Fitting Melvill & Moon seat covers

[DrytheRain]

Hi all.

I'm hoping someone can shed some light on the above. I recently bought a set of seat covers direct from Melvill & Moon and have installed them in my Defender. However, I have two issues that I can't figure out and I haven't been able to get advice or an answer out of Melvill & Moon as yet.

Firstly, the covers for the front seat bases are a really tight fit and the seat bases are extremely difficult to clip back into place, at least for the first time, after the covers have been fitted. This is no surprise and seems to be a common thing. However, in my case, the pin/rod on the driver's seat base will not stay in the clip on the seat frame under any circumstances. The seat stays put without the cover, but not with it fitted. The cover is fitted in exactly the same way as the passenger seat, which has stayed in place since it was re-installed. The eyelets and knot in the straps at the rear of the seat base are not fouling on the frame. However, every time I clip it in it pops back out, either instantly or over a period of several minutes. I have no idea what to do.

Secondly, the cover for the base of the 60% section of the rear bench has two canvas tongues with velcro patches on (loop from memory), that stick out of the rear of the seat in the middle, but appear to have nowhere to attach to. Similarly, there are two webbing tabs with plastic buckles on that also hang loose at the back of the seat (they are also inboard) and also appear to have nothing to attach to. Is something missing or have I not installed the cover correctly?

Any suggestions would be gratefully received, especially if you can post a photo of the rear of your 60% bench seat.

Thanks.

[TJG]

Hi mate

I'm interested to hear how you go with help, as I've got a set ready to put in the 90 when I get a sec next week.

Out of interest, are your seats leather or cloth? Mine are part leather, so I'm thinking of putting a sheet of cloth (probably cheap silk so it slides) between the covers and the seat to avoid the canvas rubbing the leather too hard. Do you reckon I'm a chance of getting a sheet of cloth between the cover and seat base or is it too tight?

Cheers mate

[Garry]

I sent a few email to them a few months back trying to but but the never answered,

I might try again and keep an eye on this thread

Garry

[Tomo]

I have inserted some replies in blue below...


Hi all.

I'm hoping someone can shed some light on the above. I recently bought a set of seat covers direct from Melvill & Moon and have installed them in my Defender. However, I have two issues that I can't figure out and I haven't been able to get advice or an answer out of Melvill & Moon as yet.

Firstly, the covers for the front seat bases are a really tight fit and the seat bases are extremely difficult to clip back into place, at least for the first time, after the covers have been fitted. This is no surprise and seems to be a common thing. However, in my case, the pin/rod on the driver's seat base will not stay in the clip on the seat frame under any circumstances. The seat stays put without the cover, but not with it fitted. The cover is fitted in exactly the same way as the passenger seat, which has stayed in place since it was re-installed. The eyelets and knot in the straps at the rear of the seat base are not fouling on the frame. However, every time I clip it in it pops back out, either instantly or over a period of several minutes. I have no idea what to do.
My front seat covers were so tight I did not tie it off at the back as I found the knot was fouling the frame. Maybe try without tying it at the back?

Secondly, the cover for the base of the 60% section of the rear bench has two canvas tongues with velcro patches on (loop from memory), that stick out of the rear of the seat in the middle, but appear to have nowhere to attach to. These attach to the standard seat back.

Similarly, there are two webbing tabs with plastic buckles on that also hang loose at the back of the seat (they are also inboard) and also appear to have nothing to attach to. Is something missing or have I not installed the cover correctly?
I find mine loosen off sometimes over time. Maybe it is not threaded the right way?

Any suggestions would be gratefully received, especially if you can post a photo of the rear of your 60% bench seat.
Will get some tonight

Thanks.

