pmhaddad
04-08-2012, 11:03 AM
So I thought I'd do a quick write up on the install that Sixshooter and I did yesterday for my new seats. I don't claim responsibility for the safety of these brackets and install, if you kill yourself doing something dumb its not my fault blah blah. Also, Kirkey recommends bolting the shoulder points of the seat to a roll cage. I don't have a rollcage, so that doesn't work for me. Mine are bolted to the floor in 4 spots and you can't move them. Doing it this way also allows for some flex in the seat if you rear end a wall at 80mph...
Ok, so here's the shopping list for the brackets (I got this stuff at Lowe's - I'm sure any hardware store would have it):
~6ft of 1" square steel tube with as thick of an inner diameter is you can find.
~6ft of 1" wide flat bar
3ft of 3" wide flat bar
An assortment of grade 8 (or grade 8.8 or better) washers, nuts, lock nuts, and bolts, plus your old OEM seat bolts. The bolts should be 2" or so long. Enough to go through the 1" tube, flat bar and have a nut, lock washer and regular washer. You'll need 4 of these sets for each seat.
Tools you'll need:
A drill with a stepped bit up to 1/2" wide (larger is better here though, 1/2" is the minimum that you need to get the job done).
Saw with a metal blade (or if you want to brave cutting steel with a simple hacksaw that would work too).
Tape Measure
Various sockets, mostly 14mm, 17mm, and 10mm, but also the sizes for whatever bolts you decided to get.
Marker
Heavy duty vice grip
Hammer
A 12 pack of your favorite beer.
Before we get started here is Kirkey's shop drawing of my seat for reference:
http://www.kirkeyracing.com/related/Related%20Files/Shop%20Drawings/41500-Shop-Drawing.gif
And a picture of the 3" wide flat bar and 1" tube so you know what I am talking about:
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/563297_728364290027_6607392_34207342_1858917520_n. jpg
Step 1
Remove your OEM seats, retaining the OEM bolts
Step 2
Measure the distance between the holes in the floor for the OEM seat and cut your 1" flat bar to match. I ended up with 18" long strips (cut my 3ft length of bar in half). Next mark which direction is forward with the marker. Then hammer a bend into each end of the flatbar, as shown below:
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/525636_728369754077_6607392_34207362_1176547332_n. jpg
Now you need to carefully use the step bit to drill holes for the OEM mounting points, this takes some trail and error. We found that using some of the beer with this process eased the pain. After you are done, mount the flatbar to the holes with the OEM seat bolts hand tight
Step 3
Test fit the seat. This is more crucial for the driver's side. Make sure its centered and the right distance from the pedals. Have a person hold the seat for you while you figure this out. You then need to mark and drill the seat and make sure it is centered on the flat bar. Start with a tiny hole and mark the flat bar, and repeat if needed.
Step 4
Drill the flat bar for the seats. Measure and cut your 1" tube. For my install the passengers side only uses the 1" tube in the front and the rear of the seat is bolted to the flatbar. For my driver's side seat I used tube front and rear to get the correct ride height. You could also use spacers, extra washers, etc.
Step 5
Assemble it all back onto the seat. Finished bracket for my passengers side seat is below:
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/523523_728341261177_6607392_34207202_764682729_n.j pg
Step 6
NOTE: before doing this step is where you would drill for your 5th point harness. I didn't install my harnesses yet so I will remove the seats to install those. Cut a 3"x3" section of the 3" flat bar to use as your anchor.
Mount it to the floor using the OEM bolts. This may require tweaking if the flatbar for the bracket bent when you tightened it down. More beer could be helpful at this point.
Slap on the seat cover and admire while eating a sandwich:
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/375005_728341355987_6607392_34207203_1852012675_n. jpg
Step 7
Remove the seat belt clips from the OEM seats. Use the vice grip to hammer a bend into your OEM seatbelt clips so that they bend away from the trans tunnel. Unclip the belt and thread it through the seat as shown below:
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/553863_728364160287_6607392_34207341_760452298_n.j pg
Step 8
Drill through the trans tunnel being careful to avoid the O2 sensor wire. Use a 3"x3" piece of flatbar for an anchor again and thread the seatbelt clip through the bolt. Be sure to get it as low and far back toward the bulkhead as possible for obvious safety reasons.
Step 9
Repeat for the other seat.
Some completed pics below:
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/555653_728341450797_6607392_34207205_120633192_n.j pg
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/540663_728364040527_6607392_34207340_407929088_n.j pg
I wish I could have taken more pics, but it is what it is.
These are great for adjustability and safety, as to adjust you simply have to drill new holes in the flat bar, or use spacers/washers to adjust the height. You may also need to use some washers to adjust your steering wheel down, I did not.
