Foam seat preservation?

[wicks]

Have seen le mans seats crumbling and since the rubber is attached sort of baked or fused onto the foam, anyone aware of or used techniques to preserve said rubber/foam?

If I press on the surface I can see the rubber coating trying to crack away from molecular neighbors...the rubber won't stretch like it used to when made.

Wonder if any of the methods of softening aged rubber google shows would work and are safe...pine sol, some various oils, etc...

[kingoffleece]

I was in the seat business for quite a while.
It's toast.

[Tusayan]

I don’t think there’s any difference in material between the skin and the core, the smooth skin was formed by contact with the mould.  Mine is ‘79 vintage with 100K miles and it still looks/works OK.  New ones are available for about $400.

There was apparently a difference in material between early crack-prone 1976 solo seats and the 1977-on dual seat used on the LM II and CX 100.  And then for sure a different harder and glossier skinned material was used on the LM III.  More durable in appearance but less comfortable.

[2dogs]

I’ve never used it on a seat application before but Honda Shin Etsu silicone grease is very effective on any older dried out rubber parts