I don’t remember if I did. I installed it about a year ago now, and have been thrilled with it. It’s excellent quality - soft and supple, and has been holding up very well so far.
Seat cushion- OEM, Durofoam or eBay special?
- Thread starter iamdub
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iamdub
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Excellent! I have an ebony one in my cart. How's that Seat Shop (Durofoam?) cushion? Most reviews said it was too firm. But, I'd guess that'd be the popular impression since the original is being replaced because it's worn out/too soft.
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It’s slightly taller than the OEM cushion, and to my calibrated butt (calibrated by the OEM cushion in my ‘12), it feels less firm, actually. It’s super comfortable.
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iamdub
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Interesting. I can't bring myself to trust the ones that are half the price and the next step up are in the low $100s. So I may as well get what seems to be the best at $139. I see no reason to cheap out on something as critical as driving comfort that should last longer than I'll have this thing. In your case, I'm wondering if the '12 is more firm due to the cooling ducts. IIRC, this wasn't an option until '09, right?
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Not necessarily apples and oranges for this discussion, but maybe McIntosh vs Granny Smith: the Durofoam in my '04 is pleasantly firmer than the OE foam was. The old foam wasn't torn or ripped up, but when I sat in it it would compress a lot. I do like the firmness of the Durofoam, and it's not rock hard.
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iamdub
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My work van, which I drive 60K+ a year, has firm seats and I have no problem with them. My office chair is made from the driver seat from an '09 Avenger that was wrecked in '10 and had really low mileage. It's somewhat firm and super comfy for me. Sure, the overall ergonomics of the bottom and back together play a huge role. I think I'll be okay if the Durofoam is firm. It'd be better than a cheap cushion being too soft, which would defeat the purpose of replacing it.
Really, mine is still in pretty good shape. I just thought its support felt lacking on that trip to central Florida last year. It's obviously not enough of an issue that I bothered to do anything about over the course of a year. I'm planning another Florida trip and kinda wanna try out a new cushion.
Thanks for your input.
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More firm is better for longer trips. I never realized it until owning both but the foam in my 08 seats are much more firm than the foam in my 13 and I find the 08 much more comfortable, so much so I thought about trying to find a set of used early design front seats for the 13 but I’m not sure if the frames have the provision for the side airbags. Both have heated and ventilated seats, the 08 has the early design with the air flow made into the cushion and the blower fan heats and cools the air and the 13 has the later design with the seat heater element that is made into the air flow pad and is separate from the cushion and the fan does not cool the air. I think the changeover happened in 2010 when the side airbags were added into the seats.
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iamdub
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Great point. This makes sense now that I've thought about it. Most of my trips aren't very long so I don't ever notice a problem. Only on the longer drives do I feel like the support is inadequate. It's gotta be a gradual compressing of the cushion. The Tahoe sits for days or a week or more between drives, so the foam probably decompresses some, and the cycle repeats.
BADRIDES
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Good thread cause i just inherited an 08 Regular Cab Silverado that is gonna need a d/s seat bottom cushion. I also could use some new seat covers. Who do you trust to get the covers from? I work at a Chevy dealership so I can get parts at cost so might check on OEM Monday.
Let's revive the old thread!
After researching my options (mainly here) I've bought The Seat Shop durafoam cushion. It was a PITA getting it to Europe since somehow WW shipping was unavailable and literally none of the forwarders wanted to deal with such a big parcel. After spending almost twice the price in shipping costs I've finally received and installed it in the end of September and got some mileage on it (around 3k mi exactly).
It's horrendously stiff. I could easily go 500-600 mi a day with a completely destroyed original cushion that provided zero to none padding at all — I was literally struggling going more than 200 mi with TSS durafoam one without having rest for some hours. Yeah, durafoam provides better shock absorption, but that's what the suspension is for and I'm not riding gravel or mountain ridges.
A trip to a nearby lake in the start of November was the last straw: I've got some nerve pinched and couldn't turn my neck right for a couple of weeks. After recovering I've teared the seats apart once more, went to a local furniture hardware supply store and purchased a metric shit ton of padding materials and did my best to patch up the original cushion. Then I've swapped driver's side and passenger's side cushions and called it a day. The OEM cushion feels way, way better and gives you a better grip on vehicle's handling.
