My 996 sport seat install DIY
08-10-2005, 11:41 PM
#1
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
My 996 sport seat install DIY
I just fitted a pair of 996 sport seats to my 993 today.
With a bit of easy modification, they fit really well.
Basically, you need to pull out the old seats and swap the seat belt buckles to the new ones.
Then, put the 996 seats on their backs and modify the rails to fit in the '97 and older mounts.
You need to flatten this tab with a hammer ( a couple good whacks will do the trick)
Then do the same with the other tab:
Remove the spring (this only applies to the non-power sport seats)
Use vice-grips and gently bend the spring tab down a bit so it doesn't interfere with the cross bar (shown)
Then use a dremel tool or cut-off wheel and remove the rear alignment pin:
Cut off the factory electrical connector and replace with bullet style connectors (this type fits great in the 993 and older harness)
On the inboard side of the rear rail, cut about 1 square inch of carpet back to expose a hidden bolt hole.
With a bit of easy modification, they fit really well.
Basically, you need to pull out the old seats and swap the seat belt buckles to the new ones.
Then, put the 996 seats on their backs and modify the rails to fit in the '97 and older mounts.
You need to flatten this tab with a hammer ( a couple good whacks will do the trick)
Then do the same with the other tab:
Remove the spring (this only applies to the non-power sport seats)
Use vice-grips and gently bend the spring tab down a bit so it doesn't interfere with the cross bar (shown)
Then use a dremel tool or cut-off wheel and remove the rear alignment pin:
Cut off the factory electrical connector and replace with bullet style connectors (this type fits great in the 993 and older harness)
On the inboard side of the rear rail, cut about 1 square inch of carpet back to expose a hidden bolt hole.
08-10-2005, 11:43 PM
#2
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Part II
Put the seat rails all the way forward and gently set the seats in the car and connect the wiring harness.
Align the two front rail holes (from the bent tabs) to the seat mounts and loosely tighten them.
Move the seat to the rearmost position and do the same. The rears should look like this:
Once you've gotten everything bolted down, slide the seat all the way forward and install the spring. (This is much easier than wrestling with the spring loaded rail while aligning the holes)
Once you've got it in, tighten everything down and have yourself a Guiness.
Move to the other side and repeat!!!
Whoo HOO!
Align the two front rail holes (from the bent tabs) to the seat mounts and loosely tighten them.
Move the seat to the rearmost position and do the same. The rears should look like this:
Once you've gotten everything bolted down, slide the seat all the way forward and install the spring. (This is much easier than wrestling with the spring loaded rail while aligning the holes)
Once you've got it in, tighten everything down and have yourself a Guiness.
Move to the other side and repeat!!!
Whoo HOO!
11-02-2006, 03:46 AM
#5
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
The only thing I'd add is if you have a problem with wrinkles in your leather (see the photos above) remove the center lumbar support and take a look at the retaining clips that hold the leather tight to the seat frame.
As you can see in my pics when my seats showed up in the mail they were pretty messed up. I had the outfit paint the seat backs to match my body color. When those yehoos reassembled the seats they didn't bother to do it correctly and I ended up with some pretty bad looking sport seats.
See these threads for more information:
https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...light=interior
https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...light=interior
As you can see in my pics when my seats showed up in the mail they were pretty messed up. I had the outfit paint the seat backs to match my body color. When those yehoos reassembled the seats they didn't bother to do it correctly and I ended up with some pretty bad looking sport seats.
See these threads for more information:
https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...light=interior
https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...light=interior
10-07-2012, 02:07 PM
#6
Burning Brakes
Bumping this old thread for Sander!
A few things I did differently from Leland;
On the seat prep I followed exactly except I did not reinstall the spring. It is only there to assist forward movement and they slide easy enough without it.
The connectors I used were the same as his but make sure you get the polarity correct before mounting the seats, I just tried the lever and it moved so I finished mounting the seats, then found out the operation was backwards. Had to loosen the seat to get the plugs switched.
