RX8 Electric Heated Seats Fitted (With pictures and Video)

[Rambo]

Get Jamie to fit a set when he is down doing your rubbers on Sunday

[epipete]

Jamie

I get the issue of the electric runners being a problem to fitting before the electrics are connected, but what is the physical/mechanical issue?

I assume that the runners on the seat are spaced the same as the M100 seat, 4bolts? Do they match the existing holes in the tub? Do you still need the aluminium inserts?

I ask because Id be quite interested in this, there is a guy down the road here who has a couple of dozen RX8's parked up - very strange but with potential!

Regards

[SimonR]

Get Jamie to fit a set when he is down doing your rubbers on Sunday

Exactly my thoughts

[Jamie N]

Jamie

I get the issue of the electric runners being a problem to fitting before the electrics are connected, but what is the physical/mechanical issue?

I assume that the runners on the seat are spaced the same as the M100 seat, 4bolts? Do they match the existing holes in the tub? Do you still need the aluminium inserts?

I ask because Id be quite interested in this, there is a guy down the road here who has a couple of dozen RX8's parked up - very strange but with potential!

Regards

The runners are actually spaced a good bit wider than the Elans Pete, and the bolts holes are nowhere near lining up with the originals on the floor, basically what i did was make 3 extensions which i bolted on the RX runners which then "point" towards the mounting holes, and the other hole is made once a part of the RX runner is flattened out (the rear inner one), the problem with the electric drivers seat is that you have to be able to move the runners back and forward to be able to work out how you are going to mount them, but unless you power them up its well nigh impossible, luckily giving them current to operate is pretty simple. There will be other ways they can be mounted, probably more simply than the way I did them as well, If you can think on your feet and work stuff out as you go along you will manage them, its a challenge but not horrendously difficult .

Bryan, they are certainly not sitting any higher than the originals, I think it should be possible to mount them even lower than i did, plus the electric seat base has a fair amount of up / down adjustment and when fully down you really sink into it.

Simon, I dont think it would be very easy to swap a passenger seat ( non electric ) runner onto the drivers seat, i had a look at that idea when i was contemplating doing them at first but it looked like a no go, the mounts were completely different. However you could definitely use 2 passenger seats and swap the seat belt anchor to the opposite side, the only issue with 2 passenger seats would be the SRS cover would be on the wrong side on one of them!, that could be fettled as well though, if there is a will there is a way!.

Also, the Airbags are simple to remove, and just replace the plastic outer cover back on the side bolster ( one 10mm nut behind the square cover which has "SRS" on it).

[max-walls]

I've just joined the RX8 seat club...

I made two rails out of 50X25X2.5mm steel box-section for each seat and used some 15mm spacers so the seat cleared them. The main issue with this solution is that the original mounts near the centre console are very close to the new seat rail, so you need something quite wide to give you enough separation for the two bolts. As Jamie says, its not easy!

This solution does add a bit of weight but looks OK and is very strong.... Having worked it out you could probably do this in an afternoon.

Many thanks to Jamie for the idea (and some advice).

Very happy with the results!

RX8 Seats.jpg

Seat Rails.jpg

[Bryan M]

I have started the journey to joining the club - Jamie and Max I expect there will be a lot of questions! I am not the most handy so will have to find someone to help with the metal work etc

I now have a pair of black RX8 seats in decent condition - I really wanted red/black but I thought £50 wasn't bad and can be a practice pair if I really cock up! I also intend to try and photograph each of the stages to help others

My first questions are

There seems to be loads of odd angled brackets on the base of the seats - I assume the two methods are to create brackets to line these up to the existing fixings in the Elan (Jamie) or cut off the brackets and bolt on a section of box steel (Max). Is there a difference between the two? I think my limited skills are more likely to achieve the box section version

I have to learn the electrics - is it possible to wire the seats upto a car battery to get it to move whilst fitting it etc - if so how do I go about this

I also have an old vauxhall dual heated seat switch so at some point will try and hook them upto that but that will be a way off yet

How do I get the airbag out of the cover? do I just cut the retaining plastic and if so will the cover still hold onto the seat? I managed following your earlier post to get the cover off and disconnect the airbag