Aftermarket front seats (Mounting)

Markb

Markb

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As subject I am may be purchasing some Recaro front seats out of another factory car. The only problem is they are from a 5 door car and come with their own runners. (Hopefully I'll be able to modify the bases to fit though?)

Anyway I was just wondering how you would normally go about fitting aftermarker seats? Will the new subframe with the seat also use the existing seat belt clip? Also what about the air bags in the seats? How will the system function without these?

Cheers Mark.
 
Mark,

I take it you will be purchasing Recaro tailored bases for the A3?
I think you need to remove the seat belt clip from your seats and mount it to the subframe of the new seats.

Also with regard to the airbag, i believe that if one doesnt work, they all wont work....So you may need to creat a circuit in the loose connector to stop it from generating faults...

Rich
 
Hmm I'll have to look into this further, but surely I'm not the first person to fit aftermarket seats into an A3!

I was planning on modifying the existing runners on the seats! By either welding more supports on or by removing metal work.

Also I don't like the sound of having no air bags!

Although for £35 for 2* Recaro seats I can't really say no!
 
What Recaro seats have you managed to pick up for £35, sounds like a real bargain! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/groovy.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
What Recaro seats have you managed to pick up for £35, sounds like a real bargain! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/groovy.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

You'll have to wait until he's fitted them to find out.

Mr. B likes to be secretive :)
 
[ QUOTE ]
Hmm I'll have to look into this further, but surely I'm not the first person to fit aftermarket seats into an A3!

I was planning on modifying the existing runners on the seats! By either welding more supports on or by removing metal work.

Also I don't like the sound of having no air bags!

Although for £35 for 2* Recaro seats I can't really say no!

[/ QUOTE ]

Best bet would be Recaro bases... They will (or should!) just fit...It really does depend which car they are from though!
 
Contacted Recaro the nett price is £144 per seat on the bases! Not sure what to do now as that's a lot of money for not much metal LOL

Mr welder might be coming out instead LOL
 
[ QUOTE ]
Contacted Recaro the nett price is £144 per seat on the bases! Not sure what to do now as that's a lot of money for not much metal LOL

Mr welder might be coming out instead LOL

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats a little steep!

What about universal bases?
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Contacted Recaro the nett price is £144 per seat on the bases! Not sure what to do now as that's a lot of money for not much metal LOL

Mr welder might be coming out instead LOL

[/ QUOTE ]

Thats a little steep!

What about universal bases?

[/ QUOTE ]

I will enquire, but may be they are that price as they get around the issue of the airbags? Don't know, but I've Emailed them.
 
I wouldnt have thought so... I think thats a hurdle you have to overcome yourself... A wiring diagram would give you what you needed though. I think you would just need to complete a circuit or something so it thinks teh aribag is still there...

Rich
 
Would normal recaro runners from an A3 work? if so try audi or a scrappy?
 
Yeah im thinking something along those lines... Im sure there is somethin on here about that...
 
Take a look at Steve Schwings site..

http://public.fotki.com/ttschwing/sparco_milanos/seat_install/

DSC04047-vi.jpg
 
Cheers for the info guys.

I emailed Recaro and a "resistor" is supplied with the kit.

So £144 for a tailored subframe, with provisions for seat belt clip or buckle seems a lot to me!
 
Well from my point of view seems worth it for piece of mind! Infact that said I wouldn't be going without the side airbags full stop let alone contemplating buggering about with the seat mountings... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked2.gif

You're a braver man than me! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
Mark,

Yeah sounds alot to me too! The seat belt clip, can be bolted to the subframe. Use the biggest bolt you can, through the subframe and that will be fine! As for the resistor..pence!
 
Cheers Rich.

I won't be using the seat belts as I am planning on harnesses, but I believe you need to leave the front belts in for an MOT? So the existing belt clips will have to stay.

I take the clip is just a clip and hasn't got any pre-tensioners or wires attached to it?

Also I know it's a long shot, but has anyone got any pics of the floor pan with the seats removed?

I am planning on going a scrappy and getting some original frames from an A3. Then I will be able to butcher them to get the clips and maybe make a new frame...

Cheers Mark.
 
[ QUOTE ]

You're a braver man than me! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't know about brave.

Maybe stupid LOL
 
If you don't find any A3 frames, you can use MK4 golf items. There is usually more of them at most breakers.

There was a photo of the seat removed on that link rich posted. MK4 and A3 look the same.
 
Cheers Kev will look into that.

If they come out and the floor pan is left like this:

DSC03798-vi.jpg


There should be much of a problem, but I was looking earlier and it looked like the runners where part of the floor? As the carpet was going over them.
 
Oh ******. Forget what I said. That's an Audi TT, which is a bit different.

I was speed reading as I'm at work.

Soz, I'll see if I can find another pic. I saw one on the vortex recently.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Oh ******. Forget what I said. That's an Audi TT, which is a bit different.

I was speed reading as I'm at work.

Soz, I'll see if I can find another pic. I saw one on the vortex recently.

[/ QUOTE ]

Cheers dude I thought it was a TT, but then again I was speed viewing so thought I may have been wrong.
 
audi upgrades
Nice one dude.

I will have a look on google and see if I can come up with any info about the resistor that is required.
 
Hmmm....

that's how I thought the floor pan was

borafloorpan.jpg


Now how the hell would I go about mounting another set of runners to that? If it was flat like the TT I wouldn't be worried, but like that.....
 
[ QUOTE ]
Cheers Rich.

I won't be using the seat belts as I am planning on harnesses, but I believe you need to leave the front belts in for an MOT? So the existing belt clips will have to stay.

I take the clip is just a clip and hasn't got any pre-tensioners or wires attached to it?

