kenpeindl

I would like to share my solution for repairing the sport seat lumbar bladders. I have a 1990 coupe and like most C4 the bladders harden and crack over time. You can buy a replacement bladder for around $80 or do what I did for a fraction of the cost. After searching around the forums I seen a lot of people using blood pressure bladders and I found a excellent replacement online at Walmart.

I not going to go into removing the seat base and back as there are a number of post describing the procedure.

Also I know some of the pictures are not the best but it was hard trying to hold open the seat with one had and take the pictures with my phone with the other but I think you'll get the idea.

First get yourself a pair of hog ring pliers. I got mine at Harbor Freight. They are relatively cheap and makes it a lot easier when closing things up. Also I was able to reuse the old hog rings. Using needle nose pliers I open them up while removing them from the seat.




I believe you can only get these bladders online. www.walmart.com/ip/1-Tube-Bladder-Adult/31261996 I had them shipped to the store for free. The cost is less then 4$ each.




What I did was remove about 5 hog rings from the side where the air hoses go to get to the old bladder. Just enough to get to the old bladder. Without removing the bladder I cut a slit along the side removing the section where the old air lines attached. Also I cut a slit at the bottom of each bladder about 2 inches in to allow for the hose to pass through.







I then folded the BP bladder in half and placed tape at one end and using a long flat stick I pushed the new bladder into each of the three openings of the old lumbar bladder. You can use a little baby power to help slide into the old bladder openings if needed.




I then marked each hose with color tape to corespondent to the old tubing. Blue, clear and black.



Using the old hog rings I button things back up and install the back to the seat frame. Cut tubes to length and connected them to the original junction block.



Note to make it easier to remove the old air lines at the junction block use a heat gun (low heat) or hair dryer to soften them up. Also note which color go where.

I was surprised at how well they work. They expand to the same size as the original ones and feel just the same. I hope you find this post useful.

Thanks for reading.

86C4Z51

Hey nice job posting these details. Thanks!

don hall

I suggest that you go to the RED MENU bar, and click on OTHER,
scroll down to TECH TIPS, and post your thread there.

Nice job!

kenpeindl

Click on Other,TECH-TIPS, C4 it takes me to a login window but when I put in my username/password it goes to a blank screen.

don hall

You are right.... blank screen.

Click on FORUMS.... scroll to bottom....Click on HELP.
Post the problem (how to post tech tip?), and a moderator
should respond.

Joe C

good write-up! I will definitely look into this since the bladders in my 90 are DOA.

kenpeindl

Thanks I appreciate the pat on the back. The BP bladders are the perfect size, once folded, to insert into the old bladder. The nice thing is you don't have to take the seat cushion all apart to do this. Also I would recommend a second pair of hands to help hold the cushion.

Red86Z51

Thank you for the GREAT write up! I recently rebuilt my pumps but for (now) obvious reasons it did me no good as I soon discovered my bladders were leaking. I wanted to replace them, but was having a lot of trouble coughing up $80 a side for blow up bags---NOW because of this thread they'll get fixed and it won't cost stupid money to repair them...for that I say THANK YOU!

*UPDATE* 6 bladders on order, due in 02/06. The lumbar on both seats is the ONLY thing inop on my car...but not for long!

kenpeindl

I felt the same way about putting out $80 not to mention having to take the back of the seat all apart. Thanks for the feedback.

Red86Z51

I'd like to give a shout out of thanks to you again for this tip.

I just finished up installing these replacement bladders in both of the seats in my '87. I had about 4 hours total into the passenger seat, and was exactly 2.5 hours on the driver seat from seat removal to seat re-installation. The passenger seat ate up a little more time because I had to rebuild the pump---the driver side pump I had rebuilt last fall. I went a little further on the tear-down than you did though....I found it easier to completely remove the rear center cushion and remove the hog rings from the bottom of the cover. This gave me the ability to make sure everything was cleaned out on the inside, and lay the new bladders exactly they needed to be placed in accordance with the impressions in the foam.

Here are a couple of pics...the first is of the center cushion removed with the seat cover lifted out of the way, the second is of the new bladders installed.





As you can see in the 2nd pic, I cut grooves in the foam to accommodate routing the new new air lines to the existing factory cuts on the side of the cushion. This ensured the lines routed smoothy and will reamin kink free.

I am also happy to report these replacement bladders work GREAT...and I can't complain about the cost either, both seats (6 bladders) replaced for $24.24!

THANKS again for your tip, from both me AND my lower back!!

kenpeindl

That's great! I thought of removing the back but didn't think I get it back together right. You know how it goes do one thing and create another problem. I actually used the old bladder to hold the BP bladders. I just cut the sides open and slide them inside the old bladder chambers.

These BP bladders are just the right size (folded) and have a single hose. Most BP bladders I found in the stores had two hoses one for the hand pump and the other for the gauge. And most of all the price is right. I also think they will last longer.

Anyways I glad my experience was helpful. I've got a lot of help from reading other peoples post here and elsewhere and wanted to give something back but then that's what its all about helping each other. Thanks for the feedback you made my day.

86C4Z51

Sometimes I wish I didn't have the sport seats; it would make some of these kinds of repairs faster and less expensive.

kenpeindl

To be honest I don't use it that much but I do not like things that don't work if you know what I mean. I would have like to have just a single bladder, two at the most, as I don't feel any difference when I adjust the 3 of them separately.

My KIA has a mechanical one that you adjust with a by hand. No bladders to go bad there LOL.

mudslide

good idea to bad Walmart does not have them anymore

Red86Z51

I just redid the lumbar in my 86's seats this winter and got mine from a medical supply company for $4.65/ea. on closeout. Shortly after I purchased them they quit selling them too. I guess I depleted their stock with my massive order of 6.

You just have to keep hunting for them...Google is definitely your friend here.