[Iain_B]

The seat base were tight on mine as well, but I got the to fit by kneeling on them for a while. After a week or two they had settled down, and now I have no problem removing and refitting the bases. After washing the covers, I had to go through the whole process again as they had tightened up again

[jimb]

I had the same issues as Iain. I remember going mental with the front seat vases- but after a long time I finally got them in and no probs after that. From memory it was making the knot as long as possible ( not tight)

[DrytheRain]

Thanks for the replies so far folks. I found the seat bases extremely difficult to reinstall, but my problem is not that they won't clip into place, but rather that once in, the driver's seat base will not stay clipped in place. I'll mess about with the straps and try to lengthen the knot a bit as suggested.

Tomo, thanks for your responses, but I'm not sure I follow you on the rear seat base. A picture, as promised, would be helpful. I should maybe clarify though; there are two webbing straps that buckle on the outside edges of the seat, but there are two buckles inboard of those, with no straps to connect to, which makes me wonder if something is missing.

[James]

I sent a few email to them a few months back trying to but but the never answered,

Garry

It’s possible your emails didn’t get through.
It took me a while to work out that for some reason my iiNet emails were not getting through.
Emailing from Yahoo worked without a problem.

You can ring them on 0011 2741 484 6631.

[Tomo]

Photos,
finally, apologies for the delay. Hope it helps
When I took the photos my straps were also al little loose......


Thanks

Tomo, thanks for yo83480

83481ur responses, but I'm not sure I follow you on the rear seat base. A picture, as promised, would be helpful. I should maybe clarify though; there are two webbing straps that buckle on the outside edges of the seat, but there are two buckles inboard of those, with no straps to connect to, which makes me wonder if something is missing.

[Firefish]

I've had my M&M seat covers for a few years, but do recall the bases for the front seats were a pain to install.

If I recall correctly, what worked best was to firstly remove the seat base and to align the covers correctly on the back of the seat base, secondly to clip the seat base back into place, next to pull the front of the cover over the front of the seat base and into place, and lastly to tie the straps up to give a snug fit.

Trying to fully fit and tie the cover to the seat base and then to clip the seat base into place just didn't work as I couldn't get the rear of the seat cover to align correctly around the pins at the back.

[DrytheRain]

Tomo, thanks for the photos. They show as tiny thumbnails on my computer, but it looks like you have two extra straps and the velcro secured to the carpeted under/back side of the seat base.

I've been in touch with M&M by phone and they believe there's been a manufacturing error with my seat base cover, which is why it's missing a couple of straps. They are going to send me a replacement. They also advised that the velcro was designed to stick to the carpeted section on the seat base; due to it's shape there isn't much else they can do there.

Firefish, thanks for the advice on the front seat base. M&M are investigating my issue, although it seems to be a new one to them. They're going to update me once they've found a solution, but I'll try your method in the meantime. Just one question though; once you had everything positioned, how did you manage to tighten and tie off the straps?

[Firefish]

DrytheRain... With everything in place I fished the strap ends out over the rail where they were trapped at the back of the seat. Pulled them tight (were already pretty snug really), tied them off then poked everything back over the rail and behind the seat base. All ended up nicely hidden.

[Wildcard8]

Tomo, thanks for the photos. They show as tiny thumbnails on my computer, but it looks like you have two extra straps and the velcro secured to the carpeted under/back side of the seat base.

I've been in touch with M&M by phone and they believe there's been a manufacturing error with my seat base cover, which is why it's missing a couple of straps. They are going to send me a replacement. They also advised that the velcro was designed to stick to the carpeted section on the seat base; due to it's shape there isn't much else they can do there.

Firefish, thanks for the advice on the front seat base. M&M are investigating my issue, although it seems to be a new one to them. They're going to update me once they've found a solution, but I'll try your method in the meantime. Just one question though; once you had everything positioned, how did you manage to tighten and tie off the straps?

Right click on the little pick and "open in new window / tab". Pictures then come up proper size on a separate page. Took me a while to learn this also.

Good luck and im watching your post with interest, i fit mine in about 12 days time.

[DrytheRain]

So, we're now two months in the future and I'm still waiting on my replacement rear seat cover from M&M. Last time I spoke to them, they said "it's going to be posted in the next couple of days." I'm going to have to call them again, I think.