TSS cushion (and by extension any durafoam cushion) will be ok if you weigh 250+ lbs and have zero spine/lower back issues. Vertebral hernia/hemorrhoids/scoliosis/spinal protrusion — durafoam is a no-go, stay away or you'll literally end up in hospital. On a positive side, it's way sturdier and will probably last longer than the truck itself.
Now I need to find myself a pair of new original cushions and it's better be less than half of the truck's cost.
After researching my options (mainly here) I've bought The Seat Shop durafoam cushion. It was a PITA getting it to Europe since somehow WW shipping was unavailable and literally none of the forwarders wanted to deal with such a big parcel. After spending almost twice the price in shipping costs I've finally received and installed it in the end of September and got some mileage on it (around 3k mi exactly).
It's horrendously stiff. I could easily go 500-600 mi a day with a completely destroyed original cushion that provided zero to none padding at all — I was literally struggling going more than 200 mi with TSS durafoam one without having rest for some hours. Yeah, durafoam provides better shock absorption, but that's what the suspension is for and I'm not riding gravel or mountain ridges.
A trip to a nearby lake in the start of November was the last straw: I've got some nerve pinched and couldn't turn my neck right for a couple of weeks. After recovering I've teared the seats apart once more, went to a local furniture hardware supply store and purchased a metric shit ton of padding materials and did my best to patch up the original cushion. Then I've swapped driver's side and passenger's side cushions and called it a day. The OEM cushion feels way, way better and gives you a better grip on vehicle's handling.
TSS cushion (and by extension any durafoam cushion) will be ok if you weigh 250+ lbs and have zero spine/lower back issues. Vertebral hernia/hemorrhoids/scoliosis/spinal protrusion — durafoam is a no-go, stay away or you'll literally end up in hospital. On a positive side, it's way sturdier and will probably last longer than the truck itself.
Now I need to find myself a pair of new original cushions and it's better be less than half of the truck's cost.
Perhaps the Durofoam for my NBS is different from the one you got for your year, but I find it just about perfect for support and comfort. I do prefer a bit more support as opposed to plush. I have several compressed discs in my lower spine, have had sciatica in both legs at different times, and weigh under 170 lbs / 77 kg. And, of course, everyone is different. YMMV
@iamdub is MIA
CMoore711
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A bit of an old thread revival here, but no reason in starting a new thread over the same/similar topic.
My driver seat bottom leather cover is beginning to show it's age and the rare occasions that I sit in the front passenger seat confirms how worn/compressed my driver seat cushion is. I will likely be taking on the project of refurbing my front driver seat cushions, leather covers, and then some if it makes sense.
Questions for the group:
1. Through my searching on the forum here I have found a few resourceful threads on replacing the bottom cushion, but not much about replacing the vertical seat back cushion? Is there a reason for that? My thought is if I'm going to take on the project of "refurbing" my driver seat why not do it all?
2. What is the best highest quality leather seat cover you guys are buying, if not OEM?
3. What is the best highest quality seat cushion you guys are buying, if not OEM?
Lastly, the lumbar adjustment feature in the back pad is no longer functional. The switch works and I can hear it attempting to adjust, but nothing happens. From looking online the lumbar support appears to be some sort of air bladder in the seat that inflates/deflates with adjustment. I'm assuming mine has popped and no longer fills up or holds air. Having the lumbar support functioning is nice, it's not a complete deal breaker for me if I don't have it, but if I'm disassembling the seat to refurbish it why not make it 100% right while I'm doing it?
I've got a 2013 Escalade ESV Luxury with power, lumbar, heated, and cooled seats.
Here are the OEM Part numbers I have found so far:
Front Driver Seat Bottom Seat Cover Ebony Leather GM 22751125 = $245.XX
Front Driver Seat Bottom Seat Cushion GM 22781427 = $139.XX
Front Driver Seat Back Pad/Cushion GM 20772086 = $134.XX
-This one is odd cause the description for the part lists with power, w/o heated and cooled.
-But then lists it as compatible with '10-'14 Escalade Base, Luxury, Premium, and Platinum trims. Which I know most of those trims have heated and cooled seats?
Front Seat Lumbar Support GM 20824567 = $67.XX
That's a total of $585.XX worth of all OEM parts before any shipping costs. Which I'm not completely opposed to going that route, just trying to find out if there are quality aftermarket options that allow this to be accomplished for a cheaper price and still matching the quality of OEM.
