'08 Corolla: Sagging drivers seat.....

OK, let the fatb*tt jokes begin...

Driver seat has sagged about 2" compared to the passenger seat.

I don't see anything on Rockauto to address this.

The local recycle yards have limited numbers of these cars, and I always wonder how much weather the interiors have seen.

I don't think it is practical to swap the 2 front seats.

Anybody got any experience with this issue?

Thx,

Rog

The foam relaxes, the springs relax, the seats themselves are made of thin tubes that can also take a set over time.

Only thing you can really do is get a better set from a junkyard.  This is how used car dealerships do it.  You're right that you generally can't swap a left for a right.  On the bright side, you may be able to sell the seat to someone like me who ordinarily needs to drive with the seatbelt squished tight for a few years to gain that extra headroom.

Years back, a friend had the idea for a cross continent seat exchange.  Sell our good passenger seats to Japan and Australia in exchange for their good passenger seats.  

I have a sagging bottom . . . on my Ranger. While looking around the inter/web/nets I came across a couple vids that showed how you can fluff up your bottom using a garment type steamer. The heated vapor opens the cells in the foam. I have not done it yet but it is on my to do list.

While right and left seats are almost always mirror images , it is sometimes possible to use a right side cushion in a left side seat if the cushion shapes are "close enough". We tried it a handful of times when I worked in the seating industry. Some aerosol contact cement and an electric carving knife can work wonders with a chunk of foam. I doubt a 2008 seat has any suspension, so it will be a full-foam design. You ought to be able to modify a right side cushion, or use firm slab stock to build a good seat.

Easiest thing to do might be slipping a piece of slab foam under the existing cushion, depending on the shape of the lower surface of the cushion.

Not sure how your seat is built , but mine is a foam pad that sits on a wire grid. Over time the grid cut into the pad causing "sag". Simply put a peice of cardboard on top of the grid so the foam is protected. Has worked great for years  seat is nice and firm.

DeadSkunk (Warren) said:

While right and left seats are almost always mirror images , it is sometimes possible to use a right side cushion in a left side seat if the cushion shapes are "close enough". We tried it a handful of times when I worked in the seating industry. Some aerosol contact cement and an electric carving knife can work wonders with a chunk of foam. I doubt a 2008 seat has any suspension, so it will be a full-foam design. You ought to be able to modify a right side cushion, or use firm slab stock to build a good seat.

This is the way to do it.  With some hog-ring pliers and some time, you can usually swap the foam and lower covers from right to left.  The right seats are usually in good shape.

Hey guys,

Took the drivers seat apart this AM. Springs looked OK, bottom of the foam had minimal indentation. I bought some 2" foam from the local craft store and grafted that in.

The fix is better, it may take some time to adjust.

Thanks to all for the inputs!

Rog