Bucket seats. How hard are they to make fit?

[slowcoach3]

I hate my recaros, well they're alright but don't really rate them. been thinking about some relatively generic bucket seats to save some weight and hold a little better in the corners, how hard are they to make fit an s3 and does anybody have any recommendations? They don't need to be race approved or anything too specialist

 

[Prawn]

Depends on how fussy you are about position really mate.

Full install - BIG job, full carpets out, not likely to go back in, meets FIA specs.

Typical road car install - Buy some subframes made for the car and it's simples

 

[Prawn]

Here's what I previously had to say about bucket seats, shamelessly copied from an old post of mine:

How they're mounted properly:

Cobra Monaco Pro:

RMD Maximum Protection (Haha - *** yea right!?!) from Rally Design:





They didn't end up so well. Anyone spot the issue?



Don't buy cheap seats people:



Then it was time for some proper seats!



Cobra Sebring GT - ProFit

 

[Westy]

OMP do subframes for £100 for the A3/S3. You then need to work out whether you want the seats to be able to slide and be adjustable. Bucket seat side mounts allow some adjustment.

 

[Prawn]

Jardo has some pics somewhere of Sparco Sprint V's fitted in his old car on corbeau subframes, they sat pretty well really. Possibly a bit high if you're 6'+ but fine otherwise. No higher than standard really.

 

[Westy]

Does the seat sitter lower with side mounts rather then bottom mounts?

 

[<tuffty/>]

No mention of a seat belt solution in all this I see... should mention that the recaros have the seat belt clip integrated so if planning on using a std seat belt then you need to think about that.. you will also need the bags coded out else it will fail an MOT... also... if planning on using harnesses like Prawn, carefully consider mounting points as fitting them incorrectly can lead to a compressed spine injury in the unfortunate event of an accident...

<tuffty/>

 

[slowcoach3]

Thanks all, that's some food for thought lol I hadn't actually considered the seat belt situation at all, pissh. I would like the seats to be at least slightly movable to gain access to the back, it's never going to be a track slag so don't want to go full on. Is there any oem alternatives from different cars that offer more support but more lightweight?

 

[Westy]

There are seats out there that will lift like the OE ones but I personally think its a waste of time unless you're going to get fixed bucket seats. The stock recaros are perfect unless you go on track and you're sliding about all over the place.

 

[s3dave]

Thought about a CG lock? if its just for the odd bit of fun....

Welcome - CG-Lock EU - enhancing safety and enjoyment of your vehicle

 

[slowcoach3]

Never seen that before, I actually thought that was a spoof at first! Reckon it might work out cheaper than properly done bucket seats lol

 

[Prawn]

Big Vote for CG locks here!

used them for years when I used to bomb around tracks and the Ring in my daily. Really good bits of kit.

 

[Gops]

Rs4 b7 seats not fit?

 

[Jason.s]

Prawn didnt you try sliding rails and found them really dodgy and had a lot of movement?

Tbh i`d do it properly and have them welded in like above pics and just like i had my A4 seat. You can have it exactly where you want it. Any other adjustment comes from the side mounts. My carpet was cut just after the rails so from the front you still had carpet but nothing in the back footwells. Not that you need it if its being stripped out.

While you`re at it get some harness mounts welded in to the floor pan.

Obviously if you go this way then you`re probably likely to never put the standard seats back in and you`ll have your carpet cut.

 

[JudderMan]

Eat more cake so you fit in your Recaros a bit more...

 

[Westy]

I'll be fitting these soon with OMP TRS seats and side mounts.

OMP Vehicle Specific Tailored Seat Subframe - Demon Tweeks

 

[panderoo]

Without crashing someone else's thread, does anyone know of a way to modify the standard S3 recaro's to just sit lower ?

I think this in itself would make the driving position a lot nicer and with the CG lock would be pretty spot on.

 

[Jason.s]

I'll be fitting these soon with OMP TRS seats and side mounts.

OMP Vehicle Specific Tailored Seat Subframe - Demon Tweeks

Sorry its not available for your vehicle online?

 

[Westy]

Sorry its not available for your vehicle online?

I've found them elsewhere. I mainly posted that link as an example and explanation

 

[Prawn]

I'll be fitting these soon with OMP TRS seats and side mounts.

OMP Vehicle Specific Tailored Seat Subframe - Demon Tweeks

Again, not wanting to Hi-Jack, but what's the thinking behind the TRS Seats westy?

I've always thought they looked 'fat' somehow, not sure why, they just look kind of strange compared to other seats which can look really nice, makes them look cheap to me, even though they're probably a decent seat.

 

[Westy]

Again, not wanting to Hi-Jack, but what's the thinking behind the TRS Seats westy?

I've always thought they looked 'fat' somehow, not sure why, they just look kind of strange compared to other seats which can look really nice, makes them look cheap to me, even though they're probably a decent seat.

I don't want to get in a position where I'm spending loads and loads on an old shonky S3 and I thought these seats meet my criteria. Cheap, safe, bucket like

 

[Jason.s]

Again, not wanting to Hi-Jack, but what's the thinking behind the TRS Seats westy?

I've always thought they looked 'fat' somehow, not sure why, they just look kind of strange compared to other seats which can look really nice, makes them look cheap to me, even though they're probably a decent seat.

But on the other hand i find seats like yours ugly as fck with the wrap around head mount things.

Cheap FIA spec and decent quality. I`ve had them on my radar for many years. Cant argue for the money.

 

[Sam_]

I had Sparco Evo 2's in my 205. Were very nice seats compared to the Cobra Imolas they replaced. The Cobra Suzukas look nice. Like a cheaper Recaro Pole Position. The full size "Evos" are nice but hardly practical if you're ever using it on the road.

