Fitting Aftermarket Seats
Author: K1ANO
Date: 2/5/2007
Associated Forum Post URL's:
CAUTION: The author cannot accept responsibility for damage or injury if an air-bag or seatbelt pre-tensioner accidentally deploys while tampering with the OEM seats, air-bag, and seatbelt pre-tensioner connectors. These safety devices use pyrotechnics and can be dangerous. Please refer to the owner's manual or other literature regarding the safe disabling or disconnection of these safety devices. Also, be aware that removing the protection afforded by side airbags and seatbelt pre-tensioners will reduce occupant safety.
There are a variety of seat options for your Vee. These choices depend mainly on your desired style and comfort level. Some popular brands include OMP, Sparco, Recaro, MOMO, Cobra, and Corbeau. eBay is an excellent place for finding a good deal. A popular option is the Recaro Trendline, as seen in the Clio Trophy, which is also a common OEM seat in vehicles like the Honda Accord Type R (1998-1999) and some Evo models (e.g., Evo 6).
Below are some examples of aftermarket seats:
Momo RS2 Seats
A popular, stylish, and sporty seat that is lightweight with a minimalist design. The seats provide excellent body support, especially during cornering. Though they are firmer than others, this adds to the sporty feel.
Recaro Trendlines from a Honda Accord Type R
These seats work particularly well in a Black Vee, featuring carbon effect piping that looks impressive in person. The seats offer good comfort, with knee support that’s useful on long journeys. They’re not as supportive during cornering as the Momo RS2 seats, especially around the side bolsters.
Recaro Trendlines from an Evo 6
These seats feature blue-checked bolsters and are a great match for an Illiad Blue Vee. Same comfort as the Honda seats but with the unique look of the Evo 6 model.
Modify the Cobra subframes to fit your chosen seats. Typically, this will involve measuring and drilling the subframe and sliders to match the mounting holes on your seats. The Cobra subframe generally places the new seats in a similar position to the OEM ones in terms of height.
For the Momo RS2 seats, the front-to-back hole spacing is 27 cm, so additional holes will need to be drilled in the sliders.
For width spacing, the original Cobra seat spacing was 29 cm, but the Momo’s are 34 cm, requiring two additional holes.
Once the modifications are complete, assemble the sliders onto the subframe and securely bolt them together.
Before finalizing, always test the seat’s fitment and adjustability. Check for any interferences and make sure everything functions smoothly.
Once everything is secure, you can finally enjoy your new seats! Aftermarket seats can dramatically improve comfort and support, especially for spirited driving. Make sure to follow the steps carefully to ensure the safety and longevity of your seat setup.
Let me know if you need further details or have questions about any part of the process!
Author: K1ANO
Date: 2/5/2007
Associated Forum Post URL's:
- v6Clio.net Forum - Post 1
- v6Clio.net Forum - Post 2
- v6Clio.net Forum - Post 3
CAUTION: The author cannot accept responsibility for damage or injury if an air-bag or seatbelt pre-tensioner accidentally deploys while tampering with the OEM seats, air-bag, and seatbelt pre-tensioner connectors. These safety devices use pyrotechnics and can be dangerous. Please refer to the owner's manual or other literature regarding the safe disabling or disconnection of these safety devices. Also, be aware that removing the protection afforded by side airbags and seatbelt pre-tensioners will reduce occupant safety.
Seat Options
There are a variety of seat options for your Vee. These choices depend mainly on your desired style and comfort level. Some popular brands include OMP, Sparco, Recaro, MOMO, Cobra, and Corbeau. eBay is an excellent place for finding a good deal. A popular option is the Recaro Trendline, as seen in the Clio Trophy, which is also a common OEM seat in vehicles like the Honda Accord Type R (1998-1999) and some Evo models (e.g., Evo 6).
Below are some examples of aftermarket seats:
Momo RS2 Seats
A popular, stylish, and sporty seat that is lightweight with a minimalist design. The seats provide excellent body support, especially during cornering. Though they are firmer than others, this adds to the sporty feel.
Recaro Trendlines from a Honda Accord Type R
These seats work particularly well in a Black Vee, featuring carbon effect piping that looks impressive in person. The seats offer good comfort, with knee support that’s useful on long journeys. They’re not as supportive during cornering as the Momo RS2 seats, especially around the side bolsters.
