I recently purchased a set of Recaro Sportster CS seats to put in my MINI. Yeah!



Now I'm trying to figure out how to install the stock seat belt to the base that came with the seat. I need your help and experience. As you can see the stock seat belt has a couple of holes that fit onto a threaded post and a pin on the stock seat:





But my baseplate only has a single hole.


How do I best connect the stock seat belt to my seat base? And, what is that black, tubular thing with a couple of wires coming out of it? Thanks.

 

My Sparco Seat sliders came with an adaptor plate to mount the seatbelt receptacle. You do have Sparco sliders right? And that black tube thingy is part of the seat/airbag system. Just plug it back in to the harness you removed it from once the seat is installed...

 

BTW, how much did you pay for the CS's? Those are the ones that I want to put into the BMW...

 

The black, tubular thing is the seatbelt pre-tensioner. When the computers decide you're about to crash, the pre-tensioner fires and the stuff (technical term) inside the black accordion section contracts, which tightens up the seatbelt against your body.

 

Yea..I just didnt want to type all that...

 

I got the seats, sliders and base from Speedware. The sliders are Recaro, and I think the base is Speedware's design. The bases weren't marked in any way. Are Sparco sliders better, and how?

I paid $1325 per seat, extra for sliders and base.

If I replace both seats, do I have to do the resistor trick to keep the airbag light from turning on?

 

You will want to stay with Recaro sliders. But it should have come with an adapter plate for the belt receptacle. And 1325 is normal plus all the extras. And yes you will have to do the resistor trick. I didnt since AZ doesnt require airbags (and to think I was all worried)....

 

Does anyone know who makes a aftermarket seat bracket for the MINI with this type of an attachement for the stock seat clasp?

 

Speedware makes the brackets for Sparco, BTW.

might want to try a testfit of the bracket and seatbelt only (no seat). There was not much room for mine with the same Speedware brackets so I bolted them to the Recaro's themselves (I had OEM ones with a threaded insert).

 

So you bolted what to the Recaro seats? I don't follow what you are saying. A picture would help. Thanks.

 

I don't have a detail shot, but I took the seatbelt piece and put a bolt through the hole into a threaded insert on my seat. As installed:

 

Oh, OK, so your seat had a threaded hole in it. Lucky! The Sportster doesn't have a hole.

 

I think its because he is using the seats out of an Evo if I'm not mistaken. So they would already be set up for a normal seatbelt, unlike ours.

 

Well, I actually cut the OEM threaded part out and installed in on my bases (Brey-Krause).
I found that there was not a lot of room for the stock belt clip/receptacle --it's a tight fit. It would be nice if you could find a base that was designed for the Mini as it would solve both problems (bolt and space) at once.
Check out some photos that might help you
http://gandini.unm.edu/PGpages/Interests/Seats.htm

 

I appreciate the help guys. Once I find a solution and get it installed, I'll post pictures.

 

...other than learning what not to do.

Recap: I have a 2005 MINI, and just bought Recarco Sportster CS seats, Recaro sliders and seat brackets from Speedware. Aim: To gain headroom when wearing a helmet, and get better support for autocross & occassional DEs. Problem: It seems the Speedware bracket doesn't allow for installation of the stock seat belt clasp.

I thought I had a smart idea for fitting the stock seat belt clasp to the seat bracket Speedware supplied. Since the tab for the seat belt is so close to the tunnel and there is no room to install the clasp on the outside of the tab close to the tunnel:


I thought I might be able to install the clasp between the tab and seat. So I machined a threaded bushing:

and installed the clasp to the bracket with the bushing and stock screw:

All looked good at this point. I tried to install the seat and found I could only move the seat fore and aft a couple of inches. There was no way I could push the seat far enough forward to let people (such as my 11 year old daughter) in the back seat.

All the way back:


All the way forward:


The seat hinge hits the seat belt clasp and block the seat from moving any further forward.

It looks like I gotta find a way to mount a seat belt clasp to the seat itself, probably at the hinge. So, I am still on the hunt for a solution...

 

you have your seats backwards mate. the adjustor goes to the outboard side (right for passenger, left for driver).

this is why I suggested the testfit - my seatbelt charge cylinder rubs on my carpet and it's bolted to the seat itself. I actually reversed my brackets right to left moving the tabs out of the way since they weren't being used and sat way too close to the tunnel to be useful anyways.

