Lumbar Bags Failure (Question on fix for C5 Sport Seats)
07-30-2009, 02:01 PM
#1
Instructor
Thread Starter
Lumbar Bags Failure (Question on fix for C5 Sport Seats)
In my 2000 C5 Sport Seats, the side bolster upholstery on the driver's seat has a ripped (from normal wear) in addition to experiencing the rocking seat and lumbar bags failure in BOTH seats. (Why can't GM get the Vet seats done properly since I had almost the same problems in my 1990 C4??) In setting up a re-upholstery of the both seats and fixing the rocking seat and failed lumbar bags at the same time, I have a question for anybody that may have been down the same road with the lumbar bag fix.
The GM replacement for the C5 Lumbar Bladder costs $750 at my local Chev dealer; Eckler's sells the stock replacement for $550. However, Eckler's sells a pair of bladder bags for less than $100. My question is how are these individual (lumbar) bladder bags attached to seat back?
The individual bladder bag design reinforces the consensus of the messages posted in this forum on the probable failure mechanism being the plastic elbow that connects the air line to the lumbar bladder. The aftermarket individual bladder bags appear to use a side connection for the air hose. The plastic tee failure is reinforced in my car since the side bolsters work fine but none of the (back) lumbar bags in either seat inflate - you just hear the whine of the air pump motor. Some forum posts put forth a solution of using blood pressure cuffs (msg # 2281766 ). If the GM part cost is $1200 - $1500 for both seats, I doubt if anybody is fixing this high probability failure in the sport seats with the GM part which I suspect is why Ecklers sells an individual bladder bag.
It appears to me that the attachment mechanism for the GM part uses the backing of the "unified" four bag replacement part (2 lumbar bags, 2 side bolster bags) as the attachment mechanism (forum messages indicate six attachment points). If one uses individual bladder bags to replace the lumbar bags, does one just disconnect the hoses, re-connect the air hoses to the replacement bags and 'stuff' them in on top of the existing lumbar bags? The word "stuff" concerns me however. It would appear to me that if you pull the failed lumbar bags from the seat, the side bolster bags will come out with them.
It surely looks to me as if the individual bladder bag replacement is the only way to fix the seats but how these individual bags are stabilized inside the seat back is a question in my mind.
The GM replacement for the C5 Lumbar Bladder costs $750 at my local Chev dealer; Eckler's sells the stock replacement for $550. However, Eckler's sells a pair of bladder bags for less than $100. My question is how are these individual (lumbar) bladder bags attached to seat back?
The individual bladder bag design reinforces the consensus of the messages posted in this forum on the probable failure mechanism being the plastic elbow that connects the air line to the lumbar bladder. The aftermarket individual bladder bags appear to use a side connection for the air hose. The plastic tee failure is reinforced in my car since the side bolsters work fine but none of the (back) lumbar bags in either seat inflate - you just hear the whine of the air pump motor. Some forum posts put forth a solution of using blood pressure cuffs (msg # 2281766 ). If the GM part cost is $1200 - $1500 for both seats, I doubt if anybody is fixing this high probability failure in the sport seats with the GM part which I suspect is why Ecklers sells an individual bladder bag.
It appears to me that the attachment mechanism for the GM part uses the backing of the "unified" four bag replacement part (2 lumbar bags, 2 side bolster bags) as the attachment mechanism (forum messages indicate six attachment points). If one uses individual bladder bags to replace the lumbar bags, does one just disconnect the hoses, re-connect the air hoses to the replacement bags and 'stuff' them in on top of the existing lumbar bags? The word "stuff" concerns me however. It would appear to me that if you pull the failed lumbar bags from the seat, the side bolster bags will come out with them.
It surely looks to me as if the individual bladder bag replacement is the only way to fix the seats but how these individual bags are stabilized inside the seat back is a question in my mind.
07-30-2009, 07:00 PM
#2
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I had the same problem on my 99 with sports seats. Recovering, seat foam and bladder repair was insane money. I replaced the C5 seats with C6 ones. Once I figured out how to get the frames detached from the tracks it was pure cake. The C6 seats are much more comfortable and by using the C5 electronics I retained all functions.
