Author Topic: Broken Driver's Seat....Help! (Swap, Fix, Aftermarket)? (Read 9363 times)

AFARR · « **on:** March 15, 2010, 07:41:24 AM »

I have a 91 318is. When I got it, it had standard seats in it (picked it up for $900, so I didn't complain too much).

The rear of the drivers seat back is broken.

I found a "cheapy" aftermarket seat locally (Carbon fiber back reclining seat...looks pretty nice). $40 without sliders.

I bought the (fairly expensive) Recaro seat base....actually the mounts to take the factory slider off and attach it to a recaro seat. Unfortunately the cheapy seat appears to have Sparco spaced holes.

Wondering if there is an inexpensive adapter to use a Sparco Seat on a Recaro base (it really looks like you could take two pieces of metal...drill holes to match the seat and two more holes to match the base on each side...but I don't have measurements on the width for a Recaro seat holes).

Also....I have found an adapter for a Sparco seat (the base), but it needs sliders (doesn't use the factory slider). Don't know if it's worth selling the Recaro base and getting the Sparco instead.

I'm just trying to get a drivable seat (rather than one that the back creaks and moves on the left side) in the car...nothing fancy, and not a lot of money out of pocket.

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks!

AFARR

DesktopDave · « **Reply #1 on:** March 15, 2010, 07:53:44 AM »

You might just have some loose clips. They're cheap to replace, even from a BMW dealer. IIRC you can swap the seat bases from side-to side. I'm pretty sure the seat backs have to stay here they are.

I'd look for a set of e30 BMW sport seats & have them recovered to match my interior. That's likely to be expensive. I'd try to repair the seats. I have a lot of parts if you'd like to try that. I'm swapping some bits around this weekend, maybe I'll take some pics.

AFARR · « **Reply #2 on:** March 15, 2010, 09:47:23 AM »

I think it's a broken rear seat frame (upper part of the left side of the back)...you can see the separation around the vinyl, and you can see the broken part of the metal). I could conceivably get someone to weld it...but then I'd be without a seat for a few days, and this is a daily driver.

I'm (for now) wondering what either aftermarket (cheap) options might be, or a seat replacement...fortunately, the seats are black, so it's a fairly common color.

AFARR

DesktopDave · « **Reply #3 on:** March 15, 2010, 12:44:41 PM »

Post your location, might be someone close to loan you a seat. If you're close to Pittsburgh I'd even let you borrow one of mine.

The seat backs do crack. Welding is an option, but you'd be out of a seat for a little while. You didn't mention if you have the base model or sport model seats.

AFARR · « **Reply #4 on:** March 15, 2010, 01:20:00 PM »

Sorry, thought I posted that.

Allentown, PA area.

If someone here has the correct measurements for Recaro and Sparco seat holes, I may be able to drill a couple of holes in some steel pieces and make it work.

Thanks!

AFARR

longtallsally · « **Reply #5 on:** May 13, 2010, 12:07:42 PM »

Here is what I did. I guess I'm lucky I have a welder (back in the States now of course

).

Busted side:

Good side:

Welded on:

I then just cured and painted it to seal it up. Total repair time including removal of the seat was under 2 hours.

BlueBMW · « **Reply #6 on:** May 13, 2010, 06:14:48 PM »

Funny... my seat just broke in the exact same spot!

91 e30m42 · « **Reply #7 on:** December 02, 2011, 12:02:06 PM »

same here both passenger and driver

DesktopDave · « **Reply #8 on:** December 02, 2011, 02:58:39 PM »

Common failure point. I'm not looking forward to it happening with mine, but odds are against us on this seat. I wish Recaro had done the seats instead.

deansweet · « **Reply #9 on:** December 02, 2011, 03:12:29 PM »

Small world, my passenger seat did the exact same thing and luckily I have a welder and did the exact same fix. I also pulled the covers, cleaned and lubed up all the adjustment parts while I had it out.

Us E30 owners remind me of being back in the days of playing with Isuzu's?! A very hands on and fix you're own stuff type group. Not because we wanted to really, because we had to...

91 e30m42 · « **Reply #10 on:** December 02, 2011, 04:43:14 PM »

Quote from: deansweet;108588

I also pulled the covers, cleaned and lubed up all the adjustment parts while I had it out.

what kind of lube did you use as i read in another thread in the e30 forum that DW-40 would not be a good idea to use... as im in the process of rebuilding mines

DesktopDave · « **Reply #11 on:** December 02, 2011, 05:46:58 PM »

Any light machine oil should do the trick. Motor oil works too, just gets a little sloppier. WD40 is mostly kerosene from what I've heard, just slowly evaporates.

keflaman · « **Reply #12 on:** December 02, 2011, 08:27:19 PM »

I had a seat with both brackets busted, so I made new ones out of light angle iron. I think these brackets are in the "when, not if they break" category.

carlos318is · « **Reply #13 on:** December 04, 2011, 02:54:47 AM »

Both mine went in the same place aswell

deansweet · « **Reply #14 on:** December 04, 2011, 10:06:24 AM »

I just used white lithium grease in a spray can. 3-in-One