I replaced the bottom in my Ram about 2 mo ago. If you have good DIY skills, you can do it.
1) YouTube Videos: There are some good how-to videos. It's more work than the sped-up videos portray ...but just take your time. The more-work part is taking it out and removing the plastic ...and you'll probably end up vacuuming under the seat, etc. Tractor Supply ...if they have one in your area (or maybe another farm & barn) was the best and cheapest place to get hog rings/pliers. You want the small hog rings ..the big ones (1/2" are too large). And you don't need very many ...maybe 12?? The cheapest hog ring pliers and rings will work fine. IDK about zip ties ..which some guys use. You'd need to reach way in there. It seems like it would be a very frustrating thing to do compared to hog rings.
2) Evaluate your existing seat cushion. The outer portion of the cushion gets pinched between the seat frame and your butt ...and it damages the outer seat foam. IDK if yours is that bad yet, but if you're going the way of a new cover, consider new foam too. Or maybe yours is in 'decent' shape and adding a layer of new foam will restore it quickly and easily.
3) Replacement Foams: There are basically 3 foams that are available from my research, not the same, and some considerations to make:
A) Mopar Replacement Cushion: Ok, ...Mopar went high-tech and solved a problem ...but also created another problem. The Mopar replacement has the exact same suppleness (softness) and exact molding dimensions as the OEM cushion. The softness is the same in the center, but the foam on the Mopar cushion is denser on the edges of the gray replacement cushion (the part where you slide in/out). That adds stiffness so it prevents wear and damage to the cushion as you slide in/out like a kid's slide Ha ha. The
problem they created is the outer edges of the seat foam are harder and pinch yer butt almost wedge as you're driving the truck. I'm thin and my butt isn't very wide. But I still feel it, esp if I have a phone in my cargo pants side pocket. Anyone over my size (which is probably most Ram owners) is definitely going to feel it. For some, it might be welcome. But many drivers might find it annoying, even uncomfortable on longer drives.
B) Aftermarket foam Made in Tx. Ok, ...this foam, Made in USA, widely shown online ...and I see some people on youtube build it up when they replace their old one. This foam is ~ 50% harder (denser/stiffer) overall than the OEM foam. Doesn't sound like a lot but if you spread your whole bottom over it, it's noticeable. Some of the other mold measurements don't seem to be as good as the Mopar cushion either. There's a reason OEM cost's more. Truth be told, 80% of your joe-blow city-slicker truck owners probably wouldn't notice. But I compared them side-by-side ...by measurements and also sitting on them in every way ..doing a 'hand-push' test, etc. It's good, but a bit stiffer. If you are looking for a little firmer cushion than the OEM (and some guys are) than this is the one to go with. The edges are the same denseness throughout and won't pinch yer a$$ like you're sitting in a wedge like the Mopar replacement foam (dark gray). The white/tan Tx foam is quite a bit less expensive than the Mopar cushion.
C) China Replacement Foam: This is the least expensive foam. It seemed to be closer (closest) to OEM foam in softness. It's available on Amazon or ebay, etc. It won't wedge yer buttocks either. Looking back I probably would have given it more consideration. It will probably hold up as long as the original OEM foam (which is to say ...not very long) ...but you can reduce wear a lot by adding a step rail and re-thinking how you enter/exit your pickup. That is ... stepping *up* and then sliding yourself into the seat.
D) Building up your existing seat foam: If the integrity of your existing cushion is in OK shape, not broken up or crumbling on the door-side ...and just needs a little extra height to make it look OEM ...you might be able to glue on a layer of dense foam (3M spray adhesive) from a fabric store. This is basically what an upholsterer might do *if* the integrity of the existing foam is still good. It's the cheapest option too.
4) Don't Wait (??): For guys who are in their Rams Long-term and *are* planning to replace their truck's fabric/leather at some point, ...if you are considering OEM Mopar, bear in mind that Mopar stops selling them after ~8 years or so. Don't wait forever to buy a replacement if you are considering it. You might find one on ebay though like I did. And the price was cheaper than buying from Mopar. There are good quality aftermarket replacements depending if yours is fabric or leather ...and how picky you are.
5) Something Different?: If you never liked your trucks interior fabric, there are several companies which produce decent seat covers (mostly slip-ons) ..which if installed professionally, or by DIY using hog rings, can look great. And this can be a great alternative. CoverKing and Caltrend are two of many companies out there. Katzkins are probably the absolute best if you want fantastic product (although pricey).
Ultimately, making a change how you enter/exit the pickup with a step rail or running boards can reduce strain and stress on the outer edge of the foam cushion and preserve it or make what you have last longer.
Good luck ..hope it helps!
.
