ColdShotxx
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #1
First off, I just want to say that this install is pretty self explanatory once you start getting into it and detailed instructions really aren't needed. I just wanted to provide a walk through for those wondering what is entailed. I bought a set of brand new 2015 Mustang GT OEM takeoff leather set. The leather is built identical to the base cloth upholstery so no cutting or modifications are needed. All loops, holes, flaps, everything are the exact same which made this install fairly easy. I dis not rwmove the front seat seatback and don't see the need too, but may be easier, LMR has a good how to on youtube for this if you go that route.
Time: 6 hours. I work VERY slow taking pictures. The average person can do this in half the time.
Tools needed:
• Socket Wrench
• 15mm socket
• 10mm socket
• Very Thin and long flathead screwdriver
• Standard medium sized flathead screwdriver
• Torx T50(15-?) or torx plus TP55(?-21)
• Torx T20
• Adapter or drivers need for torx heads
• Dikes pliers
• Flashlight
• Hog rings
• Hog ring pliers
• Needle nose pliers
When working with removing the cloth upholstery, I won't specify which tools I use, but it was primarily using a flathead screwdriver used for prying and lifting the countless clips throughout, along with needle nose pliers.
Front Seat Removal
1. Slide back the front seat. Remove plastic covers to expose seat bolts. Using the T50 torx head to remove. **Update, atorx plus TP55 is used on 2021 MY! It may also be on MY 2020, but unconfirmed.** I couldn't find a tp55 locally, so plan ahead accordingly, do not try using a normal torx T55! Slide seat forward and do the same for the rear bolts.
20150821-Leather Install (60) by lowlight010, on Flickr
2. I moved the seat back to center so the rails below covered in grease wouldn't get on my carpet.
3. Once all bolts are removed from both the driver and passenger seats, disconnect the car battery.
4. Tilt the seatback recliner all the way for more compact removal from car.
5. Disconnect the wire harness. I have the V6 050A which has manual seats so I only have one wire harness to disconnect. It is very likely all other configurations/models will have additional harnesses to disconnect.
20150821-Leather Install (51) by lowlight010, on Flickr
20150821-Leather Install (59) by lowlight010, on Flickr
6. Depress the two buttons at the base of the headrest posts while lifting the headrest out. This will make it much easier getting seat out of car.
20150821-Leather Install (58) by lowlight010, on Flickr
7. Remove front seats from car.
20150821-Leather Install (55) by lowlight010, on Flickr
Rear Seat Removal
1. Tilt rear seatbacks down exposing a bolt on each side of the bench. Remove the bolts using a 15mm socket. I found there is no need to remove the center bolt and bracket between the split seatbacks; the seatbacks are able to just pivot out from the bracket.
20150821-Leather Install (54) by lowlight010, on Flickr
2. Remove rear seatbacks from car
3. Slide you hand below the leading edge of the rear bench seat. You'll find a U-shaped plastic level on the left and right sides of the bench. Press in the center of the U and the entire bench pulls out.
20150821-Leather Install (15) by lowlight010, on Flickr
Once all seats are removed, I highly recommend moving everything inside onto carpet or somewhere comfortable. To get a very fitted look, I litterally wrestle the seats, getting a nice velcro bond in all the cracks and corners, using my knee and heel. When removing the cloth upholstery I highly recommend working on one side of the vehicle's seats first. That is, so you keep the factory seating assembled until the other seat is complete. Many times throughout this process I referenced the other seat for small detailed understand. Too many to list, but is a great reference to really get the details for a professional install results.
Front Seat Remove Cloth
1. First remove the reclining lever simply by prying off with a flathead.
20150821-Leather Install (43) by lowlight010, on Flickr
2. If you're working on the driver seat, the raise/lower lever needs to be removed by lifting it to its extend position and then slide the plastic lever off away. ( I guess only applicable to V6)
3. Using a T20, remove two screws, one in rear, one in front, which will free the seat plastic panel for removal.
20150821-Leather Install (44) by lowlight010, on Flickr
20150821-Leather Install (42) by lowlight010, on Flickr
20150821-Leather Install (41) by lowlight010, on Flickr
4. Remove the trim bezel around the rear recline on the back of the seat back using just your hands. I found it works by lifting the lever, rotate the trim 90 degrees and lift up and out.