Recaro Trendlines from an Evo 6
These seats feature blue-checked bolsters and are a great match for an Illiad Blue Vee. Same comfort as the Honda seats but with the unique look of the Evo 6 model.
Parts Required
- A pair of aftermarket seats.
- A pair of subframes suitable for Clio 1998-2005 models. You can use the OEM Clio seat subframes, but this requires modification, and the OEM seats will no longer be usable. The advantage of keeping the OEM subframes is the look, adjusters, and correct mounting for the seat belt locks and pre-tensioners. Another option is Cobra generic sliding subframes, which are more versatile and can be modified to suit different seat types.
- Resistors to disable the airbag warning light on the dashboard.
- Nuts and bolts for mounting the seats to the subframes and the subframes to the floor. I used 8x1.25x25mm bolts with spring washers for bolting the subframe to the seat and 8x1.25x50mm bolts for bolting the subframe to the floor.
Tools Required
- Drill.
- Drill bits (up to 8mm, preferably Titanium) for drilling additional holes in the seat subframes.
- 13mm socket, extension, and ratchet for unbolting the OEM seats and securing the new seats.
- 9mm socket, extension, and ratchet for undoing the undertray to access seat mounting bolts.
- Torx sockets for various screws and bolts (size confirmation required).
- Allen keys for other adjustments if needed.
- Angle grinder (if modifying Clio OEM subframes).
- Angle iron for mounting brackets (if modifying Clio OEM subframes).
Considerations
- Seat Choice: Decide what type of seat you want and how much you are willing to spend. Would you prefer factory option seats like the Recaro Trendlines, as found in the Trophy and 197 models?
- Adjustability: Do you want fixed-position seats or seats that can slide?
- Airbags: Aftermarket seats may not include side airbags.
- Old Seats: What will you do with the OEM seats, and where will you store them?
Preparation - Using Cobra Generic Subframes
Modify the Cobra subframes to fit your chosen seats. Typically, this will involve measuring and drilling the subframe and sliders to match the mounting holes on your seats. The Cobra subframe generally places the new seats in a similar position to the OEM ones in terms of height.
For the Momo RS2 seats, the front-to-back hole spacing is 27 cm, so additional holes will need to be drilled in the sliders.
For width spacing, the original Cobra seat spacing was 29 cm, but the Momo’s are 34 cm, requiring two additional holes.
Once the modifications are complete, assemble the sliders onto the subframe and securely bolt them together.
Steps for Fitting - Momo RS2 Seats Using Cobra Generic Subframes
- Ensure Ignition is Off and Battery is Disconnected: This is essential to prevent airbag deployment.
- Disconnect Wiring Harnesses: Disconnect the wiring harness connectors from underneath each seat.
- Remove Old Seats: Undo the four nuts (13mm socket) under each seat. The outer two can be accessed from underneath the car by removing the rubber grommets. The inner two need the undertray to be removed.
- Remove Seatbelt Locks: Detach the seatbelt locks, which include the pre-tensioners. Access is through the plastic trim panel secured with a single torx screw.
- Install Passenger Seat: Fit the passenger seat into the car and bolt it to the floor with the necessary fixing bolts. Ensure sufficient clearance for the CD autochanger.
- Install Driver's Seat: Repeat the process for the driver's seat.
- Attach Seat Belt Locks: Secure the seatbelt locks to the new subframes.
- Fit Resistors to Airbag Connectors: Use resistors to disable the airbag warning light. Connect the resistors between the beige and brown wires.
- Tidy Up Wiring: Ensure no wires are exposed or in danger of being snagged.
- Final Step: Take a few photos of your completed work!
Preparation - Using Modified OEM Clio Subframes
- Remove upholstery from the OEM Clio seat subframe.
- Remove surplus metal from the subframe using an angle grinder.
- Fit the seats to the subframe and drill necessary holes for the sliders.
Test Fitment
Before finalizing, always test the seat’s fitment and adjustability. Check for any interferences and make sure everything functions smoothly.
Final Words
Once everything is secure, you can finally enjoy your new seats! Aftermarket seats can dramatically improve comfort and support, especially for spirited driving. Make sure to follow the steps carefully to ensure the safety and longevity of your seat setup.
Let me know if you need further details or have questions about any part of the process!
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