When you’ve traveled hundreds of thousands of miles together, your semi-truck seat becomes an old friend. But even old friends get tired and worn. It’s tough to say goodbye, and breaking in a new seat can feel like a chore, but as a trucker, you should know these five signs it’s time to replace your semi-truck seat.

The Trough in the Middle

When your seat is perfectly broken in, it feels like it fits you like a second skin. You and your truck seat become one.

But just like mattresses after years of happy use that eventually develop a trough in the middle, semi-truck seats begin to sag with time. When the cushioning that is supposed to support you has given up bouncing back and remains in a perpetual state of compression, it’s time to replace your old seats.

Foam Eruptions

Cloth seats have much to recommend them, including breathability and comfort in the heat. But one little snag can eventually turn into a major tear. Although patching is possible, patches will never be as secure as the original fabric. Tears in your seat’s fabric also allow moisture to penetrate the foam, creating a risk of mold, mildew, and odors.

Eventually, foam cushioning will begin to erupt through weak spots. If your truck seat looks like it is trying to squeeze into a pair of jeans two sizes too small, look for quality aftermarket commercial truck seats.

Rips in the Leather

Leather endures and even gets better looking with age, taking on a seasoned, “weathered” look. Sharp objects, however, are not leather’s friend. Carelessly tossing a screwdriver toward a toolbox and missing can end up piercing your leather seat.

Uncared for, leather can crack. If you’ve neglected to maintain or clean your leather seat with leather cream intended to keep the leather supple and the material has cracked, your seat may be beyond repair. Next time, take leather maintenance seriously and use a manufacturer-recommended leather treatment to moisturize the leather of your truck seat and protect it from drying and cracking.

Weak Suspension

Getting a sinking feeling? If the suspension beneath your truck seat doesn’t have the oomph it used to, and you feel like you’re sitting lower than you should be, investigate. Your seat’s suspension may have lost its ability to adjust to its full height.

If you’re getting a rattly ride, your suspension is no longer effectively battling rough roads. And if every time you accelerate, you get slammed backward, or you brake and get shoved into the steering wheel, your fore-aft isolator may be on its last voyage.

Broken Parts

OK, so maybe you can live with an armrest that no longer adjusts or tolerate cab temperatures without the seat warmers or cooling system. But do you want to?

If the bolts securing your seat to the floor or to the tracks won’t stay tight or have cracked, that’s a safety issue, and you should get a replacement truck seat immediately.

Keep an eye out for these signs that you need new truck seats turning up in your truck’s cab. If you notice any, hop online and start searching for a replacement with the proper suspension, temperature controls, adjustability, and upholstery you need to keep on truckin’.