20150821-Leather Install (38) by lowlight010, on Flickr
5. Remove the headrest posts from the seatback by using a long and very skinny flathead screwdriver. Regardless of which post or which seat, you'll be working on the left of the post. Work your screwdriver past the cloth and feed it down along the post and the using leverage, put some pressure on the post. You're trying to depress a retaining clip on the side of the post. Look down the post hole with a light and you'll see the clip you're trying to engage.
20150821-Leather Install (28) by lowlight010, on Flickr
6. Once all hardware is now removed, we'll start by removing the seatback cloth first. Tilt the seat forward so you're looking at the bottom of the seat.
7. Disconnect the airbag wire harness. Then, pull the wire harness off of the plastic piece it is mounted to. You'll see that this now gives access to the elastic band needing to be remove.
20150821-Leather Install (52) by lowlight010, on Flickr
8. Remove the two elastic band loops.
20150821-Leather Install (50) by lowlight010, on Flickr
9. Remove the long plastic clip at the base of the back of the seatback.
20150821-Leather Install (40) by lowlight010, on Flickr
10. Remove the two rivet-like plastic plugs at the base of the back of the seatback.
20150821-Leather Install (48) by lowlight010, on Flickr
11. Begin pulling the cloth of the seatback, rolling it so it becomes inside-out as you remove. Use this technique throughout all the whole project.
20150821-Leather Install (5) by lowlight010, on Flickr
12. Once you get the cloth seating removed half way, there are a few items needing to be done:
• Remove the four clips in the rear that surround the pocket area.
20150821-Leather Install (65) by lowlight010, on Flickr
• Remove the long plastic clip above the four clips at the rear of the seatback.
20150821-Leather Install (30) by lowlight010, on Flickr
• Remove the 3 hog clips around the shoulder blade area in the front of the seatback with dike pliers. **update, my new 2021 did not have attached hog rings. However the mount location cable is still there and used hog rings when i reinstalled my katzkin.**
20150821-Leather Install (31) by lowlight010, on Flickr
• Unclip the airbag ribbons that are clipped in the back. Take time at this step understanding how the clip together and how they are folded through the padding.
20150821-Leather Install (3) by lowlight010, on Flickr
20150821-Leather Install (35) by lowlight010, on Flickr
20150821-Leather Install (34) by lowlight010, on Flickr
20150821-Leather Install (36) by lowlight010, on Flickr
20150821-Leather Install (64) by lowlight010, on Flickr
20150821-Leather Install (33) by lowlight010, on Flickr
13. Once these items are complete, the cloth should be free to be completely removed.
14. Once removed, for my install I had to reuse the magnetic attachment for the seatbelt retainer. Simply use a flathead and pliers to open the wings to remove from cloth.
20150821-Leather Install (29) by lowlight010, on Flickr
20150821-Leather Install (9) by lowlight010, on Flickr
Front Base Seat
15. For the front base seat, flip the seat to expose the bottom. You find the whole circumference lined with plastic clips you need to remove.
20150821-Leather Install (39) by lowlight010, on Flickr
16. At the back bottom of the base seat, there are long stretch fabric pieces that are fastened with Velcro. The fabric is back behind plastic mounts and the frame wiring, so you'll have to feed the fabric out to remove. ** Update, my 2021 no longer has a velcro straps, it is one solid strap, so you just have to remove the bottom cushion from the seat frame completely to remove cloth covers which is not much more work.**
20150821-Leather Install (27) by lowlight010, on Flickr
17. Now working from the top of the base seat slow begin removing the cloth working from the front. Be careful, there are two channels(one in front and one back) that the cloth is retained by v-clips that will not pull out. You'll rip the seat foam out, you will not get the clips out pulling up with pressure. The answer is the release the side bolster velcro, then slide the cloth either left or right to guide the v-piping out from the retaining clip. Your front base cloth should now be removed.
