Installed: '08 Civic SI seats in GE8
#1
05-01-2012, 09:47 PM
Installed: '08 Civic SI seats in GE8
So I got around to installing the driver side Civic Si seat last weekend and though i would share. I braught this up in another thread so will just quote what I already said about the seats and install. To lazy to re-type
PICS:
*disregard the washers on top. that bolt was just too long.
I just finnished installing a 08 Civic SI seat. I still have to do the passanger side this weekend. Everything is plug and play, and all the sensors are there.
The drivers seat feels absolutly wonderfull. Full back and latteral suport. Suprisingly, vibrations and bumps dont transfer as easily through this seat either. The way I have it installed the seat sits just slighly lower than the stock GE8 seat, but is height adjustable. Back seats still fold down fine.
I'll get some pics up a little later.
The drivers seat feels absolutly wonderfull. Full back and latteral suport. Suprisingly, vibrations and bumps dont transfer as easily through this seat either. The way I have it installed the seat sits just slighly lower than the stock GE8 seat, but is height adjustable. Back seats still fold down fine.
I'll get some pics up a little later.
Yeah, I just measured and it sits 1/2" lower. Not sure how much more or less you sink into the seat but I noticed the height difference as I had to re-adjust my steering wheel slightly to regain my view of the speedo.
As for the rails. Modified stock SI rails. Basicaly the rear feet just about line up, but one side has to have the hole slighly redrilled. The feet are about 3/4" of an inch shorter than the stock ge8 so I took a stack of wide fender washers and 50mm grade 10.9 bolts to raise them up slightly.
For the front I had to chop off the existing feet and remove the rivets. Drill slighly larger holes into the rails and mount custom feet made from 1/4" steel stock. The new feet where bolted to the rails using high tensile bolts, compression washers, and nuts. Should be at least as strong as the OEM rivets, but if your paranoid you could get them welded instead. One thing that you will notice is that the OEM rear feet are attached using much larger rivets. This is becouse in most accidents (front end) these are the ones that do most of the work of holding the seat to the frame while front feet act more like pivot points.
I swapped the seat buckles (direct swap). All the sensors (weight position, airbag, etc) plug in and work work fine (i.e no dash light).
As for the rails. Modified stock SI rails. Basicaly the rear feet just about line up, but one side has to have the hole slighly redrilled. The feet are about 3/4" of an inch shorter than the stock ge8 so I took a stack of wide fender washers and 50mm grade 10.9 bolts to raise them up slightly.
For the front I had to chop off the existing feet and remove the rivets. Drill slighly larger holes into the rails and mount custom feet made from 1/4" steel stock. The new feet where bolted to the rails using high tensile bolts, compression washers, and nuts. Should be at least as strong as the OEM rivets, but if your paranoid you could get them welded instead. One thing that you will notice is that the OEM rear feet are attached using much larger rivets. This is becouse in most accidents (front end) these are the ones that do most of the work of holding the seat to the frame while front feet act more like pivot points.
I swapped the seat buckles (direct swap). All the sensors (weight position, airbag, etc) plug in and work work fine (i.e no dash light).
That 1/2" actually feels like more. I can't go any lower using this method. The right rail is basicaly resting on the floor as is the lever to adjust the seat position.
BTW im not sure I can do the passanger seat the same way because of all the extra sensors and crap in the rails. Not enough room to get bolts in there. So I'll probably have to make brackets that attach to the existing feet and then the floor. It'll prob sit 1/2" higher than stock. I don't care that much about the passanger side though.
BTW im not sure I can do the passanger seat the same way because of all the extra sensors and crap in the rails. Not enough room to get bolts in there. So I'll probably have to make brackets that attach to the existing feet and then the floor. It'll prob sit 1/2" higher than stock. I don't care that much about the passanger side though.
*disregard the washers on top. that bolt was just too long.
#3
05-02-2012, 12:23 AM
Wow ! Great stuff man! Geez I want to do this so bad! I had those seats in my 95 hatch back in the day so I know how comfortable they are ! And I remember them puppies being a little heavy too! How much lighter are the stock ones compared to those ? But yea the the comment above , where did u get those pieces of metal to do what u did? I'm going to have to take pics of my idea to see if that would work ! Kinda late now to do it but let's see! Also I bave to see where I can find a set of those seats as they are of that easy to find around here.
#4
05-02-2012, 07:44 AM
Thanks guys 
Yeah, to fabricate the brackets I just mounted the steel stock in a heavy vice, heated with a torch, and pounded it with a large mallet. Dont drill the main monting holes untill you have mounted them too the rails ant did a test fit.
I found the steel stock at work but you could probably find something similar at Lowes/HD. Or Mcmaster has 1/4" (3/16" would prob do fine too) x 1" bars in 6ft pieces:
McMaster-Carr
I probably lifted the seat SI and OEM seat in and out of my car at least a dozen times, and to be honest could not feel a difference in weight. Very simialar if I had to guess.
