Questions About Recaro Sportster CS Seats

[Gt4]

You can make it lower than stock (especially if your stock is a power seat), but nowhere near as low as a side mounted seat.

Thanks for answering. I really hate OEM seats and driving position. I had PP in my first E46 M3 and Z4M Coupe and it was perfect, except during in/out of the car.

I think I will go with leather Pole Position and will do custom M Texture inserts, just bought 7 yards.

[Obioban]

For those with Recaro Sportster, is it possible to sit a bit lower than OEM seats? I am on the fence to buy seats for my E46 M3 and can’t decide between leather Pole Position or CS. I like the Pole Position driving position from previous PP I had but only going to drive my M3 on the street and would prefer recliner seats vs fix race seats.

You can make it lower than stock (especially if your stock is a power seat), but nowhere near as low as a side mounted seat.

[duracellttu]

The seat occupancy sensor is there to make it so the airbag does not deploy if nobody is in the passenger seat, to make crashes cheaper. If you don't have the sensor, and code it off, the airbag will go off every time in an accident (meaning the passenger airbag will have to be replaced).

So, no safety compromised not having the sensor-- just the potential of a more expensive accident.

I didn't do it because the occupancy sensor is failure prone (often an issue in stock seats), and it's not that big of a deal to replace the airbag if it goes off-- didn't want to have to deal with replacing the sensor mat again down the road. So, I just coded off the sensors.

Good to know Obi, thanks.

[Obioban]

Haven’t pulled the trigger on this project yet, but I plan to buy new OEM airbag sensors. Don’t want to compromise safety.

The seat occupancy sensor is there to make it so the airbag does not deploy if nobody is in the passenger seat, to make crashes cheaper. If you don't have the sensor, and code it off, the airbag will go off every time in an accident (meaning the passenger airbag will have to be replaced).

So, no safety compromised not having the sensor-- just the potential of a more expensive accident.

I didn't do it because the occupancy sensor is failure prone (often an issue in stock seats), and it's not that big of a deal to replace the airbag if it goes off-- didn't want to have to deal with replacing the sensor mat again down the road. So, I just coded off the sensor.

[duracellttu]

OP, what are you doing for the airbag sensor? Reuse OEM one from your old seat, buy a new OEM one, etc? Looking to get Sportster CS's soon as well.

Obioban, thanks for sending those links for the brackets. Very helpful.

Haven’t pulled the trigger on this project yet, but I plan to buy new OEM airbag sensors. Don’t want to compromise safety.

[Gt4]

For those with Recaro Sportster, is it possible to sit a bit lower than OEM seats? I am on the fence to buy seats for my E46 M3 and can’t decide between leather Pole Position or CS. I like the Pole Position driving position from previous PP I had but only going to drive my M3 on the street and would prefer recliner seats vs fix race seats.

[BBB]

OP, what are you doing for the airbag sensor? Reuse OEM one from your old seat, buy a new OEM one, etc? Looking to get Sportster CS's soon as well.

Obioban, thanks for sending those links for the brackets. Very helpful.

[Inizes]

Oh I see that now, I stand corrected. Wasn't aware that AMX would sell just the covers, good to know!

Not a problem!

For those interested in seeing a naked seat: https://www.instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxp...26115225141714

[DiscoWagon]

He put the covers on himself though I believe. AMX only provided them?

Oh I see that now, I stand corrected. Wasn't aware that AMX would sell just the covers, good to know!

[Inizes]

His seats were reupholstered by AMX Performance.

He put the covers on himself though I believe. AMX only provided them?

[DiscoWagon]

I think pb_e46 on Instagram re-covered his recaros himself. He might be a good person to reach out to for info on this. I don’t know if he used the heating pads.

His seats were reupholstered by AMX Performance.

[Inizes]

I think pb_e46 on Instagram re-covered his recaros himself. He might be a good person to reach out to for info on this. I don’t know if he used the heating pads.

[Obioban]

Thanks for the info! I’m going to find a set without airbags.

I’m assuming these Brey Krause mounts are preferred over the Recaro sliders due to the addition of height and tilt functions? They don’t seem that heavy at 3lbs each.

I have ZCP manual seats right now. Not sure exactly which parts need to be reused? The sliders that bolt to the floor of the car?

I've never taken a set of CSs apart, so I don't know how feasible it is. but if it is possible, might be better to get a set without seat heater pads and install BMW seat heater pads instead.

The Recaro sliders need some sort of adapter to bolt to the floor, and a seat belt mounting solution-- the net result is heavier, higher, and more expensive than BK mounts + OE sliders.

The OE sliders also have ~double the travel of Recaro sliders, so back seat access is easier. The Recaro sliders can get noisy over time, which isn't great. And, the OE sliders are designed to have the belts mounted above them (unlike the Recaro sliders), so the seat belts stay properly located to the seat, regardless of slider position (unlike with the recaro sliders, which aren't strong enough to take the seat belt load in a crash).

If you have manual factory sliders, you'll also need BK's slider release handles.

https://www.bkauto.com/R_9226_Drivers_Side_Slider_Release_Mechanism_p/r-9226.htm

https://www.bkauto.com/R_9227_Passenger_Side_Slider_Release_Mechanism_p/r-9227.htm

Yeah, just the sliders are reused. The install process is seen here:
http://qnuwm.rpstd.servertrust.com/v...ions/R9246.pdf

[duracellttu]

1. no idea.
2. yes
3. Yes-- unlike many other cars, the e46's side airbags are built into the doors (not the seats). Double side impact airbags is not a recipe for success. You could not hook them up, but then you're just paying extra for extra weight. I'd buy a set without them.
4. Yes. Brey Krause makes mounts for them that attach them to the factory e46 power or manual sliders.
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-brey_krause-parts/driver-mount-for-e46-e85-e86/r-9246~brk/
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-brey_krause-parts/passenger-mount-for-e46-e85-e86-/r-9247~brk/

Follow up question: no, not with recaro's seat heating pads. To do that, I used BMW's seat heater pads, with their integrated thermistors.

Thanks for the info! I’m going to find a set without airbags.

I’m assuming these Brey Krause mounts are preferred over the Recaro sliders due to the addition of height and tilt functions? They don’t seem that heavy at 3lbs each.

I have ZCP manual seats right now. Not sure exactly which parts need to be reused? The sliders that bolt to the floor of the car?

[Obioban]

1. no idea.
2. yes
3. Yes-- unlike many other cars, the e46's side airbags are built into the doors (not the seats). Double side impact airbags is not a recipe for success. You could not hook them up, but then you're just paying extra for extra weight. I'd buy a set without them.
4. Yes. Brey Krause makes mounts for them that attach them to the factory e46 power or manual sliders.
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-brey_krause-parts/driver-mount-for-e46-e85-e86/r-9246~brk/
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-brey_krause-parts/passenger-mount-for-e46-e85-e86-/r-9247~brk/

Follow up question: no, not with recaro's seat heating pads. To do that, I used BMW's seat heater pads, with their integrated thermistors.