20150821-Leather Install (26) by lowlight010, on Flickr
20150821-Leather Install (25) by lowlight010, on Flickr
20150821-Leather Install (63) by lowlight010, on Flickr
Headrests
18. To Remove the cloth from the headrests, simply catch an edge of the plastic clip and with a folding motion out, it will undo.
20150821-Leather Install (23) by lowlight010, on Flickr
19. The back hanger has a plastic trim piece that can be removed by pulling from the bottom, and when loose, rotate up and pull out. **update, no hooks on my 2021**
20150821-Leather Install (24) by lowlight010, on Flickr
20. Begin rocking the cloth back and forth as you slide the cloth off. I found it easier to take the inside padding with you. Be sure to reinstall the padding before reinstall of new covers as well as verify the plastic rod on the back of the headrest is at it correct position (see pic).
20150821-Leather Install (22) by lowlight010, on Flickr
20150821-Leather Install (21) by lowlight010, on Flickr
20150821-Leather Install (20) by lowlight010, on Flickr
Rear Seatback
21. The rear backseat is pretty straight forward. Catch an edge on the back plastic clip and fold out to undo. This the tightest fitting cloth of the entire project, so take your time, work it back and forth, and the foam is not attached underneath so its easier to take it with as you remove the cloth. Pay attention to how the folds of the cloth around the base brackets as this will have to be replicated when you install your new covers.
20150821-Leather Install (19) by lowlight010, on Flickr
20150821-Leather Install (18) by lowlight010, on Flickr
20150821-Leather Install (17) by lowlight010, on Flickr
Rear Base Seats
22. No instructions needed. At the bottom you'll find a dozen or two clips and a few rivet-type plastic plugs throughout you need to remove. There's no surprises here. Reinstall is just as easy, just make sure your seatbelt and LATCH channels are clear of fabric.
20150821-Leather Install (10) by lowlight010, on Flickr
20150821-Leather Install (14) by lowlight010, on Flickr
20150821-Leather Install (11) by lowlight010, on Flickr
20150821-Leather Install (13) by lowlight010, on Flickr
Install
Like I said, the leather I installed is absolutely identical to the cloth I removed, so to give detailed instructions would be unnecessary. Saying that, here are a few points to keep in mind as you install:
• Every piece should be installed inside-out and worked tightly as you push down to install it. This is a extremely important.
20150821-Leather Install (1) by lowlight010, on Flickr
• Be sure to guide and make a good connection between your new leather and foam making sure the velcro throughout is fastened properly to make sure you do not have a loose appearance in your leather.
• Don't forget to address all the points highlighted in the removal process when you get half way with the front seatback step, including getting the airbag ribbons and clips installed properly, and reinstalling new hog rings in the front.
• The v-piping on the front base seats don't have to be installed sliding in from the side like the removal, just put some pressure and they'll clip right in.
• Just like aftermarket manufacturers of leather seating suggest, I also turned my heater on to bring my interior temperature up to help settling of the new leather.
I am very happy with the results. I looked at many premium models at the dealerships when I was deciding whether to take on this project and I really believe that I got equal, or even possibly better results than factory installed covers as I was really able to take my time and get a very tight appearance result.
PAYPAL TIP!
20150821-Leather Install (8) by lowlight010, on Flickr
DSC_1864 by lowlight010, on Flickr
DSC_1863 by lowlight010, on Flickr
Update for 2021!
Showing torx T50, T55, and torx TP55. TP55 needed for 2020?-2021
No hog ring from factory, but still can use to reinstall.
Solid strap on front bottom seat cushion, no longer two piece velcro.
Time: 6 hours. I work VERY slow taking pictures. The average person can do this in half the time.