Also I know it's a long shot, but has anyone got any pics of the floor pan with the seats removed?

I am planning on going a scrappy and getting some original frames from an A3. Then I will be able to butcher them to get the clips and maybe make a new frame...

Cheers Mark.

[/ QUOTE ]

|Yep,

you'll be needing the betls for the MOT... So i guess they dont actually matter anyway! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

have you decided where to anchor the harnesses to?

I shall also be doing what you are doing, shortly... Using Sparco Torinos (milanos if money funds permit). There are some nice anchor points at the base of the rear seat backs... But havent actually tried anything as yet. If the rear seats were gone, it would be easy! Rear strut brace, loop the harnesses round and jobs a good'un!
 
[ QUOTE ]
Hmmm....

that's how I thought the floor pan was

borafloorpan.jpg


Now how the hell would I go about mounting another set of runners to that? If it was flat like the TT I wouldn't be worried, but like that.....

[/ QUOTE ]

So... I presume that the tailored bases use the remaining part of the seat subframe?

Rich
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Cheers Rich.

I won't be using the seat belts as I am planning on harnesses, but I believe you need to leave the front belts in for an MOT? So the existing belt clips will have to stay.

I take the clip is just a clip and hasn't got any pre-tensioners or wires attached to it?

Also I know it's a long shot, but has anyone got any pics of the floor pan with the seats removed?

I am planning on going a scrappy and getting some original frames from an A3. Then I will be able to butcher them to get the clips and maybe make a new frame...

Cheers Mark.

[/ QUOTE ]

|Yep,

you'll be needing the betls for the MOT... So i guess they dont actually matter anyway! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

have you decided where to anchor the harnesses to?

I shall also be doing what you are doing, shortly... Using Sparco Torinos (milanos if money funds permit). There are some nice anchor points at the base of the rear seat backs... But havent actually tried anything as yet. If the rear seats were gone, it would be easy! Rear strut brace, loop the harnesses round and jobs a good'un!

[/ QUOTE ]


Yeah I'll be leaving the seat belts in just for MOT. Although I would have liked to have taken them out for looks.

I've thought about the harnesses and as you know I've got no rear seats. So I will be mounting them to the rear seat belt mounting points as they will be removed as well!

I'm also getting a custom roll cage. So I might have a rear strut brace welded in as well. As there are no strut tops to mount to....

Mark.
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Hmmm....

that's how I thought the floor pan was

borafloorpan.jpg


Now how the hell would I go about mounting another set of runners to that? If it was flat like the TT I wouldn't be worried, but like that.....

[/ QUOTE ]

So... I presume that the tailored bases use the remaining part of the seat subframe?

Rich

[/ QUOTE ]

That's what I am assuming.

Maybe that's why they are so expensive?
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Cheers Rich.

I won't be using the seat belts as I am planning on harnesses, but I believe you need to leave the front belts in for an MOT? So the existing belt clips will have to stay.

I take the clip is just a clip and hasn't got any pre-tensioners or wires attached to it?

Also I know it's a long shot, but has anyone got any pics of the floor pan with the seats removed?

I am planning on going a scrappy and getting some original frames from an A3. Then I will be able to butcher them to get the clips and maybe make a new frame...

Cheers Mark.

[/ QUOTE ]

|Yep,

you'll be needing the betls for the MOT... So i guess they dont actually matter anyway! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

have you decided where to anchor the harnesses to?

I shall also be doing what you are doing, shortly... Using Sparco Torinos (milanos if money funds permit). There are some nice anchor points at the base of the rear seat backs... But havent actually tried anything as yet. If the rear seats were gone, it would be easy! Rear strut brace, loop the harnesses round and jobs a good'un!

[/ QUOTE ]


Yeah I'll be leaving the seat belts in just for MOT. Although I would have liked to have taken them out for looks.

I've thought about the harnesses and as you know I've got no rear seats. So I will be mounting them to the rear seat belt mounting points as they will be removed as well!

I'm also getting a custom roll cage. So I might have a rear strut brace welding in as well. As there are no strut tops to mount to....

Mark.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ah i had forgotten! Didnt get a chance to scrutinise your car at Audi driver! Yours is nice and easy then!

Was lloking for the Turn2 rear strut brace, but found this...

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=2101961

Rich
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Hmmm....

that's how I thought the floor pan was

borafloorpan.jpg


Now how the hell would I go about mounting another set of runners to that? If it was flat like the TT I wouldn't be worried, but like that.....

[/ QUOTE ]

So... I presume that the tailored bases use the remaining part of the seat subframe?

Rich

[/ QUOTE ]

That's what I am assuming.

Maybe that's why they are so expensive?

[/ QUOTE ]

May well be. Its a fair bit of £££, but maybe its worth it...
 
I've emailed them to get a shipping quote... at $48 (£30!) i might just get one for the sake of it... If it doesnt work so well, will sell it.

Rich
 
[ QUOTE ]
Nice one dude.

I will have a look on google and see if I can come up with any info about the resistor that is required.

[/ QUOTE ]

If the third band on the resistor in the pic is brown (I think it is, any suggestions from someone less colourblind!? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif) then it is 370 ohms.

A simple way to check what value you need would be to put a multimeter across the corresponding pins on the seat side of the plug/socket to see what the impedance is... that way you'll know for sure /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Cheers

T
 
[ QUOTE ]
You gonna get the engine done?

Your cars gonna be all show and no go.

[/ QUOTE ]

All show and no go /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif

It's a 1.8T and goes well enough at the moment with all of the weight reduction measures /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Engine will be chipped next year time when funds permit (and insurance premium doesn't go up £400 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif ), but at the moment I am happy with the performance /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
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