I had already had my 993 seats mounted in the rear holes so I wanted to mount the GT3 sport seats back also (6'3"+ and 230lbs, I need all the room I can get
). I used the rear mounting holes at the front of the rails and did not cut any carpet at the back of the rails. I also removed the rear 996 seat stops on the rails. The 996 seats actually go back about 1" further than the 993 seats, but as other threads mention you will lose about an inch + of headroom.
Passenger seat right front mount showing the rear hole used (black tape covering the front hole similar to what the factory did)
Passenger seat rear mounting holes used
Picture showing how far back the seats go, can't get anymore legroom than that.
Something not mentioned but often questioned is weight. They are about 5 lbs lighter than an 8 way 993 comfort seat and 2 lbs lighter than a 4 way 993 seat, but still very heavy compared to aftermarket seats.
Overall a good value compared to the prices 993 seats are fetching.
Compare how far back the seats in the above picture are with Lelands picture in the 2nd post.
Good luck with the install and let me know if you have any questions.
A few things I did differently from Leland;
On the seat prep I followed exactly except I did not reinstall the spring. It is only there to assist forward movement and they slide easy enough without it.
The connectors I used were the same as his but make sure you get the polarity correct before mounting the seats, I just tried the lever and it moved so I finished mounting the seats, then found out the operation was backwards. Had to loosen the seat to get the plugs switched.
I had already had my 993 seats mounted in the rear holes so I wanted to mount the GT3 sport seats back also (6'3"+ and 230lbs, I need all the room I can get
). I used the rear mounting holes at the front of the rails and did not cut any carpet at the back of the rails. I also removed the rear 996 seat stops on the rails. The 996 seats actually go back about 1" further than the 993 seats, but as other threads mention you will lose about an inch + of headroom. Passenger seat right front mount showing the rear hole used (black tape covering the front hole similar to what the factory did)
Passenger seat rear mounting holes used
Picture showing how far back the seats go, can't get anymore legroom than that.
Something not mentioned but often questioned is weight. They are about 5 lbs lighter than an 8 way 993 comfort seat and 2 lbs lighter than a 4 way 993 seat, but still very heavy compared to aftermarket seats.
Overall a good value compared to the prices 993 seats are fetching.
Compare how far back the seats in the above picture are with Lelands picture in the 2nd post.
Good luck with the install and let me know if you have any questions.
Trending Topics
10-08-2012, 06:13 AM
#12
Rennlist Member
Thanks again Erik! Looks like I have free time saturday this upcoming weekend which happens to be my B-day to install my 996 seats. Can't wait to have them installed and will snap pics to post here.
10-08-2012, 11:20 AM
#13
Burning Brakes
Can't, I have family coming into town, have fun though!
Leland, good to see you back, hope you can find another 993 someday. Your threads have helped many a rennlister, the term LPMM is still used regularly.
The electrical connections are as easy as it sounds in the first posts. The 993 harness is unchanged. The 996 seat harness is cut off at the plug, then use the standard bullet type male plugs on the 2 wires and plug them into the 993 harness. I am not by my car right now but they go into opposite corners of the plug. The 8 way 993 seats used 3 wires- 2 hot and 1 ground IIRC, the 996 sport seats only use 2, brown to brown and red to red. I can double check the plug locations tonight if needed. Just let me know.
You are reusing the original seat belt receiver so that plug is unchanged.
No problem, it was tough to find this thread again, don't know why it didn't show up on the first page of search results. Let me know if you run into any problems. Watch your back on the seats, they are heavy. With that mentioned, before you unplug the old seats you will want to tilt the seat back forward to make it easier to get the drivers side out. If you raise the 996 seat bottom the shock is really strong and you will have to sit on the seat to get it back down.
Good luck with the install and have a Happy Birthday too!
Leland, good to see you back, hope you can find another 993 someday. Your threads have helped many a rennlister, the term LPMM is still used regularly.
You are reusing the original seat belt receiver so that plug is unchanged.
Good luck with the install and have a Happy Birthday too!
