I watched all of the videos trying to figure out "what angle should the knife be at when you plunge it down towards the bottom?"
No one mentions that, they just say "get a serrated knife, push it down a bit at a time, until you reach the bottom plate"
Oh yeah? Well, let me tell you something. Change the angle of that knife and you will be an inch or more "in front of" the bottom bracket... that is a lot of foam to try and get those little bolts to go thru and mate up with the threads on the "Inside Bracket" as they call it.
I spent a lot of time studying this situation before I made even one cut in the upholstery. Next time, of course, it will be easy, just like the videos and those who have shown it "forget their first initial questions" and don't tell you.
well, I am going to show you how to do it "The First Time" and relieve you of the doubt of "what if I do it wrong?"
First, the bottom bracket is more or less not critical.... But the instructions don't tell you that, they just say "stick it here". Well, there is a lot of sideways slop possible even if you drill the holes with the correct size bit.
Here is the bottom bracket. The "proper vertical angle" is for the right edge (as viewed here) to be about 1/8 inch from the big plastic molded edge... there are two of those and the bracket fits between them.
Oh, the top of that bottom bracket must be exactly centered "left to right", that is what the marker outlines are for in the picture.
here is where the template which has a sticky back on it, is to be placed. The instructions tell you to measure 2 inches behind the seat.... Well, the point at which those incredibly small and blurry photos show, is useless.... so back to the videos again.... and a few phone calls to those who have done this before.
It turns out, you only need one (1) measurement.... position the template evenly between the two seams in the upholstery. The measurement you need is the exact point to center that template. If you view the seat from above, you will note that there is a center seam in the pillion seat, and a center seam in the rider's seat. duh! just hold up a straight edge and draw a vertical line between the top seam and the bottom seam...
I didn't get the camera lined up as straight as I wanted for this shot.... viewfinders are so flaky...
Notice the two seams I mention are lined up with the Backrest bracket.
The fabric is wrinkled more than I like.... they say it will smooth out later... hope so, but I am not going to fret about it.
Okay, that Knife Angle that I was speaking of. We have the template in place and need to push it down. do we just push it straight down? Or do we lean it forwards, or lean it backwards?
Here is how I figured out what that Knife Angle Has To Be.
Take a view of the top bracket viewed from the side but still in view as you turn the seat over.
now this next shot is a bit tricky... follow along here. The top seam is the top edge of the seat as shown from this angle. The bottom seam is the only seam you can see from this view. We are ignoring the horizontal seam from front to back of the seat.
In your mind's eye, note the point that is midway between the top of the seat and the bottom seam... Halfway between those two points is where the seat bracket has to go down thru and meet the bottom of the seat... That is where the template is already stuck... we can't move it now.
OKAY, LOOK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ABOVE PICTURE.
Do you see that little bit of White Plastic that is protruding below the seat?
It is the piece of plastic located exactly where the Blue ice chest's side and the White top meet in this photo.
Well, that bit of White Plastic just happens to be lined up exactly where the end of the Knife Blade has to go to meet up with the Bottom Bracket.
All you have to do now, knowing this. Is to hold the seat from the side, as it rests on a table/support... and move that knife handle until it is pointing directly at that piece of White Plastic down at the bottom of the seat.
Duh!!! why didn't someone tell us that in the instructions??
Sure would have been easier for this First Timer to be able to feel comfortable about plunging a BIG long serrated knife into my Brand New OEM seat!!!
The job is done, at least as far as I have shown you. I got too hot, and had to come in the house and cool down.... so, I decided to just write this up while it is still fresh on my mind.... only 5 minutes since I did the job...
Hope this helps someone who is thinking about getting the Utopia Backrest.
BTW, those folks are super nice to deal with. When I opened up my package, the Template got lost. I called them on the phone, and the lady who answered said, "No problem, we will mail you one right out".
Well, "right out" turned into 8 days, but they did send it no charge...
No one mentions that, they just say "get a serrated knife, push it down a bit at a time, until you reach the bottom plate"
Oh yeah? Well, let me tell you something. Change the angle of that knife and you will be an inch or more "in front of" the bottom bracket... that is a lot of foam to try and get those little bolts to go thru and mate up with the threads on the "Inside Bracket" as they call it.
I spent a lot of time studying this situation before I made even one cut in the upholstery. Next time, of course, it will be easy, just like the videos and those who have shown it "forget their first initial questions" and don't tell you.
well, I am going to show you how to do it "The First Time" and relieve you of the doubt of "what if I do it wrong?"
First, the bottom bracket is more or less not critical.... But the instructions don't tell you that, they just say "stick it here". Well, there is a lot of sideways slop possible even if you drill the holes with the correct size bit.
Here is the bottom bracket. The "proper vertical angle" is for the right edge (as viewed here) to be about 1/8 inch from the big plastic molded edge... there are two of those and the bracket fits between them.
Oh, the top of that bottom bracket must be exactly centered "left to right", that is what the marker outlines are for in the picture.
here is where the template which has a sticky back on it, is to be placed. The instructions tell you to measure 2 inches behind the seat.... Well, the point at which those incredibly small and blurry photos show, is useless.... so back to the videos again.... and a few phone calls to those who have done this before.
It turns out, you only need one (1) measurement.... position the template evenly between the two seams in the upholstery. The measurement you need is the exact point to center that template. If you view the seat from above, you will note that there is a center seam in the pillion seat, and a center seam in the rider's seat. duh! just hold up a straight edge and draw a vertical line between the top seam and the bottom seam...
I didn't get the camera lined up as straight as I wanted for this shot.... viewfinders are so flaky...
Notice the two seams I mention are lined up with the Backrest bracket.
The fabric is wrinkled more than I like.... they say it will smooth out later... hope so, but I am not going to fret about it.
Okay, that Knife Angle that I was speaking of. We have the template in place and need to push it down. do we just push it straight down? Or do we lean it forwards, or lean it backwards?
Here is how I figured out what that Knife Angle Has To Be.
Take a view of the top bracket viewed from the side but still in view as you turn the seat over.
now this next shot is a bit tricky... follow along here. The top seam is the top edge of the seat as shown from this angle. The bottom seam is the only seam you can see from this view. We are ignoring the horizontal seam from front to back of the seat.
In your mind's eye, note the point that is midway between the top of the seat and the bottom seam... Halfway between those two points is where the seat bracket has to go down thru and meet the bottom of the seat... That is where the template is already stuck... we can't move it now.
OKAY, LOOK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ABOVE PICTURE.
Do you see that little bit of White Plastic that is protruding below the seat?
It is the piece of plastic located exactly where the Blue ice chest's side and the White top meet in this photo.
Well, that bit of White Plastic just happens to be lined up exactly where the end of the Knife Blade has to go to meet up with the Bottom Bracket.
All you have to do now, knowing this. Is to hold the seat from the side, as it rests on a table/support... and move that knife handle until it is pointing directly at that piece of White Plastic down at the bottom of the seat.
Duh!!! why didn't someone tell us that in the instructions??
Sure would have been easier for this First Timer to be able to feel comfortable about plunging a BIG long serrated knife into my Brand New OEM seat!!!
The job is done, at least as far as I have shown you. I got too hot, and had to come in the house and cool down.... so, I decided to just write this up while it is still fresh on my mind.... only 5 minutes since I did the job...
Hope this helps someone who is thinking about getting the Utopia Backrest.
BTW, those folks are super nice to deal with. When I opened up my package, the Template got lost. I called them on the phone, and the lady who answered said, "No problem, we will mail you one right out".
Well, "right out" turned into 8 days, but they did send it no charge...