Stag Front Seat Diaphragms

[PimentoRed]

Hi All

This is my 1st post so please be gentle.

Looking for some advice please?

I am refurbishing initially the drivers seat, and on doing so have found that the diaphragm is hanging on by a thread. The material has pulled away from the hooks and has torn. Looking at new ones, prices are in the £30's so I wondered if anyone had made their own and if so what material they used and where it was found?

The shape is still intact so it would be easy to reproduce if suitable material could be sourced.

I am assuming that the passenger one will be in a similar state on a 37 year old Stag.

Thanks in advance.

[V Mad]

You have bought a decent type of car, why bodge it for the sake of £20

£19.50 from James Paddocks http://www.jamespaddock.co.uk/parts....21&vehicleId=1

[jleyton]

Hi Pimento - can we have a real name as well ?

Welcome to the Forum and I hope you find a good answer to this question (hopefully mine !) and any others you post in the future.

I replaced my diaphragm, which sound to have been in a similar condition to yours , last year. Like yourself, when I saw the price, that seemed exorbitant for just a bit of flat rubber, I thought of making my own however I relented and bought one from Southern Trimming, who advertise in the mag.

When I came to fit it I was really, really glad that I'd bought a 'proper' one and, from my experience, I'd advise you to do the same for the following reason.

The diaphragm is held by metal hooks (I'm not sure whether these are what are called Hog rings ) and the 'proper' diaphragm has to be stretched to a massive extent to get these to fit properly. I tried all sorts of things to get the hooks to fit until finally I made a 'special tool' by cutting a 'V' in the front of an old flat blad screwdriver. With this I was able to push the hooks really, really hard until they fitted the holes. I was having to put the rubber under so much load that I was sure that the rubber was going to tear. Fortunately, it didn't but I rather suspect that any home made diaphragm would tear either on fitting or soon afterwards.

Sorry if this means more expenditure but I know that's what I'm going to do when I come to replace the passenger seat one when I finally get round to it.

Cheers

Julian

[new to this]

pimento

there are two types of diaphragm on the market ( thin one and thick one ) i bought mine from southern trimming ( thick one ) i also fitted pirelli webbing as well
as julian said there hard to strech , i use wire to pull the hooks

dave

[PimentoRed]

Hi Guys

Thanks for the info.

I didn't realise that the diaphragm was under pressure to be honest as there is none on mine due to wear.

I think I will raid the piggy bank!

Cheers

Mike