels to preshrink them. This will also remove a considerable amount of lint that would otherwise collect on your clothes...
 To make the seat back cover, I used chalk to mark the contour of the seat on the towel and the lycra, then cut and stitched them together, leaving room at the seam on one side for the armrest. Leave the bottom edge of the towel uncut as it will tuck through the back of the seat and up into the lycra to help hold the cover in place. There's no need to worry about adding seam allowances as you want a snug fit.
 The seams need to be pinned carefully, as the lycra stretches but the towels do not. If you're familiar with "easing" a seam to attach a set-in sleeve, or you've done projects with stretchy knits, you'll find this straightforward. Basically, you need to stretch and pin the lycra to the towel so that all the material is evenly distributed, and then stretch as you stitch to match everything up.
 After testing the fit, including the hole for the armrest, do another row or two of topstitching to strengthen the seam. Apply the seatback cover, tuck the end of the towel through and up under the lycra on the back.
 For the seat base, it's much simpler -- just fold the towel in half lengthwise, place it on the seat, and tuck the ends of the towel through the gap and up under the lycra.
 These turned out quite nicely. They're comfortable to sit on and easily removed for laundering. You get the colors you want, and they fit far better than the premade ones you'll find at the auto parts store.
 Bath towels were the quickest, easiest choice for material, as the size is just about right without much cutting. They were also inexpensive and therefore more forgiving of mistakes than store-bought fabric would have been. If you're a better seamstress than I am, you can undoubtedly improve on the basic design with such things as seat-back pockets or a custom-fitted seat base.

I'll post photos if anyone's interested in the finished covers.

Re: Cab seat covers

Reply #8 – June 29, 2015, 01:05:56 am

Yahoo Message Number: 153640

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I would appreciate seeing the photos. The instructions are very good. Thank you!

Re: Cab seat covers

Reply #10 – June 29, 2015, 09:06:57 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 153662

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Thanks for all the kind words. I've uploaded a more detailed, illustrated tutorial to the Files section under "Improvements"

fu

Re: Cab seat covers

Reply #12 – June 30, 2015, 12:57:39 am

Yahoo Message Number: 153667

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Thank you. Those are really nice instructions.