Tools needed:
• Socket Wrench
• 15mm socket
• 10mm socket
• Very Thin and long flathead screwdriver
• Standard medium sized flathead screwdriver
• Torx T50(15-?) or torx plus TP55(?-21)
• Torx T20
• Adapter or drivers need for torx heads
• Dikes pliers
• Flashlight
• Hog rings
• Hog ring pliers
• Needle nose pliers
When working with removing the cloth upholstery, I won't specify which tools I use, but it was primarily using a flathead screwdriver used for prying and lifting the countless clips throughout, along with needle nose pliers.
Front Seat Removal
1. Slide back the front seat. Remove plastic covers to expose seat bolts. Using the T50 torx head to remove. **Update, atorx plus TP55 is used on 2021 MY! It may also be on MY 2020, but unconfirmed.** I couldn't find a tp55 locally, so plan ahead accordingly, do not try using a normal torx T55! Slide seat forward and do the same for the rear bolts.
2. I moved the seat back to center so the rails below covered in grease wouldn't get on my carpet.
3. Once all bolts are removed from both the driver and passenger seats, disconnect the car battery.
4. Tilt the seatback recliner all the way for more compact removal from car.
5. Disconnect the wire harness. I have the V6 050A which has manual seats so I only have one wire harness to disconnect. It is very likely all other configurations/models will have additional harnesses to disconnect.
6. Depress the two buttons at the base of the headrest posts while lifting the headrest out. This will make it much easier getting seat out of car.
7. Remove front seats from car.
Rear Seat Removal
1. Tilt rear seatbacks down exposing a bolt on each side of the bench. Remove the bolts using a 15mm socket. I found there is no need to remove the center bolt and bracket between the split seatbacks; the seatbacks are able to just pivot out from the bracket.
2. Remove rear seatbacks from car
3. Slide you hand below the leading edge of the rear bench seat. You'll find a U-shaped plastic level on the left and right sides of the bench. Press in the center of the U and the entire bench pulls out.
Once all seats are removed, I highly recommend moving everything inside onto carpet or somewhere comfortable. To get a very fitted look, I litterally wrestle the seats, getting a nice velcro bond in all the cracks and corners, using my knee and heel. When removing the cloth upholstery I highly recommend working on one side of the vehicle's seats first. That is, so you keep the factory seating assembled until the other seat is complete. Many times throughout this process I referenced the other seat for small detailed understand. Too many to list, but is a great reference to really get the details for a professional install results.
Front Seat Remove Cloth
1. First remove the reclining lever simply by prying off with a flathead.
2. If you're working on the driver seat, the raise/lower lever needs to be removed by lifting it to its extend position and then slide the plastic lever off away. ( I guess only applicable to V6)
3. Using a T20, remove two screws, one in rear, one in front, which will free the seat plastic panel for removal.
4. Remove the trim bezel around the rear recline on the back of the seat back using just your hands. I found it works by lifting the lever, rotate the trim 90 degrees and lift up and out.
5. Remove the headrest posts from the seatback by using a long and very skinny flathead screwdriver. Regardless of which post or which seat, you'll be working on the left of the post. Work your screwdriver past the cloth and feed it down along the post and the using leverage, put some pressure on the post. You're trying to depress a retaining clip on the side of the post. Look down the post hole with a light and you'll see the clip you're trying to engage.
6. Once all hardware is now removed, we'll start by removing the seatback cloth first. Tilt the seat forward so you're looking at the bottom of the seat.
7. Disconnect the airbag wire harness. Then, pull the wire harness off of the plastic piece it is mounted to. You'll see that this now gives access to the elastic band needing to be remove.
8. Remove the two elastic band loops.
9. Remove the long plastic clip at the base of the back of the seatback.
10. Remove the two rivet-like plastic plugs at the base of the back of the seatback.
11. Begin pulling the cloth of the seatback, rolling it so it becomes inside-out as you remove. Use this technique throughout all the whole project.
12. Once you get the cloth seating removed half way, there are a few items needing to be done:
• Remove the four clips in the rear that surround the pocket area.
