Racing Seats (Please Help)
08-20-2006, 09:29 PM
#1
Returning Bleach Groupie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Chino, CA
Posts: 260
Racing Seats (Please Help)
Alright, so I just figured out why s130's are hard to put aftermarket seats in them...Well, I was wondering if anyone else here put some after market seats in their zx, if so I need info on what you did to the brackets...I appreciate the help. 
08-20-2006, 09:31 PM
#2
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Temecula, CA
Posts: 5,485
I know 81black did, but he involuntarily left the site 
Search around and you'll find his thread where he put them in. I think he used some seats he got at a local parts store. There are quite a few threads on modifying seat brackets to make different seats fit.
Search around and you'll find his thread where he put them in. I think he used some seats he got at a local parts store. There are quite a few threads on modifying seat brackets to make different seats fit.
08-20-2006, 09:34 PM
#3
Returning Bleach Groupie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Chino, CA
Posts: 260
The "universal" brackets that came with the seats are automatically out of the question just because of the set up in the s130...So I have to find a way to get everything flush on top of the stock brackets because the seats are flat on the bottom. But I will give the site a search and see if I can find something.
08-21-2006, 12:19 AM
#7
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Temecula, CA
Posts: 5,485
08-21-2006, 05:00 AM
#8
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Brisbane, Australia
Posts: 215
Have not put mine in yet but it does not look difficult. Main thing is that the X chassis member that the front of the seat will bolt to is nice and low, so no headroom problems. Matter of putting the seat in where you want it and measuring up any brackets that have to be made.
With the S30 that member was higher and had to be cut away, which then required the fabrication of a bolt in reinforcement piece.
With the S30 that member was higher and had to be cut away, which then required the fabrication of a bolt in reinforcement piece.
08-21-2006, 08:33 AM
#9
Head Muckraker
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Bay Area
Posts: 9,221
You generally have to fabricate your own brackets. I have Scat ProCar seats in my 240z and Corbeau A4's in my 280ZX. Both required custom brackets fabricated and with the ZX you'll have to re-mount your seat belt receiver buckle if you don't re-use your stock sliders.
I would recommend re-using your stock sliders and making new brackets for your stock sliders. This will let you keep your stock seat belt receiver buckle in the same place.
I recommend you make a template of your seat base and the factory floor board mount points, overlap the two and see how best to make a new bracket to mate them together.
Also, make sure you use hardened steel for your brackets. Those brackets are what hold the seat to the car in an accident. Using cheap steel brackets from Home Depot will shear off without hesitation in a real accident.
I would recommend re-using your stock sliders and making new brackets for your stock sliders. This will let you keep your stock seat belt receiver buckle in the same place.
I recommend you make a template of your seat base and the factory floor board mount points, overlap the two and see how best to make a new bracket to mate them together.
Also, make sure you use hardened steel for your brackets. Those brackets are what hold the seat to the car in an accident. Using cheap steel brackets from Home Depot will shear off without hesitation in a real accident.
08-22-2006, 04:12 PM
#10
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 777
I had to fabricate my own like LLW said. Man was thata bitch. Except I used the universal sliders that came with mine. Theres not really a guide on how to put all aftermarket seats in a 280zx. You just need to spend some time looking at everything and make up some nice brackets.
09-07-2006, 06:53 PM
#12
Returning Bleach Groupie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Chino, CA
Posts: 260
Heres what happened, I had everything going great and then I go to bolt them in and the seat made the brackets too wide. So I am going to have to get a piece of metal and make like a sideways bracket with two holes in it for them to fit.
09-07-2006, 07:35 PM
#13
Head Muckraker
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Bay Area
Posts: 9,221
I would do more than just make an L bracket. Get a 4' length of 1" wide hardened steel, cut it to the correct width/length, weld it to the original floor mounts where the new steel will extend out to where the bolts come down from the new seat, drill holes in it where your slider's bolts hit, put your seats in and bolt 'em down.
The seat is the only thing that holds onto you in the event of a crash and if they aren't properly secured to the floor of the car, they'll just rip right out and PUSH you into the windshield. Even if your seat belt is on, in our cars, it's attached to the seat rails!
The seat is the only thing that holds onto you in the event of a crash and if they aren't properly secured to the floor of the car, they'll just rip right out and PUSH you into the windshield. Even if your seat belt is on, in our cars, it's attached to the seat rails!
Last edited by lww; 09-08-2006 at 10:32 AM.
09-07-2006, 08:27 PM
#14
User Friendly
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Formerly Atlanta, GA; now Central FL
Posts: 1,045
If you put your old seat rails on the new seats, then the bolt pattern should line up unless the new seat doesn't have clearance for the slight humps in the frame. Have you tried doing that?
09-07-2006, 10:52 PM
#20
User Friendly
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Formerly Atlanta, GA; now Central FL
Posts: 1,045
Sorry, I still don't understand. The stock rails line up to the existing mounting holes. What exactly is too wide - the stock rails mounting to the new seats or the rails mounting into the mounting holes in the floor?
09-08-2006, 12:33 AM
#24
User Friendly
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Formerly Atlanta, GA; now Central FL
Posts: 1,045
I had the same problem because the rails were slightly off ... kind of warped from the rail conversion. I bolted the right front mount, then the left back mount (don't tighten them - just lightly screw them until they're somewhat secured). I then bolted the other front mount, and played h*** trying to get the last mount to line up. Once you get them in, then start tightening. It can be a pita, but it sounds like you're having problems with that hump, which is what causes the offset.
09-08-2006, 07:19 AM
#25
Big Poppa
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Mission, British Columbia
Posts: 4,499
i bought apc racing seats, with anyrails, they sit too high for my 6'0" frame. so i bolted them directly down using cut up pices of my spare seat rails, i got no sliders and it fits great, really hard to get the back bolts tho, i need double jointed wrists
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Bookmarks
