Seat covers, looking for recommendations - later in the thread reports on how my cover is holding up

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

SquareRoot

Full Access Member
Joined
Mar 18, 2017
Posts
4,230
Reaction score
8,124
Location
Arizona
First Name
Mike
Truck Year
85
Truck Model
K20
Engine Size
350
It looks like the same one I got from lmc, about $50 a few years ago. You are correct about the thickness, the build is nice as in design. But the quality lacks, mine faded a lot, and just like you're concerns, the thing started splitting between the individual threads of the fabric after use. Unless you're lifting your ass off the seat any time you move, you will eventually ruin it, mine took about a year to become "ugly" and started deteriorating.

Didn't have a problem with the pockets or anything, the strings are good, the only con is the material stretches and the strings will need to be readjusted. It didn't seem to stay in place great, but it wasn't bad, maybe if you figured out a way to secure the cover in the seat crack it wouldn't move, maybe a piece of steel rod or something, maybe tie that up to the seat too?

I love my saddle blanket seat covers, especially with the pockets, so many old trucks around here have em, the old ones too! The ones that last forever, and are still a pain in the ass to remove somehow lol.
Same here. Mine from LMC lacked quality. I even threw a towel over mine cause well... it's 120 here in the summer. Pulled the towel off a few months later and the POS cover still shredded itself. I really want one of the Carhart covers. They look like they would outlast the truck.
 

PrairieDrifter

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2014
Posts
3,877
Reaction score
5,710
Location
North Dakota
First Name
Mason
Truck Year
84,79,77,76,70,48
Truck Model
Suburban k10, bonanza k10, k30, k20, c10, gmc 1/2ton
Engine Size
350, 350, 350, 350, 350, 350
Same here. Mine from LMC lacked quality. I even threw a towel over mine cause well... it's 120 here in the summer. Pulled the towel off a few months later and the POS cover still shredded itself. I really want one of the Carhart covers. They look like they would outlast the truck.
I imagine any upholstery shop would be able to get ahold of the carhart material and make up a cover. Probably cheaper, and better.

Ive thought about a carhart seat with some plaid color matched inserts.
 

SirRobyn0

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2019
Posts
6,755
Reaction score
11,406
Location
In the woods in Western Washington
First Name
Rob
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
C20
Engine Size
305
I imagine any upholstery shop would be able to get ahold of the carhart material and make up a cover. Probably cheaper, and better.

Ive thought about a carhart seat with some plaid color matched inserts.
I considered have an upholstery shop make me a saddle blanket set, but man if I spent $300 on a cover I wouldn't wanna get into when I'm dirty, and the dog does not wipe her feet off before jumping in :)
 

Grit dog

Full Access Member
Joined
May 18, 2020
Posts
7,090
Reaction score
12,473
Location
Auburn, Washington
First Name
Todd
Truck Year
1986, 1977
Truck Model
K20, C10
Engine Size
454, 350
I considered have an upholstery shop make me a saddle blanket set, but man if I spent $300 on a cover I wouldn't wanna get into when I'm dirty, and the dog does not wipe her feet off before jumping in :)
If you actually want your seat rebuilt and a quality cover/install, I know a guy…
Waiting to get mine back from him, but his work is impeccable and he’s living back in the 90s, price wise.
He’d be around $300, maybe $350 all in, rebuild/stiffen up foam. Fix and reinforce springs and hand stitched cover.
If you went real basic on the seat cover, 1 color, simple stitching pattern might not even top $300
 

SirRobyn0

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2019
Posts
6,755
Reaction score
11,406
Location
In the woods in Western Washington
First Name
Rob
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
C20
Engine Size
305
If you actually want your seat rebuilt and a quality cover/install, I know a guy…
Waiting to get mine back from him, but his work is impeccable and he’s living back in the 90s, price wise.
He’d be around $300, maybe $350 all in, rebuild/stiffen up foam. Fix and reinforce springs and hand stitched cover.
If you went real basic on the seat cover, 1 color, simple stitching pattern might not even top $300
Any chance your guy is in Snohomish? There's a guy over there I've had do work for me in the past I'd describe a lot like you did.

In the square my seat looks new and padding is still pretty good. I think it's been covered it's entire life, and that's why I continue to cover it. Plus using it around the farm I'd stain up that nice seat in hurry with nothing on it so that's the reason for the cover in my case.
 

Grit dog

Full Access Member
Joined
May 18, 2020
Posts
7,090
Reaction score
12,473
Location
Auburn, Washington
First Name
Todd
Truck Year
1986, 1977
Truck Model
K20, C10
Engine Size
454, 350
I kind of thought you'd probably not be coming this far north for seat work. I keep expecting the guy I've been using to retire though.
Same here. He ain’t getting any younger. But he does a lot of work. Supposed to be done today. Will see what it looks like!
 

ghopp24

Junior Member
Joined
Apr 26, 2017
Posts
20
Reaction score
27
Location
TN
First Name
Greg
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
K10
Engine Size
305
Lseats in Texas. They offer Leather for the bench seat for less than $400 in multiple colors. You will have to remove the orig cover and hog ring this one in. So far so good. Cant beat the leather.
 