Yeah, to fabricate the brackets I just mounted the steel stock in a heavy vice, heated with a torch, and pounded it with a large mallet. Dont drill the main monting holes untill you have mounted them too the rails ant did a test fit.
I found the steel stock at work but you could probably find something similar at Lowes/HD. Or Mcmaster has 1/4" (3/16" would prob do fine too) x 1" bars in 6ft pieces:
McMaster-Carr
I probably lifted the seat SI and OEM seat in and out of my car at least a dozen times, and to be honest could not feel a difference in weight. Very simialar if I had to guess.
Last edited by jcuecker; 05-02-2012 at 07:48 AM.
#5
05-02-2012, 08:24 AM
Thanks guys
Yeah, to fabricate the brackets I just mounted the steel stock in a heavy vice, heated with a torch, and pounded it with a large mallet. Dont drill the main monting holes untill you have mounted them too the rails ant did a test fit.
I found the steel stock at work but you could probably find something similar at Lowes/HD. Or Mcmaster has 1/4" (3/16" would prob do fine too) x 1" bars in 6ft pieces:
McMaster-Carr
I probably lifted the seat SI and OEM seat in and out of my car at least a dozen times, and to be honest could not feel a difference in weight. Very simialar if I had to guess.
Yeah, to fabricate the brackets I just mounted the steel stock in a heavy vice, heated with a torch, and pounded it with a large mallet. Dont drill the main monting holes untill you have mounted them too the rails ant did a test fit.
I found the steel stock at work but you could probably find something similar at Lowes/HD. Or Mcmaster has 1/4" (3/16" would prob do fine too) x 1" bars in 6ft pieces:
McMaster-Carr
I probably lifted the seat SI and OEM seat in and out of my car at least a dozen times, and to be honest could not feel a difference in weight. Very simialar if I had to guess.
#8
05-02-2012, 11:52 AM
Im not very worried. All the OEM safety features are there. I know the brackets I made are stronger than the OEM feet. I also think the bolts holding the the brackets to the rails are at least as strong as the smaller rivets. That being said once eveything is in place welding these would prob cost $50-75.
#9
05-02-2012, 12:34 PM
Very nice mod! I wonder if this will allow refresh mode to come back since you said it sits lower than the fit seat
#11
05-02-2012, 01:12 PM
Refresh mode was available in the USDM GD's (when you lay down the passenger seat it will connect perfectly with the rear seats ; turns it into a nice seat). In our GE8's refresh was taken out due to the market (Americans wanting bigger seats). Our seats got so big that the seats wont go flush with the rears. In older threads one member stated that the JDM Ge8's had refresh mode but importing those seats would cost more than its worth.
Last edited by timemachine; 05-02-2012 at 01:14 PM.
#12
05-02-2012, 01:18 PM
I doubt half an inch will allow refresh to work again, iirc the difference in front seat back height was about 1.5"+, but curious as well...
You actually don't need the whole front seats assembly to regain refresh, the seat back alone will do since that's whats taller. But trying to source them from overseas, and shipping would kill it.... unless you can get a used set from junkyards.
I really wished we had refresh mode!
You actually don't need the whole front seats assembly to regain refresh, the seat back alone will do since that's whats taller. But trying to source them from overseas, and shipping would kill it.... unless you can get a used set from junkyards.
I really wished we had refresh mode!
#13
05-02-2012, 01:24 PM
I doubt half an inch will allow refresh to work again, iirc the difference in front seat back height was about 1.5"+, but curious as well...
You actually don't need the whole front seats assembly to regain refresh, the seat back alone will do since that's whats taller. But trying to source them from overseas, and shipping would kill it.... unless you can get a used set from junkyards.
I really wished we had refresh mode!
You actually don't need the whole front seats assembly to regain refresh, the seat back alone will do since that's whats taller. But trying to source them from overseas, and shipping would kill it.... unless you can get a used set from junkyards.
I really wished we had refresh mode!
. But there are other ways I wonder if the backing from the GD will be swappable?
#14
05-02-2012, 06:34 PM
The only improvement I could see is fabricating a solid riser in the rear with tight tollerance to the bolt, rather than using a stack of washers. It would reduce the horizontal force on the taller bolt in a high impact crash and reduce the chance of that bolt shearing.
Or you could fab a small riser bracket similar to the front. Probably couldn't bend it that tight, but it could be welded.
OP, please post details on the airbag and occupancy/weight sensors wiring for the passengers side. I've seen it in the other Si seat install thread, but as much clarity as you could provide would be helpful. That's really the only thing keeping me from doing this. Nice work you have done so far.
#15
05-02-2012, 07:03 PM
It looks more robust than the stock mount. Those stamped sheet metal stock mounts are very flimsy. If you use grade 8 (I would probably go 10.9+ just to be safe) or higher hardware, the setup looks very strong.
