I have acquired two driver's side seats with 12 way power (includes lumbar support), and wish to transfer the seat rails and all the electronics from one of these to a passenger side seat that I have which is 8 way power. It appears that only the upper "frame" part of the seat to which the foam is attached, etc. needs to be removed and installed on the seat rails and replace the electrical stuff (memory too, of course) on the passenger "upper frame" of the seat bottom (NOT the backrests, these transfer easily).

Has anyone on Rennlist actually separated the bottom "section" of the power seat bottom from the rails, motors, etc.? It appears to be held together by 4 bolts, one on each corner, and the two on which the seat pivots in the middle of each side.

Any help, suggestions, etc. would be MOST appreciated.

Thanks

Gary Knox

 

Gary looks harder than it is hope the attached helps

 

Gary,

for the bottom, you only need to unbolt the 4 elevators and the 2 guides, which will separate the top tray. All the electronics will remain with the bottom frame.

For the backrest, if you want the memory to work, you will need to strip it to the frame and get at the motor in the headrest.

Paul

 

Interesting, I've wondered myself whether the memory components & function can switch from a driver's to a passenger's seat.

 

I wonder if the seat bottoms are different from 8-way and 12-way sport seats? What I saw with 8-way seats when I stripped them down, was the mounting frame for the 8-way switch is welded to the seat bottom frame. I'd think that the 12-way switch mounting frame would be longer. Also, seat bottoms are L/R, so not interchangeable.

If they are the same, you wouldn't need to remove the rails from the seat bottoms to do this type of conversion. Just transfer over the backrest which will have correct wiring harness and potentiometers for the backrest and lumbar. Course, removing/replacing the leather requires removing the rails.

BTW, the rails did change in '90, so the seat belt latch has a different part number from '89 due to the '90+ latch being more compact.

Driver's side bottom frame

 

Should have also mentioned that the early and later seat belt latches are not interchangeable between early and later rails.

I'd think the cushions are different between 8-way and 12-way...

 

Borland,

Yes, the cushions are different. I'm going to install new cushions, and these are '88 seats - both sets, and I have 2 of the passenger side as well - of course!! This model seat has an opening for the switches that is the same size on both sides, and accomodates the 3 switch system.

I currently have a set of 12 way heated seats from an '88 in my GTS, and both sides work for memory, hope to replicate that in the supple leather set I'm putting together (thanks in part to Herman K).

THANKS guys, I appreciate your help as I tackle this.

Gary--