For my 5pt harnesses, I have harness tabs on my rollbar. Installation will be as simple as removing the seat, drilling for my 5th point, attaching the side belts to the bolt that holds the clip on the inside and the bolt that holds the belt on the outside, then the shoulder straps bolt to the harness tab. FYI the 3 pt OEM belt holds you in very well with these seats.
I think that about covers it, PM me if you have any questions.
Ok, so here's the shopping list for the brackets (I got this stuff at Lowe's - I'm sure any hardware store would have it):
~6ft of 1" square steel tube with as thick of an inner diameter is you can find.
~6ft of 1" wide flat bar
3ft of 3" wide flat bar
An assortment of grade 8 (or grade 8.8 or better) washers, nuts, lock nuts, and bolts, plus your old OEM seat bolts. The bolts should be 2" or so long. Enough to go through the 1" tube, flat bar and have a nut, lock washer and regular washer. You'll need 4 of these sets for each seat.
Tools you'll need:
A drill with a stepped bit up to 1/2" wide (larger is better here though, 1/2" is the minimum that you need to get the job done).
Saw with a metal blade (or if you want to brave cutting steel with a simple hacksaw that would work too).
Tape Measure
Various sockets, mostly 14mm, 17mm, and 10mm, but also the sizes for whatever bolts you decided to get.
Marker
Heavy duty vice grip
Hammer
A 12 pack of your favorite beer.
Before we get started here is Kirkey's shop drawing of my seat for reference:
http://www.kirkeyracing.com/related/Related%20Files/Shop%20Drawings/41500-Shop-Drawing.gif
And a picture of the 3" wide flat bar and 1" tube so you know what I am talking about:
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/563297_728364290027_6607392_34207342_1858917520_n. jpg
Step 1
Remove your OEM seats, retaining the OEM bolts
Step 2
Measure the distance between the holes in the floor for the OEM seat and cut your 1" flat bar to match. I ended up with 18" long strips (cut my 3ft length of bar in half). Next mark which direction is forward with the marker. Then hammer a bend into each end of the flatbar, as shown below:
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/525636_728369754077_6607392_34207362_1176547332_n. jpg
Now you need to carefully use the step bit to drill holes for the OEM mounting points, this takes some trail and error. We found that using some of the beer with this process eased the pain. After you are done, mount the flatbar to the holes with the OEM seat bolts hand tight
Step 3
Test fit the seat. This is more crucial for the driver's side. Make sure its centered and the right distance from the pedals. Have a person hold the seat for you while you figure this out. You then need to mark and drill the seat and make sure it is centered on the flat bar. Start with a tiny hole and mark the flat bar, and repeat if needed.
Step 4
Drill the flat bar for the seats. Measure and cut your 1" tube. For my install the passengers side only uses the 1" tube in the front and the rear of the seat is bolted to the flatbar. For my driver's side seat I used tube front and rear to get the correct ride height. You could also use spacers, extra washers, etc.
Step 5
Assemble it all back onto the seat. Finished bracket for my passengers side seat is below:
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/523523_728341261177_6607392_34207202_764682729_n.j pg
Step 6
NOTE: before doing this step is where you would drill for your 5th point harness. I didn't install my harnesses yet so I will remove the seats to install those. Cut a 3"x3" section of the 3" flat bar to use as your anchor.
Mount it to the floor using the OEM bolts. This may require tweaking if the flatbar for the bracket bent when you tightened it down. More beer could be helpful at this point.
Slap on the seat cover and admire while eating a sandwich:
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/375005_728341355987_6607392_34207203_1852012675_n. jpg
Step 7
Remove the seat belt clips from the OEM seats. Use the vice grip to hammer a bend into your OEM seatbelt clips so that they bend away from the trans tunnel. Unclip the belt and thread it through the seat as shown below:
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/553863_728364160287_6607392_34207341_760452298_n.j pg
Step 8
Drill through the trans tunnel being careful to avoid the O2 sensor wire. Use a 3"x3" piece of flatbar for an anchor again and thread the seatbelt clip through the bolt. Be sure to get it as low and far back toward the bulkhead as possible for obvious safety reasons.
Step 9
Repeat for the other seat.
Some completed pics below:
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/555653_728341450797_6607392_34207205_120633192_n.j pg
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/540663_728364040527_6607392_34207340_407929088_n.j pg
I wish I could have taken more pics, but it is what it is.
These are great for adjustability and safety, as to adjust you simply have to drill new holes in the flat bar, or use spacers/washers to adjust the height. You may also need to use some washers to adjust your steering wheel down, I did not.
For my 5pt harnesses, I have harness tabs on my rollbar. Installation will be as simple as removing the seat, drilling for my 5th point, attaching the side belts to the bolt that holds the clip on the inside and the bolt that holds the belt on the outside, then the shoulder straps bolt to the harness tab. FYI the 3 pt OEM belt holds you in very well with these seats.
I think that about covers it, PM me if you have any questions.