The only improvement I could see is fabricating a solid riser in the rear with tight tollerance to the bolt, rather than using a stack of washers. It would reduce the horizontal force on the taller bolt in a high impact crash and reduce the chance of that bolt shearing.
Or you could fab a small riser bracket similar to the front. Probably couldn't bend it that tight, but it could be welded.
OP, please post details on the airbag and occupancy/weight sensors wiring for the passengers side. I've seen it in the other Si seat install thread, but as much clarity as you could provide would be helpful. That's really the only thing keeping me from doing this. Nice work you have done so far.
The only improvement I could see is fabricating a solid riser in the rear with tight tollerance to the bolt, rather than using a stack of washers. It would reduce the horizontal force on the taller bolt in a high impact crash and reduce the chance of that bolt shearing.
Or you could fab a small riser bracket similar to the front. Probably couldn't bend it that tight, but it could be welded.
OP, please post details on the airbag and occupancy/weight sensors wiring for the passengers side. I've seen it in the other Si seat install thread, but as much clarity as you could provide would be helpful. That's really the only thing keeping me from doing this. Nice work you have done so far.
They refused to cover his injuries or car because he made modifications to the car that didn't meet government standards for crash safety. Just something to keep in mind so you don't get stuck paying over 100k in hospital bills!!!
#16
05-02-2012, 07:20 PM
well I have already had to deal with insurance companies once when it comes to modifying your car. Honda spends tons of money crash testing their cars. If you do get into some kind of accident and are injured try convincing an insurance company that your mods are safer and to still cover you. My best friend converted his Integra to a JDM front end, aftermarket seats, and airbagless steering wheel. He was involved in a pretty bad accident that wasn't his fault and when the insurance company was done with him he got nothing.
They refused to cover his injuries or car because he made modifications to the car that didn't meet government standards for crash safety. Just something to keep in mind so you don't get stuck paying over 100k in hospital bills!!!
They refused to cover his injuries or car because he made modifications to the car that didn't meet government standards for crash safety. Just something to keep in mind so you don't get stuck paying over 100k in hospital bills!!!
I could definitely see an insurance adjuster looking over a wrecked vehicle and noting it was modified. Especially in an accident with injuries. I hope your friend is fine.
#17
05-02-2012, 09:29 PM
It looks more robust than the stock mount. Those stamped sheet metal stock mounts are very flimsy. If you use grade 8 (I would probably go 10.9+ just to be safe) or higher hardware, the setup looks very strong.
The only improvement I could see is fabricating a solid riser in the rear with tight tollerance to the bolt, rather than using a stack of washers. It would reduce the horizontal force on the taller bolt in a high impact crash and reduce the chance of that bolt shearing.
Or you could fab a small riser bracket similar to the front. Probably couldn't bend it that tight, but it could be welded.
OP, please post details on the airbag and occupancy/weight sensors wiring for the passengers side. I've seen it in the other Si seat install thread, but as much clarity as you could provide would be helpful. That's really the only thing keeping me from doing this. Nice work you have done so far.
The only improvement I could see is fabricating a solid riser in the rear with tight tollerance to the bolt, rather than using a stack of washers. It would reduce the horizontal force on the taller bolt in a high impact crash and reduce the chance of that bolt shearing.
Or you could fab a small riser bracket similar to the front. Probably couldn't bend it that tight, but it could be welded.
OP, please post details on the airbag and occupancy/weight sensors wiring for the passengers side. I've seen it in the other Si seat install thread, but as much clarity as you could provide would be helpful. That's really the only thing keeping me from doing this. Nice work you have done so far.
those were my exact concerns regarding the rear mounts as well Ive got some solid steel 3/4" high spacers on order whos ID should make for a nice tight fit and have a base big enough to suport the entire mount. The main reason for the washers was that I wasnt 100% sure how much I would have to raise it.Ill get a picture up tommorow showing the connectors on the bottom of the GE8 seat. They all match up to what we have in the GE8 as far as I know
#18
05-03-2012, 05:00 PM
Refresh mode was available in the USDM GD's (when you lay down the passenger seat it will connect perfectly with the rear seats ; turns it into a nice seat). In our GE8's refresh was taken out due to the market (Americans wanting bigger seats). Our seats got so big that the seats wont go flush with the rears. In older threads one member stated that the JDM Ge8's had refresh mode but importing those seats would cost more than its worth.
#19
05-03-2012, 07:51 PM
You never know though, with the way things are with Honda's I wouldn't be surprised if the GD seat back would work.
I think with the connectors on the Si seat and it being Honda, the weight sensor should work just fine. Got me thinking of getting a set of Si seats & Katzkinning them as well..
Last edited by FitStir; 05-03-2012 at 09:38 PM. Reason: typo