SirRobyn0

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2019
Posts
6,755
Reaction score
11,406
Location
In the woods in Western Washington
First Name
Rob
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
C20
Engine Size
305
I think leather is a matter of personal taste. For me I hate the stuff for seats but that's just my opinion. I dislike how hot it holds heat in the summer and cold in the winter. Again it's a matter of personal taste.

As for my covers I may as well give an update. To recap first, I wanted to buy saddle blanket seat cover, but I usual get them from seatcoverman.com and they were and still are closed due to staffing shortages. So on Jan 24th 2022 I bought a seat covers unlimited cover from amazon and paid $40. I felt at that point if I got a year out of them I'd be fine with that, so on Jan 24th 2022 I ordered them. I picked this cover from the other economy covers because there is no elastic or other material used in them for the back or sides. It's all saddle blanket tied with strings, and it comes with front pockets. I'll be it, it's much thinner saddle blanket material than the covers I'm gotten from cover man, and when it arrived I nearly returned it because of that, but decided to go ahead and install it. And now a little over a year later I'm glad I did.

It's holding up great.

Look I'm in and out of this truck all the time. I drive it to the shop I manage 4 days and use it on the farm and take it on feed runs. It's rare for this truck to be shut of more than one day a week.

Well guys, I've had this seat cover on for nearly a year now. I'm with in days of it being a year actually. It's still in great shape, and I've never had to mess with it. It's never slid, and I've never needed to adjust any of the ties. The three little tiny minor thread flaws I pictured in post #29 are still there and haven't changed at all. If I think of it I will take pictures of the cover in the next few days and share, I didn't because I wasn't planning to do an update right now, but Greg's post prompted it.

Bottom line if you are looking for a low cost economical saddle blanket seat cover for a bench seat I'd absolutely recommend the universal fit, seat covers unlimited cover sold on amazon looks like it is $41.99 now.
 

SirRobyn0

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2019
Posts
6,755
Reaction score
11,406
Location
In the woods in Western Washington
First Name
Rob
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
C20
Engine Size
305
Ok so here are some pics. A little more than one years worth of heavy use.

You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach


WOW for $40 I really couldn't be happier. Both sides have some mild staining, the drivers side looks like a little bit of grease from the shop, the drivers side looks like dirt from Misty's paws. BUT it's a $40 cover so some staining is fine. If I'd of spent $200 on a cover I'd be all anal about keeping it clean, and I don't want to do that in a truck I'm getting in and out of dirty all the time. At this point I'd highly recommend this cover for a budget saddle blanket cover.
 

Johnny Atomic

Full Access Member
Joined
Oct 18, 2019
Posts
82
Reaction score
199
Location
Little Rock AR
First Name
Johnny
Truck Year
1983
Truck Model
Sierra Classic 1500
Engine Size
350
Lseats in Texas. They offer Leather for the bench seat for less than $400 in multiple colors. You will have to remove the orig cover and hog ring this one in. So far so good. Cant beat the leather.
Pics of the Lseats, i'm seeing complaints, and glowing reviews BOTH.
 

SirRobyn0

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2019
Posts
6,755
Reaction score
11,406
Location
In the woods in Western Washington
First Name
Rob
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
C20
Engine Size
305
Two years and one month later this is how my $40 saddle blanket seat cover, made by seat covers unlimited and purchased on amazon is holding up.

You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach


As you can see 2 years of heavy use. This truck has been my daily driver to the shop in the city 4 days a week, it goes on feed hauls for the farm and does dirty farm work. I'm in and out of it in dirty clothes from the shop and farm, Misty is in and out of the passenger seat and she don't wipe her paws off! There is some staining now which you can see mainly in the center area, but the material is still holding up strong and I've never had any trouble with the cover moving around on the seat. I think this thing is great for $40!
 

Attachments

  • 20240209_100216.jpg
    20240209_100216.jpg
    208.8 KB · Views: 42

PrairieDrifter

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 28, 2014
Posts
3,877
Reaction score
5,710
Location
North Dakota
First Name
Mason
Truck Year
84,79,77,76,70,48
Truck Model
Suburban k10, bonanza k10, k30, k20, c10, gmc 1/2ton
Engine Size
350, 350, 350, 350, 350, 350
Two years and one month later this is how my $40 saddle blanket seat cover, made by seat covers unlimited and purchased on amazon is holding up.

You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach


As you can see 2 years of heavy use. This truck has been my daily driver to the shop in the city 4 days a week, it goes on feed hauls for the farm and does dirty farm work. I'm in and out of it in dirty clothes from the shop and farm, Misty is in and out of the passenger seat and she don't wipe her paws off! There is some staining now which you can see mainly in the center area, but the material is still holding up strong and I've never had any trouble with the cover moving around on the seat. I think this thing is great for $40!
I ripped my old one out and went with this one as well. The loops in the crevice between the bottom and back rest are a MUST. This cover doesn't move around hardly at all, unlike the other one that didn't have the extra loops, always readjusting it definitely killed it. Doesn't like to be sideways. I'm happy for the price as well!
 

Latest posts

Forum statistics

Threads
44,416
Posts
957,116
Members
36,753
Latest member
TheRigLivesOn
Top