Jim
Jim
08-02-2009, 12:10 AM
#3
In my 2000 C5 Sport Seats, the side bolster upholstery on the driver's seat has a ripped (from normal wear) in addition to experiencing the rocking seat and lumbar bags failure in BOTH seats. (Why can't GM get the Vet seats done properly since I had almost the same problems in my 1990 C4??) In setting up a re-upholstery of the both seats and fixing the rocking seat and failed lumbar bags at the same time, I have a question for anybody that may have been down the same road with the lumbar bag fix.
The GM replacement for the C5 Lumbar Bladder costs $750 at my local Chev dealer; Eckler's sells the stock replacement for $550. However, Eckler's sells a pair of bladder bags for less than $100. My question is how are these individual (lumbar) bladder bags attached to seat back?
The individual bladder bag design reinforces the consensus of the messages posted in this forum on the probable failure mechanism being the plastic elbow that connects the air line to the lumbar bladder. The aftermarket individual bladder bags appear to use a side connection for the air hose. The plastic tee failure is reinforced in my car since the side bolsters work fine but none of the (back) lumbar bags in either seat inflate - you just hear the whine of the air pump motor. Some forum posts put forth a solution of using blood pressure cuffs (msg # 2281766 ). If the GM part cost is $1200 - $1500 for both seats, I doubt if anybody is fixing this high probability failure in the sport seats with the GM part which I suspect is why Ecklers sells an individual bladder bag.
It appears to me that the attachment mechanism for the GM part uses the backing of the "unified" four bag replacement part (2 lumbar bags, 2 side bolster bags) as the attachment mechanism (forum messages indicate six attachment points). If one uses individual bladder bags to replace the lumbar bags, does one just disconnect the hoses, re-connect the air hoses to the replacement bags and 'stuff' them in on top of the existing lumbar bags? The word "stuff" concerns me however. It would appear to me that if you pull the failed lumbar bags from the seat, the side bolster bags will come out with them.
It surely looks to me as if the individual bladder bag replacement is the only way to fix the seats but how these individual bags are stabilized inside the seat back is a question in my mind.
The GM replacement for the C5 Lumbar Bladder costs $750 at my local Chev dealer; Eckler's sells the stock replacement for $550. However, Eckler's sells a pair of bladder bags for less than $100. My question is how are these individual (lumbar) bladder bags attached to seat back?
The individual bladder bag design reinforces the consensus of the messages posted in this forum on the probable failure mechanism being the plastic elbow that connects the air line to the lumbar bladder. The aftermarket individual bladder bags appear to use a side connection for the air hose. The plastic tee failure is reinforced in my car since the side bolsters work fine but none of the (back) lumbar bags in either seat inflate - you just hear the whine of the air pump motor. Some forum posts put forth a solution of using blood pressure cuffs (msg # 2281766 ). If the GM part cost is $1200 - $1500 for both seats, I doubt if anybody is fixing this high probability failure in the sport seats with the GM part which I suspect is why Ecklers sells an individual bladder bag.
It appears to me that the attachment mechanism for the GM part uses the backing of the "unified" four bag replacement part (2 lumbar bags, 2 side bolster bags) as the attachment mechanism (forum messages indicate six attachment points). If one uses individual bladder bags to replace the lumbar bags, does one just disconnect the hoses, re-connect the air hoses to the replacement bags and 'stuff' them in on top of the existing lumbar bags? The word "stuff" concerns me however. It would appear to me that if you pull the failed lumbar bags from the seat, the side bolster bags will come out with them.
It surely looks to me as if the individual bladder bag replacement is the only way to fix the seats but how these individual bags are stabilized inside the seat back is a question in my mind.
08-25-2021, 12:04 AM
#4
Melting Slicks
These guys sell the bladders for 110 bucks. I know this is an old thread but I was looking around trying to find out what it would've cost me to have this done instead of doing it myself. He also has a vid on how to do it. Very detailed. Very easy.
The time spent on both seats was about an hour in total. Super easy.
https://www.corvettepartscenter.com/
The video:
The time spent on both seats was about an hour in total. Super easy.
https://www.corvettepartscenter.com/
The video:
08-26-2021, 08:40 AM
#5
Racer
I did this repair a few years ago and still works fine This link was very helpful. This lumbar repair uses bladders from the medical field.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...vil-style.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...vil-style.html