There has also been no resolution to the issue around the front seat bases popping out of their clips. The dealer has spoken with Land Rover South Africa and apparently this is a known problem there when this style of cover is fitted to the seats. Unfortunately there is no fix and Land Rover don't sell individual replacement clips to replace the munted ones on my car; if I want new clips I have to source them somewhere else myself or replace the seat frame.

However, to top it all off, I put the car into a local four-wheel drive shop the other day to have a bull bar, long range tank and tow bar fitted and they managed to get grime all over the front seat covers, which is a mix of road dirt, brake dust and grease, so I doubt it's going to wash out. Happy days.

[dullbird]

Well I battled with my seat covers to get the bases in on my 110 once in great they stayed there forever...

I simply could not get these same covers to go in the 130 with the same result..

I have in fact fitted the covers of the bracketry in the car on the front seats and tied the ties off underneath...it still secure and the more we looked at it the more it became apparent to me that this is how they should have probably been fitted in the first place!!!

the only difference is if we want to take the base out we have to undo the tie first.

I reckon the majority of us have been fitting them wrong for a long time...I dont believe the covers should ever be a battle of sweat and tears and skinned knuckles to get them on.

each to their own but I will never be jamming the base on ever again

[DrytheRain]

Dullbird, I thought tying the straps off on the 'rod' that's welded across the underside of the seat base would be a great idea, but they aren't long enough. I can't see any other option other than tying them off at the back. It doesn't matter, I think the fabric is simply too thick to allow the seat base to fit back into the frame properly.

[Loubrey]

The offer remains open that if you're in or near Perth to have a look at mine. Just send me a PM.

I never struggled to get them onto the seat base or tie them off and after the first time fitting them (which was a bit hard to line the pins in the back and the brackets in the front up), I could clip both seat bases back with one hand...

Cheers,

Lou

[dullbird]

Dullbird, I thought tying the straps off on the 'rod' that's welded across the underside of the seat base would be a great idea, but they aren't long enough. I can't see any other option other than tying them off at the back. It doesn't matter, I think the fabric is simply too thick to allow the seat base to fit back into the frame properly.

You miss under stand I have tied them off over the horizontal brace of the seat runners..

mine is not tied off to the seat base itself..so there for if I want to pull the seat base out I have to untie the straps which are tied up around the fixed part of the physical seat first to release it in order to be able to pull the base out.

I would take a photo for you but the car went in to the garage this morning.

[KarlB]

This is what I did:

[dullbird]

That's what we did on the 110 but it will not go on like that on the 130.

On the 130 the front retaining brackets are out nearly an inch and it doesn't matter what we do it won't fit. Which surprised me because these covers were on my 110 for nearly 7 years so you would have thought they would have at least molded a bit. I know new seats and foams make a big difference but still these seat bases where not going to fit wothh e covers for love or money.

[DrytheRain]

That's what we did on the 110 but it will not go on like that on the 130.

On the 130 the front retaining brackets are out nearly an inch and it doesn't matter what we do it won't fit. Which surprised me because these covers were on my 110 for nearly 7 years so you would have thought they would have at least molded a bit. I know new seats and foams make a big difference but still these seat bases where not going to fit wothh e covers for love or money.

Interesting. I've done the same as KarlB and it was a real fight to get the seat bases back on. Of course, they won't stay put. However, based on your comment about the 130, I'm wondering if the seats have changed sometime in the last few years and Melvill & Moon haven't realised and updated the covers or fitting instructions accordingly?

[dullbird]

no the seats havent changed...

I know of a few people back when I had them on the 110 that had dramas getting them on.

I never got fitting instructions with mine so if you did you're lucky :D

[DrytheRain]

Ah well, there goes that theory. They must just be difficult! I got fitting instructions, but it was just a very generic description typed on an A4 sheet with no images, so it wasn't much use.

Happily though, washing them seems to have been a success, although getting all the soap rinsed out isn't the easiest thing.