Agree with welding the bars in. Laws here won't allow that though, unsurprisingly.

RS4 B7 seats would be lovely. Rare as rocking horse poop here though.

 

[Sam_]

So much controversy around the safety of buckets without harnesses, harnesses without a roll cage, roll cage without wearing a helmet etc. I'll just stick with standard seats for now unless some MK6 Golf R seats come up cheap and maybe look at the CG-Lock.

 

[Prawn]

But on the other hand i find seats like yours ugly as fck with the wrap around head mount things.

Cheap FIA spec and decent quality. I`ve had them on my radar for many years. Cant argue for the money.

How incredibly rude

head restraint is to save lives

if we're being like that, the OMP's are ugly as **** AND offer no gains for it. I'm purely trying to offer Fred some friendly advice.

Having had many different sets of seats, I'd actively advise against cheap steel framed seats. On the whole they're a larger frame, and don't offer anywhere near the same support of a nicely sculpted fibreglass seat,

As well as weighing more, they're generally far less comfy too.

At £170 each, that's £340 a pair.

keep an eye on the classifieds in the right places (not on here!) and I'm certain you could pick up a really nice set of Sparco Pro2000's, Evo2's, Cobra Imolas etc etc for less than that.

 

[Jason.s]

I said like yours not yours directly. They`re stupid for a 95% road car as you cant really look over your shoulder. You have to almost purely rely on your mirrors alone which sometimes dont show whats next to or behind you. Hence why in your driving lessons they tell you to physically look over your shoulder aswell as look in mirrors.

Fred knows what he wants though and is settled. I`ve tried to advise having mounts welded in but he doesnt want to so its his choice. No amount of advice from anyone will change that and we dont all have to follow what you or a few others do like sheep which most people seem to do.

 

[RobinJI]

As a budget alternative to the OMP's, I've always been a fan of Sparco Sprint 5's as a budget seat. On the whole I'd normally agree with Nick in that steel framed seats should be avoided, but the sprint 5's are genuinely a comfy little seat that looks good to go with it.

 

[Prawn]

I said like yours not yours directly. They`re stupid for a 95% road car as you cant really look over your shoulder. You have to almost purely rely on your mirrors alone which sometimes dont show whats next to or behind you. Hence why in your driving lessons they tell you to physically look over your shoulder aswell as look in mirrors.

Why the hostility Jase?

I showed how to fit them properly, then gave an alternative for those who don't want to do anything so intrusive,

I didn't once suggest fitting head restraint seats like mine, as you say, they're not good for road use at all (if you're short - they're fine for me).

I gave an honest opinion, and didn't suggest people did what I've done at all.

 

[Jason.s]

Im not being hostile. Just saying...

You dont like the OMP`s fred wants for the looks. Fred wants a quality seat for not much money that will serve a purpose and nothing else. I`d personally love a set of Pole Positions but being stupid money its not viable and they arent the best in terms of support compared to other seats. I had an older model OMP grip and i adored it. I didnt mind second hand but fred wants new.

I just said i didnt like the wrap around seats like you have. Since the day i first saw them i thought they were ugly. Alex from AKS had some huge ones in his old Ibiza and i thought they were rediculous. They serve a purpose for a car that spends the majority of its life on track(even then for a basic track car i think its not needed) or competing.

 

[superkarl]

I would only ever fit pole positions in black leather and alcantara. I think theyre perfectly fitting for a car like the s3, a compromise between the stock recaros, and full on max support buckets.
Id hate for the seats to look completely out of place on a road car.
Trouble is theyre quite expensive one day tho.
Should've bought a TT QS240

 

[Prawn]

Another strong vote here for sparco sprint 5's as robin said. They have a sprung base instead of te solid base on many steel frame seats making them more comfy.
Having sat in sparco, cobra, and OMP steel framed seats the sparcos were by far the best. Cheap too!

 

[slowcoach3]

I'll have a gander at those sprint 5's, I would like to retain the cabin as being a nice place to be and for the seats to be at least mediocrely comfy! Prawns set up is awesome but in my lardy ***** S3 that will probably never see a track it'd be overkill. Someone on here recently fitted some black leather buckets that weighed comparatively little and fitted in well with the rest of the cabin, that kind of look/support was definitely my inspiration.

 

[Prawn]

Leather pole positions from a TTQS would be PERFECT in an S3, very in keeping, but as karl says, big big money.

Seats with head restraint would be a pain for something that's used daily.

 

[Jason.s]

£789 for rails and £3300 for black Recaros...EACH From Audi

 

[Westy]

If anyone can find me half decent FIA seats, subframes, and side mounts for less then £450 then I'm all ears (and eyes).

 

[Prawn]

is that some sort of OMP package that's available Westy?

The subframes are £100 each, so are you somehow finding a pair of seats WITH sidemounts for £250?

 

[Westy]

is that some sort of OMP package that's available Westy?

The subframes are £100 each, so are you somehow finding a pair of seats WITH sidemounts for £250?

Subframes are £100 a pair mate then I've found the seats and side mounts for £170 each.

 

[Danny Cawsey]

I fitted some Sparco rev seats to mine and it wasn't a quick easy job, firstly i drilled and used part of the original Recaro mounts then decided to sell the Recaro seats so had to sell the mounts with them. I then searched for ages trying to find a set of straight fit mounts and the cheapest i could find was the OMP ones but they only had driver side ones in stock so i bought one anyway to try and that made the seat sit around the same height as the standard seats if not higher and wasn't very sturdy,
In the end i stripped everything out and bolted two 70mmx400mm steel box section through the floor pan and bolted some side mounts to them, now they are perfect height and absolutely solid.