 

you can clearly see here on mine where it rubs:

 

Unfortunately, the Sportster has a seat back adjustment **** on both sides of the seat, so I don't have the seats backwards. The seat belt clasp is hitting a plastic cover over the seat hinge. I'm going to remove that cover on the tunnel side and see if there is metal stout enough to mount an aftermarket seat belt clasp.

CXRK has posted pictures of his Sportster seats in his car. I've sent him a PM asking what he did. https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=101314

 

I sent Jeff a PM and I'm on the way out in the MINI with the seats right after I type this but I will try to quickly answer.

The bracket was custom made by Supreme Power Sports (ca.) My contact was Eric at the time. (April May 2007) The set up consisted of a Recaro Upper and the custom lower that had the mount "male" extensions for the seat belt tensioner. The "H" point was perfect and I am guessing that the reason your rubbing/interference with the seat and center section is due the seat being too low. I have pics but if they don't load here they are in my Gallery.

There was not much of an issue with install. The recaro had "L" channel legs on both sides with three hols for seat angle adj. so I cut one side (personal preference I'm tall) So I didn't need it. You mount the lower bracket as to the Recaro bracket (there are quite a few available) and the two mate as if you were mounting the upper to the floor but instead your mounting the upper to the lower bracker. The heavy duty bottom then mounts to the floor in the stock locations. As mentioned, the "H" point (Seat bottom height) was perfect (for me I'm 6'2") and sliding for and aft is by pulling the cross bar in front for the seat. No clearance issues with the center console.

I had to grind one of the pegs a bit (larger one) due to the powder coat build up and then lightly tapped into place then threaded in bolt. No issues after EXCEPT I'm still trying to find out WHICH frak'n resistor to use to get than light out!

Hope this helps and I'll check in tomorrow.

-C
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...o_Braket_2.jpg


https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...r_braket_1.JPG

 

Chris-

Thanks for your help. You and I are the same size; 6'2" and 34" inseam with long torso. My car has a sunroof which takes away a significant amount of headroom.

I'm trying to visualize the Recaro upper and the customer lower bracket. I haven't seen a Recaro bracket, so I don't follow what you mean by "I cut one side". My seat didn't come with a Recaro bracket like you describe, only Recaro sliders.

Do I understand you post correctly that your seat belt buckle/tensioner is it mounted to the bracket fixed to the floor? Without mounting the buckle to the seat, I don't see how it can keep from limiting travel of the seat fore to aft. See the last pictures in my post #16. The seat hinge cover and seat belt buckle collide. Do you have full range of seat travel on the sliders?

 

Hi Jeff,

No issues with sliding fore and aft. You are correct the seat belt tensioner does mount to the lower bracket. The upper Recaro sourced bracket is a "flat" bottomed type with "L"s (with three holes for setting seat angle.

I also have a 34" inseam.

Check out my gallery pics. It will show the bottom bracket by its self and the other with the Recaro on top but still separate. The "L" section is still attached. If you look you can see the lower bracket has the mounting "male" sections needed for the seat belt tensioner.

As mentioned I will try to attach the images to the post when I get a chance.

-C

Also I don't think there is any major difference but my car is an '03. (July Build)

 

I think the best mount for the seat belt receptacle is if it moves with the seat--that's how the Sparco works. I don't have complete for-aft movement but more than enough to fit most tall people--at least 6". I'd guess that if the seat belt stayed put as the seat slid it would make for some awkward seat belt positioning.

 

I looked at that setup however I looked at how far back the seat went and the "ears" i.e shoulder area were far too wide for me to get the seat back far enough for me to be comfortable. My friend Sid (Misfitoy) has the Sparco's and the seat cannot go back past the "B" pillar". Fine for most maybe but being 6"2" and with a 34 inseam it bothered be with just enough to nix that option. The Recaro's has a slimmer design and I have had no issues with the seat belt being "fixed" as the belt does have a adjustment for height. Seems the belt still lies in the correct position. Also of note I'm adding a set of Shroth belts any, Non MINI belt in type maybe. Depends (i'm nixing the rear seats).

Hope this help!

Jeff, let us know how the conversation goes with Supreme

 

Hey Chris Almost but not quite...The Sparco Milano's "ears" or shoulder bolsters are narrow enough to allow the seat to recline or slide back beyond the B-Pillar...