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Thread: Seat Mod Kits - 2011 Holiday Edition!

  1. #1
    mcoupemindy's Avatar
    mcoupemindy is offline Senior Member BMW CCA Member
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    Seat Mod Kits - 2011 Holiday Edition!

    Since I just purchased a new coupe and it doesn't have the seat mod completed, I guess it's time for ...

    Seat Mod Kits - 2011 Holiday Edition!

    A Great, Low Cost Stocking Stuffer

    Price For This Round Is ONLY $20.00 Shipped! Send via PayPal to jonathan.michael.thayer (at) gmail (dot) com. Feel free to send it "personal" so I don't get nailed with the fee.

    I will ask for a bit more to cover shipping charges if you want me to ship outside the United States. I'm only trying to cover my costs. I hope you understand.

    Shipping to Canada? Please add $3.00 USD.
    Shipping to South Africa? Please add $5.00 USD.

    From the original writeup:

    Well, I finally did it. And it's well worth it! (Even just sitting in my car ... )

    I also helped Mark Scire with his ///M Coupe yesterday so we could test in an operational car (mscire2). It makes the seat feel completely awesome. No longer are you spit into the dash / steering wheel when braking. Additionally, you are held back into the seat better, and the additional leg support is very nice.

    I've always complained like an old man that my back hurt after driving for extended periods. Only happened when driving the coupe. I THINK this is the culprit and this should aid solving it!

    One of my gripes about how others have done this in the past is how a bolt was used instead of a stud / nut combo for the front of the rail. Not only is it a pain to assemble that way without a stud, it puts too much strain on the bolt head due to the slight angle of the rail.

    To the drawing board!

    I was able to properly source grade 10.9 and 13.9 hardware (gotta use the best quality).

    Using hardened metric couplers, hardened studs and hardened washers, I developed an OEMish mounting system that accomplishes the seat incline, all with better than OEM grade hardware (woohoo!). I'm attaching my diagram and installation instruction to this post.

    Overall, a rather helpful, low-cost, quick project with real benefits!

    Pictures as requested!









    This modification is done at the risk of the modifier - Do this only at your own risk!

  2. #2
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    I'm assuming that this is for both driver and passenger seats. And is this the 1 inch or 3/4 inch rise? I guess either way, put me down for 2!

  3. #3
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    Mr. T:
    Thank you for posting the photos of the hardware in place. I have your kit, yet to be installed, and I find the pix very, very helpful- I am, after all, primarily a visual kind of guy.
    Last edited by paul4223; 11-15-2011 at 08:21 PM.

  4. #4
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    I bought this kit and it is 100% worth every penny.


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    Several of us had a chance to sit in Jon's car which had the seat tilt modification performed. It without a doubt improved the seating comfort 10-fold.

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  6. #6
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    Thank you.
    I love my car.

  7. #7
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    how hard is this to install?

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    Put me down for a set!
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    Payment Sent.

  10. #10
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    Payment for 2 kits and PM sent. Thanks.

  11. #11
    mcoupemindy's Avatar
    mcoupemindy is offline Senior Member BMW CCA Member
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    Quote Originally Posted by Wertles View Post
    I'm assuming that this is for both driver and passenger seats. And is this the 1 inch or 3/4 inch rise? I guess either way, put me down for 2!
    Total rise is just shy of an inch when I last measured installed.

    Quote Originally Posted by paul4223 View Post
    Mr. T:
    Thank you for posting the photos of the hardware in place. I have your kit, yet to be installed, and I find the pix very, very helpful- I am, after all, primarily a visual kind of guy.
    No problem! Hope you get it installed soon.



    Quote Originally Posted by BlackjackM View Post
    I bought this kit and it is 100% worth every penny.
    Thanks, I thought so too! Since buying my new coupe I've already started griping about the seats.

    Quote Originally Posted by CaliAgents View Post
    Several of us had a chance to sit in Jon's car which had the seat tilt modification performed. It without a doubt improved the seating comfort 10-fold.
    Which Jon?

    Quote Originally Posted by BMWguy007 View Post
    Thank you.
    You are welcome.

    Quote Originally Posted by 98Z3 View Post
    how hard is this to install?
    Very, very simple. Takes a maximum of 30 minutes per side but that's only if you are struggling to find the right tools. Mark and I accomplished doing this to his Dad's roadster in less than 10 minutes.

