G2G

For your safety in the event of a crash I would recommend sticking with grade 8 bolts, they are significantly stronger and more ductile than stainless fasteners.

Grade 8 socket head cap screws, a proper wedge lock washer (such as Nord Lock), and a hard setting epoxy in the socket head cap screw is the safest bet from a structural perspective and still maintains the security benefits.

I would recommend not using off brand wedge lock washers as I have seen several manufacturing choices that are not ideal and have lead to premature bolt failure. A failure to properly radius interior edges led to stress cracks on the engaging surfaces of the bolt head and not manufacturing the wedge shape all the way to the edges of the washers reduces the overall contact area and thus reduces its resistance to vibration.

cosmomiller

Just as an aside, the perforated leather seats on the S are almost identical to what is on my MDX. I have a 2004 and the seat bottoms went to pieces. OEM seat covers (just the bottoms) were close to $600 each. I took it to a well known automotive upholstery shop in Sacramento and was quite pleased with the results. They look brand new as if it came from the factory.

If my S seats were slashed I would take them there.

rrounds

Yeah Cos, I just don't see the need for Honda parts to get my seats covered. I want my seats more comfortable on the long drives Cindy and I take. I'm not covering the seats for the next guy that buys my car, I'm doing this for my butt and back. I mean heck, I just got my recliner recovered. 12 years old and feels great to sit in and relax, better than new.

ROD

cosmomiller

You bet Rod. Actually you can do better than the factory. Japanese so called leather is a plastic bonded to leather for autos. You have to have high end European carmakers really use genuine leather for the seats. You can specify nice leather, any way you like it, and have the upholstery shop make it for you. Custom, comfortable, smells nice, and wears like iron.