My driver seat bottom leather cover is beginning to show it's age and the rare occasions that I sit in the front passenger seat confirms how worn/compressed my driver seat cushion is. I will likely be taking on the project of refurbing my front driver seat cushions, leather covers, and then some if it makes sense.
Questions for the group:
1. Through my searching on the forum here I have found a few resourceful threads on replacing the bottom cushion, but not much about replacing the vertical seat back cushion? Is there a reason for that? My thought is if I'm going to take on the project of "refurbing" my driver seat why not do it all?
2. What is the best highest quality leather seat cover you guys are buying, if not OEM?
3. What is the best highest quality seat cushion you guys are buying, if not OEM?
Lastly, the lumbar adjustment feature in the back pad is no longer functional. The switch works and I can hear it attempting to adjust, but nothing happens. From looking online the lumbar support appears to be some sort of air bladder in the seat that inflates/deflates with adjustment. I'm assuming mine has popped and no longer fills up or holds air. Having the lumbar support functioning is nice, it's not a complete deal breaker for me if I don't have it, but if I'm disassembling the seat to refurbish it why not make it 100% right while I'm doing it?
I've got a 2013 Escalade ESV Luxury with power, lumbar, heated, and cooled seats.
Here are the OEM Part numbers I have found so far:
Front Driver Seat Bottom Seat Cover Ebony Leather GM 22751125 = $245.XX
Front Driver Seat Bottom Seat Cushion GM 22781427 = $139.XX
Front Driver Seat Back Pad/Cushion GM 20772086 = $134.XX
-This one is odd cause the description for the part lists with power, w/o heated and cooled.
-But then lists it as compatible with '10-'14 Escalade Base, Luxury, Premium, and Platinum trims. Which I know most of those trims have heated and cooled seats?
Front Seat Lumbar Support GM 20824567 = $67.XX
That's a total of $585.XX worth of all OEM parts before any shipping costs. Which I'm not completely opposed to going that route, just trying to find out if there are quality aftermarket options that allow this to be accomplished for a cheaper price and still matching the quality of OEM.
CMoore711
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GM 20772086 very well may or may not be the correct part number.
That's why I mentioned above the site lists it as fitting the 2013 Cadillac Escalade ESV.
However on gmpartsdirect the description reads:
"Driver side, with power lumbar, without ht & cooled seat. Without heated & cooled seats. , split bench seat, driver seat. Bucket seat, driver seat, with power lumbar, without htd/cooled seat..."
Then lists compatibility with 2010-2014 Cadillac Escalade ALL MODELS
as well as corresponding years of Suburban, Tahoe, Yukon, Yukon XL, Silverado, Sierra, Avalanche.
It's possible that GM 20772086 is not the correct part number.
CMoore711
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Yeah that’s probably the correct part #. Thanks for posting that.
Well… $hit
I guess that answers why people aren’t replacing the rear back pad/cushion.
Well… $hit
I guess that answers why people aren’t replacing the rear back pad/cushion.
kbuskill
***CAUTION*** I do my own stunts!
Just FYI the lumbar support is gear driven and the gears are plastic and tend to break. Gruven makes brass gear replacements...
Upgraded Lumbar Support Parts for Schukra Units
Welcome to Gruven Parts, your online home for custom auto parts.
CMoore711
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Just FYI the lumbar support is gear driven and the gears are plastic and tend to break. Gruven makes brass gear replacements...
Upgraded Lumbar Support Parts for Schukra Units
Welcome to Gruven Parts, your online home for custom auto parts.www.gruvenparts.com
Thank you for this @kbuskill
Gruven makes some cool stuff. I have their upgraded side view mirror motor in my passenger side mirror. As well as (2) of their GM Billet Heater Core Coolant Tee’s and silicone hose kit. The Tee’s are in the garage though not yet installed.
MarvinVR
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Chevys weakness for years! How they love their plastic gears! Those damned things bring me to tears! To change them takes many beers! From ther 90s up--headlight motors in camaros/firbirds, seat mechanicals, oh a HOST of stuff with plastic gears has driven many a car to the junkyard or had some one stuck with high bills from secretely grinning mechanics. I just bought a used 2012 Tahoe that looke brand new but the drivers seat would go back and forth and the lumbar didnt work. I knew whay but didnt let on, and told them Id take it but for $1500 less because a new seat was probably twice that. They agreed. I faked looking sad as I pushed on the seat buttons. Three hours and metal gears fixed it.
