Leather care experts help me out?

[Brad.Clarkston]

So what is the leather seats with the Jeep grill on them? That's the set I have. It's got all the red stitched everything.

This forum really gives a simple guy like me headaches I thought leather meant leather not 10 different versions/companies.

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[RickF]

A high quality treatment like Leatherique will help the leather look better and stop further damage, but nothing will repair leather that is split and cracked like that. The only way to make those seats look truly new will be to replace the leather and keep it treated so it doesn't get that bad in the first place.

 

[Alpine Warthog]

So what is the leather seats with the Jeep grill on them? That's the set I have. It's got all the red stitched everything.

This forum really gives a simple guy like me headaches I thought leather meant leather not 10 different versions/companies.

I feel your pain lol

Look on the seats for a tag. If it is the Katskin from the Factory, you'll have a tag that says Mopar by Katskins. If it was katskin installed after it was sold, I'd don't think it says Mopar (but I could be wrong)

 

[FLY-DOG]

I feel your pain lol

Look on the seats for a tag. If it is the Katskin from the Factory, you'll have a tag that says Mopar by Katskins. If it was katskin installed after it was sold, I'd don't think it says Mopar (but I could be wrong)

The OEM/Mopar Katzkin leather seat covers with the Jeep grill can be ordered from the Mopar accessory catalog. And probably directly from Katzkin also.

 

[FLY-DOG]

A high quality treatment like Leatherique will help the leather look better and stop further damage, but nothing will repair leather that is split and cracked like that. The only way to make those seats look truly new will be to replace the leather and keep it treated so it doesn't get that bad in the first place.

Referring to the OP's post, I didn't see and area of the seats that were split or cracked?, just extremely dirty from being neglected and not cleaned or leather treated for a long time but nothing that can't be corrected with proper treatment. Are we looking at the same picture of the seats?

 

[Viper501]

Even damaged and very worn leather seats can be rehabilitated with some work. Leatherique has the dies you’d need to do it right. They used to have a number of resources on how to as well.

 

[RedHoncho]

Looks like you have color flaking off. I would try cleaning and conditioning with leathrique as others have said. If you want to go the repair route to fix cracks, flakes and tears, look into re-dyeing the seats. I’ve had great results with Leather World Technologies.

 

[Alpine Warthog]

Looks like you have color flaking off. I would try cleaning and conditioning with leathrique as others have said. If you want to go the repair route to fix cracks, flakes and tears, look into re-dyeing the seats. I’ve had great results with Leather World Technologies.

That's kinda what I think too. It's very weird. The front seats aren't doing that color cracking thing.

I ended up finding Obenhauf's leather care kit. I'm going to try it this weekend.
I also cleaned the center seat with Tanner's leather cleaner and it got the crud off nicely.

 

[ChrisNLA]

That's kinda what I think too. It's very weird. The front seats aren't doing that color cracking thing.

I ended up finding Obenhauf's leather care kit. I'm going to try it this weekend.
I also cleaned the center seat with Tanner's leather cleaner and it got the crud off nicely.

It's a good chance the back seats have less leather and more vinyl / bonded materials.

Typically in aftermarket seat 'leathers' the back actually ends up being not leather at all, or being a much lower amount of leather than the front (like say only the inserts on the left and right, and the rest is automotive vinyl or more bonded material).

Some of that damage looks like its flaking, and that's what bonded leathers do - which is basically leather scraps and other synthetic materials glued to a backer material - not true hide. The man made layer is flaking / falling off the underlying backer.

 

[Bandit’s Lair]

I would keep the wear on the leather on there. As long as it’s treated it adds a very nice effect to the seats. Pristine leather is overrated, in my book. I see these guys walking around with their western style boots without a single scuff and the first thing that hits my mind is “How’s it going, Concrete?”. Worn leather shows experiences lived and things accomplished. It’s a badge of honor. Recoloring or trying something like that is putting lipstick on a pig. It just looks odd. Treat it and keep it in good condition after you figure out what works for you and you’ll be much happier with the result.

 

[Alpine Warthog]

I would keep the wear on the leather on there. As long as it’s treated it adds a very nice effect to the seats. Pristine leather is overrated, in my book. I see these guys walking around with their western style boots without a single scuff and the first thing that hits my mind is “How’s it going, Concrete?”. Worn leather shows experiences lived and things accomplished. It’s a badge of honor. Recoloring or trying something like that is putting lipstick on a pig. It just looks odd. Treat it and keep it in good condition after you figure out what works for you and you’ll be much happier with the result.

I like the well used look as well. I did just notice that only the front seats have the Katskins tag. I had assumed all seats were the better leather. I'm guessing not. The fronts are not doing the flaking thing like the rears. That's a big disappointment.

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