you the man downhillspec!

 

The seat swap isnt a fun one. Trust me.

 

DownhillSpec - thanks for humoring us whiny TC owners - much appreciated. Waiting patiently for the pics and a little info.

BOXMAN - why not? what problems did you encounter?

 

The removal of the drivers side sensors was the hard part. Also since the Tc is "new" on the market seat options are limited. All and all I would never go back to stock seats. I went with some Bride BrixII's.

 

Nice choice! I'm planning on a pair of Brix II as well. Do you have any interior pics?

 

+1^^^^

I cant help it i got a wifey and she rides shotgun so got to look out for her. I love her, nawwaddimean?

 

ok heres zee deal... no pics yet... was still to damn tired... though things to look out for

if you use the sparco brackets:
1) make sure you thread all bolts in first before mounting anything... they paint every part of the bracket so there is paint in the threading so you gotta thread the bolt in back it out then blow the paint shavings away and repeat until you can thread the bolt in all the way... its much nicer to do it on a work bench then on your knees dangling out of the car door... trust me i know.

2) regardless of what the instructions say... mount the bottom most part of the bracket in the car first... if you put the whole bracket and slider assembly together right away then put it on the seat and of course in the car you will find there is not enough clearance to get the bolts into the floor.

3) dont let the sensors threaten you its a freakin cake walk. very very easy. unless you are feint of heart because of all the money you just spent... cause for that pressure sensor your gonna have to cut the bottom out of those brand new seats you just bought... have fun

4) and once again regardless of what the instructions say you can cut the bracket to get it to sit lower but a) it looks hokey and lower than the middle hole and b) you cant do it anyways cause there is a clearance issue with another bolt on the bracket...

thats the aggavations i just fought with... so learn from me. that and the biggest thing i can say is always expect the key rule of modding

1) THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A DIRECT BOLT-ON

there will always be a hang up somewhere. expect and it wont catch you as off guard as you might think. once again i will post up pics hopefully tommorow

 

Thanks for the help man. Glad to hear it all worked out for you in the end!

 

What happened to the photos? I dont want to have to add this to my DIY list.

 

camera is presently post toasty... i plan on stealin my cousins or my dads and will hopefully have pics up tommorow.

 

Wow. I'm so out of luck. I just got my first (second on the way) seat and am heartbroken about this sensor deal. I got the Bride Gias seats and there's no way I'm putting a hole in the Carbon/Kevlar. The seat pads you sit on do velcro and remove so there may be a way in through the top.

I'm looking forward to the pics though and will keep an eye on this. Thanks.

 

^^ Bride Gias, eh? Nice choice...I would if I could afford it. Post some pics when you get those in!

 

I will post some... especially if I get this sensor working. Expect it to be spring though. The seat rails are on backorder until December on top of the fact that I procrastinate. lol. Check my profile for my mods. Most of that is in boxes in the garage.

 

Ok, an updated idea and a question... Is the switch that goes in the base of the seat a weight/pressure switch? Sort of like the riding lawnmowers have that shut the engines down if you get off of them?

If so, my thinking was to pull that switch from the original, zip-tie it "closed," tape it up good and stuff it under the carpet.

If that is an option, would I still have to bypass the passenger seat-belt sensor for the airbag to deploy or would I just continue to get an annoying flashing light on the dash?

ie:
seat sensor senses pressure of person there + seat belt undone = airbag deploys in crash.

or

seat sensor senses pressure of person there + seat belt undone = airbag DOES NOT deploys in crash. (b/c of seatbelt sensor)

If the second is the case I could bypass that sensor as well (or just cut the end of a spare seatbelt and click it in since there will be harnesses anyway.)

That way in the event of a crash (whether a passenger was present or not) the pass. airbag will deploy. I'd rather err on that side then to have a pass. with no curtain protection. I can always replace an airbag and windshield.

Thanks for the help SL'ers!

 

Glad this topic is still going because I'm getting ready to install aftermarket seats as well and have a few questions. I already took the passenger seat out of my car and have had no problems driving with no seat in it. This is more for show so I dont really want to use the 4 point harnes unless I really need to. So now here comes a bunch of questions.
1. Has anyone tried to retain the seat buckle and add it to the new seats?
2. If so did you attach the seat buckle to the seat or just beside it on the panel?
3. Does it make sense to use the seat buckle sensor and not the weight sensor? Will airbag deploy in an accident if it senses the seat buckle?
4. How hard is it to take out the seat preasure sensor? I was fooling around with the sensor and the thing just wouldn't budge.
5. And lastly, has anyone tried to salvage the original seat bracket and use it with the new seats? Or do I need to get custom brackets made?

I'm just waiting for my seats to be delivered so I can start tinkering with the passenger side first.

 

With getting around seat sensors for air bags, etc... how about cars with side airbag option?

 

Hey
Im Getting Bride Brix II but the replicas from ebay, does somebody know if they're
any good? also I,m 6'1" and have a large frame... any body know if i'm too big for them?
I heard they're kinda small.

 

Hey Reiko... it's my personal opinion, but here it is to do with as you will...

This depends a lot on how you're using your car. Is it show, daily driver, race, etc. If you are going with the reproductions for money reasons then I would choose a different seat. You can get a well made brand name seat for comparable prices to those on Ebay. Yeah, you're still going to be a little higher, but it all comes down to safety.

The seats you get from reputable companies (ie: Bride, Spoon, Sparco, Cobra, Recaro, Etc.) are all tested significantly for safety. The knock-offs sometimes use the exact same specs, but a lot of times just copy the looks. The safety of yourself and your passengers ought to play into your decision of whether your willing to go a couple hundred dollars more.

No matter what seat you get, if at all possible go somewhere and sit in it first! Seats come in different sizes. You need to also remember this when adding a seat for the passenger. Is it looks or will you need a navigator to ride with you during a race? If it's looks get the widest seat to accomodate more passengers. If you need a race partner then fit it to them.

With regards to height, you should be fine. If you're worried about it you can look for seat that has a lower seating position (Bride LowMax, etc.) and you can also make up for it with the rails you use. Some also use items to lift the front rails allowing more leg room. But as I said, you should be fine. I'm almost 6'5".

I hope you find a good seat and a great deal on them. Good luck with your search. Maybe someone else can respond that has experience with the exact seats you are referring to.

 

I've heard that people with side airbags cannot install after market seats.

 

I am a tiny guy and trust me if they are anything like the real Brides you will need a stick of butter to wedge into them. I have the Brix II's and I sometimes feel like the seats are too small.