Lumbar support hack

[sarookha]

Per the how-to posted by gr8scott, https://reattaowner.com/roj/component/content/article/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&catid=86:body-interior&id=150:lumber-support-bladder-replacement

 

I snipped a few hog-rings holding the driver's seat back to the side rails.  The old bladder was so completely broken down that I couldn't even remove most of it, just a few shards.  Slipped in a new blood pressure cuff (https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01NBMG19W?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details)with the tubes on the bottom edge, and clipped it into place with my new set of hog-ring pliers (https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B08MFG3BYG?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details).

 

It doesn't matter which tube you use from the blood pressure cuff, just cut them both to length so that one can plug onto the Reatta's air pump fitting, and plug the other with an agricultural 1/4" drip irrigation hole plug.

 

The cuff tubing is larger than the Reatta tubing, so I had to push it onto the Reatta barb fitting well past the barb, up onto and over the fitting's shoulder.  The ag plug barb is also too small, but the ones I have are fatter on the "wrong" end, so I just shoved it into the extra cuff tube backwards.

 

Push the tubes down into the hole the pump tubes comes up through, put your seat back into your favorite position, and enjoy your new, better-than original lumbar support!

 

Took less than 30 minutes, tools needed were the aforementioned hog-ring pliers, a few hog rings, and a pair of needle-nosed pliers to pull out the snipped hog ring pieces.

 

I have no relationship to the tool and parts vendors above, just letting you know what worked for me.

 

[Ronnie]

Thanks! Appreciate the feedback.

[DAVES89]

I used zip ties instead of hog rings...

[Padgett]

or can just skip the hog rings..

[sarookha]

Yes, you could skip the hog rings, but they are so easy, and I didn't want the bladder slipping below the level of my lower back.  Besides, now I'm inspired to add aftermarket heated seat inserts, and that will require cutting enough of the factory hog rings that I don't think just doing without will be an option for that project.