• Remove the long plastic clip above the four clips at the rear of the seatback.
• Remove the 3 hog clips around the shoulder blade area in the front of the seatback with dike pliers. **update, my new 2021 did not have attached hog rings. However the mount location cable is still there and used hog rings when i reinstalled my katzkin.**
• Unclip the airbag ribbons that are clipped in the back. Take time at this step understanding how the clip together and how they are folded through the padding.
13. Once these items are complete, the cloth should be free to be completely removed.
14. Once removed, for my install I had to reuse the magnetic attachment for the seatbelt retainer. Simply use a flathead and pliers to open the wings to remove from cloth.
Front Base Seat
15. For the front base seat, flip the seat to expose the bottom. You find the whole circumference lined with plastic clips you need to remove.
16. At the back bottom of the base seat, there are long stretch fabric pieces that are fastened with Velcro. The fabric is back behind plastic mounts and the frame wiring, so you'll have to feed the fabric out to remove. ** Update, my 2021 no longer has a velcro straps, it is one solid strap, so you just have to remove the bottom cushion from the seat frame completely to remove cloth covers which is not much more work.**
17. Now working from the top of the base seat slow begin removing the cloth working from the front. Be careful, there are two channels(one in front and one back) that the cloth is retained by v-clips that will not pull out. You'll rip the seat foam out, you will not get the clips out pulling up with pressure. The answer is the release the side bolster velcro, then slide the cloth either left or right to guide the v-piping out from the retaining clip. Your front base cloth should now be removed.
Headrests
18. To Remove the cloth from the headrests, simply catch an edge of the plastic clip and with a folding motion out, it will undo.
19. The back hanger has a plastic trim piece that can be removed by pulling from the bottom, and when loose, rotate up and pull out. **update, no hooks on my 2021**
20. Begin rocking the cloth back and forth as you slide the cloth off. I found it easier to take the inside padding with you. Be sure to reinstall the padding before reinstall of new covers as well as verify the plastic rod on the back of the headrest is at it correct position (see pic).
Rear Seatback
21. The rear backseat is pretty straight forward. Catch an edge on the back plastic clip and fold out to undo. This the tightest fitting cloth of the entire project, so take your time, work it back and forth, and the foam is not attached underneath so its easier to take it with as you remove the cloth. Pay attention to how the folds of the cloth around the base brackets as this will have to be replicated when you install your new covers.
Rear Base Seats
22. No instructions needed. At the bottom you'll find a dozen or two clips and a few rivet-type plastic plugs throughout you need to remove. There's no surprises here. Reinstall is just as easy, just make sure your seatbelt and LATCH channels are clear of fabric.
Install
Like I said, the leather I installed is absolutely identical to the cloth I removed, so to give detailed instructions would be unnecessary. Saying that, here are a few points to keep in mind as you install:
• Every piece should be installed inside-out and worked tightly as you push down to install it. This is a extremely important.
• Be sure to guide and make a good connection between your new leather and foam making sure the velcro throughout is fastened properly to make sure you do not have a loose appearance in your leather.
• Don't forget to address all the points highlighted in the removal process when you get half way with the front seatback step, including getting the airbag ribbons and clips installed properly, and reinstalling new hog rings in the front.
• The v-piping on the front base seats don't have to be installed sliding in from the side like the removal, just put some pressure and they'll clip right in.
• Just like aftermarket manufacturers of leather seating suggest, I also turned my heater on to bring my interior temperature up to help settling of the new leather.
I am very happy with the results. I looked at many premium models at the dealerships when I was deciding whether to take on this project and I really believe that I got equal, or even possibly better results than factory installed covers as I was really able to take my time and get a very tight appearance result.
PAYPAL TIP!
Update for 2021!
Showing torx T50, T55, and torx TP55. TP55 needed for 2020?-2021
No hog ring from factory, but still can use to reinstall.
Solid strap on front bottom seat cushion, no longer two piece velcro.
Sponsored
Last edited:
