Driver's seat: Ultraleather vs cloth?

[loosenut]

I'd be interested to know whether anyone has come across a 'stand-alone' air-ride mechanism that can be fitted beneath conventional seats. I can't think why this couldn't be done, but I don't think I've ever seen such a unit.

Jeremy

Jeremy,

Recently I saw an advertisement for "stand-alone air-ride mechanism" specifically for RVs.  I was geeking around and don't remember if it was a print or web ad. 

However, this site http://www.suburbanseats.com has a number of options truck, bus, pickup etc. seats.  Some of the options have the show a mix and match approach to the seat base and seat. Off road and pickup options are good places to start.

The low rider option shows seats that look like they would fit in a bus.

Mike

[Dallas]

But isn't ultraleather made from critters related to Nauga's? And we all know that Nauga's are an extremely endangered species. Especially after that major debacle several decades ago where everything was made from Naugahyde. Millions and Billions of defenseless Naugas were killed for nothing more than their pelts, Why? To make a hot sweaty place to sit for bar fly's and lounge lizards the world over!

Stop this senseless slaughter NOW! Save the Nauga's and their cousins!

And if you don't believe that Nauga's are endangered, just think back and tell me the last time you saw a herd of wild Naugas grazing peacefully in a quiet meadow?

[HighTechRedneck]

But isn't ultraleather made from critters related to Nauga's? And we all know that Nauga's are an extremely endangered species. Especially after that major debacle several decades ago where everything was made from Naugahyde. Millions and Billions of defenseless Naugas were killed for nothing more than their pelts, Why? To make a hot sweaty place to sit for bar fly's and lounge lizards the world over!

Stop this senseless slaughter NOW! Save the Nauga's and their cousins!

And if you don't believe that Nauga's are endangered, just think back and tell me the last time you saw a herd of wild Naugas grazing peacefully in a quiet meadow?

[trailblazer2]

I have a new ultraleather that I am going to sell. It is a six way power seat with armrest on both sides,and off white in color. It is still in the wrapper,and is very comfortable. I will take $150.00 for it .Shipping will run about $45.00 (lower 48)
Bill

[Busted Knuckle]

I have a new ultraleather that I am going to sell. It is a six way power seat with armrest on both sides,and off white in color. It is still in the wrapper,and is very comfortable. I will take $150.00 for it .Shipping will run about $45.00 (lower 48)
Bill

Bill if it's still available I'd like to take you up on that seat!    BK 

[belfert]

I have a new ultraleather that I am going to sell. It is a six way power seat with armrest on both sides,and off white in color. It is still in the wrapper,and is very comfortable. I will take $150.00 for it .Shipping will run about $45.00 (lower 48)

This sounds like a regular motorhome seat and not a truck type seat like I am looking for.  It sounds like BK wants it so you might have it sold.

I found out that the parts to fix my seat are $400 for just the fabric so I'm looking for another seat at this point or just putting a cover over mine.

[Zeroclearance]

Brian, what seat do you have in the bus right now?   Is the cushion burnt?

I have a ISRI seat and I hate it..   

[belfert]

Brian, what seat do you have in the bus right now?   Is the cushion burnt?

I have a ISRI seat and I hate it..   

I have a Bostrom seat.  I found out from calling Bostrom that it is an OEM seat for International.  The back is somehow custom for International and the replacement fabric has to be ordered through an International dealer.  I got all the part numbers from Bostrom and it came to over $400 for parts when I called an International dealer.

The seat looks like the Bostrom WideRide seats I have seen at dealers.  I have seen the ISRI seats online and they are pricey.

The driver side arm rest has the cushion all burned up.  The back has the cushion barely singed so that cushion is still good.

[oldmansax]

But isn't ultraleather made from critters related to Nauga's? And we all know that Nauga's are an extremely endangered species. Especially after that major debacle several decades ago where everything was made from Naugahyde. Millions and Billions of defenseless Naugas were killed for nothing more than their pelts, Why? To make a hot sweaty place to sit for bar fly's and lounge lizards the world over!

Stop this senseless slaughter NOW! Save the Nauga's and their cousins!

And if you don't believe that Nauga's are endangered, just think back and tell me the last time you saw a herd of wild Naugas grazing peacefully in a quiet meadow?

Where is PETA when you need them?   

[T Chellis]

I know this is a little late but maybe this can help with your decision. Ultra leather is not Genuine Leather. It is a high grade polymeric vinyl that simulates leather. While it is soft and plyable it still retains the vinyl properties that make vinyl hot in the summer and cold in the winter. Genuine Leather is a natural product and is therefore more comfortable.  I like a good fabric because it breaths.  Admittedly fabric is harder to clean it can be protected with a product called Fabric-Coate which makes it much easier to clean.

If you are wondering how I know this I have been upholstering for 43 years and have worked with all the materials........Hope this helps......T. Chellis

[belfert]

I decided to buy a fabric seat after considering all the options.  I bought it a few weeks ago, but just installed it a few days ago.

The velour version of the seat was $90 less than the ultraleather version of the same seat.  It was basically the same price to buy a new seat as to special order replacement fabric for my burned seat.  If I could have ordered different color fabric for my seat I would have done that route, but the seat was special for International in only one ugly color.

[bevans6]

I just tore out the vinyl RV seats that came with my bus and installed seats from a 2003 GM pickup truck.  Cloth, integral seat belts including shoulder belt, very comfortable.  The challenge was adapting them to the swivel bases with electric adjustment, and getting the OEM manual adjusters off.  Big hammers came out to play...   

[brando4905]

This is too late as well, but for anyone looking for good seats check out Recaro air ride. I have 3, the driver is the only one hooked up to air right now. Very comfortable seats.

[Busted Knuckle]

I have a Bostrom seat.  I found out from calling Bostrom that it is an OEM seat for International.  The back is somehow custom for International and the replacement fabric has to be ordered through an International dealer.  I got all the part numbers from Bostrom and it came to over $400 for parts when I called an International dealer.

The seat looks like the Bostrom WideRide seats I have seen at dealers.  I have seen the ISRI seats online and they are pricey.

The driver side arm rest has the cushion all burned up.  The back has the cushion barely singed so that cushion is still good.

I decided to buy a fabric seat after considering all the options.  I bought it a few weeks ago, but just installed it a few days ago.

The velour version of the seat was $90 less than the ultraleather version of the same seat.  It was basically the same price to buy a new seat as to special order replacement fabric for my burned seat.  If I could have ordered different color fabric for my seat I would have done that route, but the seat was special for International in only one ugly color.

Well see Brian you just blew your chance of claiming your bus was part Eagle! (wrong eagle, but still part eagle! Eagle is the name of International's high end model!)
  BK 

[trucktramp]

I know you have bought your seat and I think you will like the cloth much better than the Pleather.  Leather, pleather or what ever they want to call it is not all that great in a commercial seat.  Your back and butt sweat like the dickens.  They are cold in the winter and hot in the summer.  Cloth is definitely the way to go in my opinion.  As for brands, the top line Nationals are pretty good, Bostrom makes some good ones, I liked the Tallegedaga Series best.  The seat and back are wider for the bigger than average driver.  The seat bottom also extends out to support your thighs better.  Stay away from the swivel type seats that they spec in Navistars...they are junk and ride terrible.  You want to check a couple things when you are looking at them.  First you want a seat that has an easy "glide".  That's the position that allows the seat to glide back and forth while hitting bumps so that you don't get as much back slap.  The other thing to check is the design of the suspension in the base.  You want it to look like an X.  It will be very square looking.  Some brands (and I don't remember which) just pivot in the front and the back of the base is open.  These usually have long travel (which is good) but as they wear, when they bounce up and down they also rock left to right making you feel like you are going to fall out of the seat.  This is just my two cents on seats.  I have had my butt in many over the course of my driving career.  Some were good.  Others, I would rather have had a milk crate to sit on.  My final piece of advice is to go to a large size truck dealer (Peterbilt, Freightliner, etc) and go into the parts dept and try them out.  See which one fits you best.  While you're there you can ask some of the drivers what they have and how they like it.  Plus there are all sorts of chrome goodies to shine up the inside  and outside of the bus.