    Quote Originally Posted by dubzz24 View Post
    Put me down for a set!
    Quote Originally Posted by Z3X2 View Post
    Payment Sent.
    Quote Originally Posted by Wertles View Post
    Payment for 2 kits and PM sent. Thanks.
    OK - I'll look for the $20 in my PayPal. I did have to send out a few emails asking for shipping addresses, so please respond if you got one.

    Thanks!
    Last edited by mcoupemindy; 11-16-2011 at 08:06 AM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

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    Quote Originally Posted by mcoupemindy View Post
    Which Jon?
    Me.

    2002 Steel Gray over Imola Red M Coupe

  13. #13
    mcoupemindy's Avatar
    mcoupemindy is offline Senior Member BMW CCA Member
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    Quote Originally Posted by jrmartin03 View Post
    Me.
    Did your car get excited from all the action? HAHA.

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    Im going to send a payment asap

    Edit: Payment Sent!!!
    Last edited by E36DinanM3; 11-16-2011 at 12:49 PM.
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  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by mcoupemindy View Post
    Did your car get excited from all the action? HAHA.
    I probably had 12-15 people try out the seat tilt mod at Dorkfest and the most common reaction was "Wow, that's all you changed? It feels like a different seat."

    2002 Steel Gray over Imola Red M Coupe

  16. #16
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    Payment sent. Thanks for doing this again!!!
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    Jonathan, b/c I'm lazy and don't want to take get crumpled into the car in my garage, what length studs / couplers are you using? Being vertically challenged, I'd like to reduce my tilt by 1/2 - 1 cm... since I need to move the seat forward a bit, the tilt gets VERY exaggerated. I'd rather just order the right size stuff instead of grinding what I have.

  18. #18
    mcoupemindy's Avatar
    mcoupemindy is offline Senior Member BMW CCA Member
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    Quote Originally Posted by lokijibber View Post
    Jonathan, b/c I'm lazy and don't want to take get crumpled into the car in my garage, what length studs / couplers are you using? Being vertically challenged, I'd like to reduce my tilt by 1/2 - 1 cm... since I need to move the seat forward a bit, the tilt gets VERY exaggerated. I'd rather just order the right size stuff instead of grinding what I have.
    You can reduce by about 5mm and still get appropriate engagement of threads in the coupler. Anything > 5mm and it's questionable. Look in the last seat mod thread (sorry, at work now). I have the length measurements somewhere in there. I'm still trying to find the right parts to make a "shorty" kit. I can get shorter studs - that's no problem - but I'm having trouble finding appropriate couplers.
    Last edited by mcoupemindy; 11-16-2011 at 04:38 PM.

  19. #19
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    Money sent - PM on the way. Thanks bro!

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  20. #20
    mcoupemindy's Avatar
    mcoupemindy is offline Senior Member BMW CCA Member
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    Quote Originally Posted by SNR727 View Post
    Money sent - PM on the way. Thanks bro!

    - Dan
    No problem. I'll get it mailed tomorrow.

    Any other takers? I'm making a trip to the post office to send a bunch out tomorrow!
    Last edited by mcoupemindy; 11-18-2011 at 04:50 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

  21. #21
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    I'm in... sending you paypal now

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    Quote Originally Posted by mcoupemindy View Post
    I'm still trying to find the right parts to make a "shorty" kit. I can get shorter studs - that's no problem - but I'm having trouble finding appropriate couplers.
    Have you tried mcmaster-carr yet?

  23. #23
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    Good stuff. This was one of my main complaints about the stock seats.

  24. #24
    mcoupemindy's Avatar
    mcoupemindy is offline Senior Member BMW CCA Member
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    Quote Originally Posted by persian451 View Post
    I'm in... sending you paypal now
    Got it. Will ship today.

    Quote Originally Posted by Wojtek79 View Post
    Have you tried mcmaster-carr yet?
    Yep, they don't have the right stuff or shorter lengths. It seems that 1" or longer is standard, so yeah, that's not going to work. For shorty kits, the coupler will need to be ~20mm long.

    Quote Originally Posted by LAWLence View Post
    Good stuff. This was one of my main complaints about the stock seats.
    Yep. Except for the fact they weight 2 tons each. I wish I could get aftermarket seats in my car that fit my "big bones". LOL.
    Last edited by mcoupemindy; 11-19-2011 at 06:22 AM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

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    Any issues with shearing those bolts if you happen to get yourself into an accident?

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