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Racing Seats (Please Help)

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Old 08-20-2006 | 10:29 PM
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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.
Old 08-20-2006 | 10:31 PM
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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.
Old 08-20-2006 | 10:34 PM
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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.
Old 08-20-2006 | 10:57 PM
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Cant find anything.
Old 08-20-2006 | 11:24 PM
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Anyone that can help me?
Old 08-20-2006 | 11:25 PM
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i have Forza's in my Z
Old 08-21-2006 | 01:19 AM
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https://www.zdriver.com/forums/showt...ighlight=seats
Old 08-21-2006 | 06:00 AM
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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.
Old 08-21-2006 | 09:33 AM
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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.
Old 08-22-2006 | 05:12 PM
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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.
Old 09-07-2006 | 07:51 PM
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I simply removed the seat rails from my original 280ZX seats and attached them to the new seats.
Old 09-07-2006 | 07:53 PM
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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.
Old 09-07-2006 | 08:35 PM
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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!

Last edited by lww; 09-08-2006 at 11:32 AM.
Old 09-07-2006 | 09:27 PM
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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?
Old 09-07-2006 | 09:47 PM
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Oh im definately not doing anything cheap.


I did use the stock ones, they line up good except for width wise.
Old 09-07-2006 | 10:59 PM
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Whatcha mean "width wise"? The seats are too wide or the seat rails don't line up? Got pix to show us the problem?
Old 09-07-2006 | 11:09 PM
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It spreads the brackets out too wide.
Old 09-07-2006 | 11:19 PM
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Using the stock rails? Sorry, I don't understand.
Old 09-07-2006 | 11:33 PM
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Yeah, stock rails on new seats = too wide to mount.
Old 09-07-2006 | 11:52 PM
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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?
Old 09-08-2006 | 12:16 AM
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The rails mounting into the mounting holes in the floor.
Old 09-08-2006 | 12:22 AM
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Do you have any pix to show us? If you put the OEM rails on the new seats, the mounts should bolt right in. How far is it off, by a couple of centimeters?
Old 09-08-2006 | 12:49 AM
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If I line one side up then the other side is off about an 1 1/2 inch.
Old 09-08-2006 | 01:33 AM
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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.
Old 09-08-2006 | 08:19 AM
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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
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