Modify your stock seats! - Page 9

IceWilly · 12-20-2006, 10:21 AM

well i used pipe foam, so the thickness was the same, i didn't trim it down at all. I made one side of the bolstering in the right shape, flipped it over and trimmed the other side to match it mirrored. if it was too high in places or too low i pulled it out and trimmed a little more. Thickness wasn't my concern, but i wanted the shape to match up nicely with the side of the seat. 1 layer on each side of the 3/8" or 1/2" don't remember was enough extra thickness.

btw since ive done it the top strips i added to extend the spine... have started to move around, basically sliding towards the outsides of the seat, especially bad on the door side. You may want to pin them or glue them down or something. The inside angled ones haven't moved at all though.

NorCALSpeed · 12-20-2006, 11:04 AM

yeah the foam i have is 1/2 inch. i can see how the spine bolsters will slide. seems like the limit is one layer. i have 2 layers of 1/2 inch, and while it fit and felt awesome. it created a huge wrinkle. the problem is that it lifts the seam of the black and blue fabric too high so the blue suede is floating instead of held against the back. i think if youre like me, and need more than 1/2 an inch on a side u have to make do or buy new seats.

boostedrex05 · 12-20-2006, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curryboy

Yah but you lose the airbag then. I'd rather be alive then comfortable any day.... the crash rating was one of the reasons I chose the subaru over the mitsu.

It helps that I like the STi in every other aspect, but safety was undoubtedly a contributing factor....

lol half the time air bags are defalty and just dont deploy so just try not to get t boned lol

StiLimited · 12-24-2006, 04:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by STiSpeed

So what is the best material to use for this that will not compress over time?

high density, closed cell foam. If you are using pipe insulation, they make two kinds. The grayish one and the dark gray, almost black one. The darker is the higher density. (But harder to find, you'll have to go to a real plumbing supply house, not home depot to find it.)

Some craft shops have low density open cell foam. (the yellow kind that squishes when you compress it.)

If you really want the right stuff, find a custom upholstery shop in your location and they have the best foam to use.

Tomasu · 03-17-2007, 01:48 PM

Kinda bringing this back from the dead.... i FINALLY got around to putting the foam in my stock seat and putting stock seat back in the car.

Honestly, very litlte improvement :-( , I am dissapointed... Sure, its a little better, but it still doesnt make up for the fact the seat doesn't have any shoulder bolstering at all, and that the seat is overly springy.

So the fatter bolsters are actually touching me when i sit in the seat now, but going around a corner, since there is no shoulder bolster at all, my shoulders move right off the seat, and my lower body just slides right up over the side bolster.... the only way i can semi-stay planted is to crowch way down, basically sliding my butt further forward on the seat, lower back just kinda in the air, and have my shoulders start to tuck down in the lower bolsters a little.... as you can imagine, that is not very comfortable....

I'm starting to think of getting a corbeau CR1 and taking to a custom apolstery shop and seeing if they can retrofit the airbag in there or something.... but for now, i might just buy some scroth wrx harnesses to see if they will help at all...

BTW I am 5'6" and 135 to 140lbs... (earlier i said 5'7" which was a bit optimistic haha, and I got sick and lost weight since then).

How is everybody elses seats holding up?

ace996 · 03-18-2007, 12:28 PM

Tomasu,
Try stretching the seat springs in the bottom and back. I did this and it changed the seat a great deal, as I now sit in the seat as opposed to on the seat. Now, this isnt a miracle cure, but helped a great deal.

I'm 6'4" and 210lbs.

Be good,
TomK

Greg · 03-18-2007, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ace996

Tomasu,
Try stretching the seat springs in the bottom and back. I did this and it changed the seat a great deal, as I now sit in the seat as opposed to on the seat. Now, this isnt a miracle cure, but helped a great deal.

I'm 6'4" and 210lbs.

Be good,
TomK

I stretched the springs and added some closed cell foam. I didn't add any foam to the seat bolsters. I ended up taking the foam out of the seat back, as it seemed to pushing me too far forward. Its true, I do sit more "in" the seat than before but the seat back is still a big problem. As Tom describes, not enough side bolstering to keep you in the right place.

Tomasu · 03-18-2007, 10:04 PM

I think I'll try to stretch the springs some more when i get a chance... I have stretched them a little bit before, but still need to find a good technique to do it, since they're so friggin strong... How did you go about stretching them?

ace996 · 03-20-2007, 06:31 PM

Pliers. Just plain pliers and a few good tugs...reminds me of my honeymoon. Yeah...good times.

Be good,
TomK

***scoobster*** · 08-22-2007, 07:11 PM

You could use this stuff,
http://www.seatfoam.com/

mykrrrr · 08-23-2007, 05:15 AM

I'd like to see how much you can take out of the seat bottom to get you lower in the car. I currently have my Sparco EVO2 in there but it'd be nice to have SAB's again.

KruxSTi · 10-28-2007, 06:47 PM

Back from the dead! Just did this today. Only got the upper part done as I could not figure out how to get the seat cushion cover off... any tips?

sti* fan · 05-18-2008, 11:43 PM

just did mine today as well i picked up some pipe foam insulation for $2.50 at home depot. i only did the upper side bolsters since i was mostly lacking latteral support. the whole process took me about 30 minutes total the air bag side was much harder to get into tho. i went for a drive right after and took some turns i normally take hard and i can say the improvement was easily noticed i can feel the side bolsters pretty much all the time now. before i would have to lean before getting into the turn and not so much now I feel much more confident taking those harder turns.. overall im very happy with the results and now ill just have to wait and see if any issues pop up..

ilami01 · 07-21-2008, 06:04 PM

****tiest how to ever!

cekeel · 08-04-2008, 09:55 AM

I removed the top two seat back springs last week before a short road trip (left the bottom spring in for some lumbar support). Immediately noticed I sink back into the seat more, and the side bolsters on the seat back "feel" taller now! Got home and decided to do something about the seat bottom before another road trip. Used zip ties to secure the rear spring to the rear support bar and the front spring to the front of the exposed frame. Essentially eliminated the "spring" action, but they're still there to support the foam and fabric. Made a HUGE difference driving from NC to AR. I now sit deeper down and back into the seat, and I'm no longer budgeting for a new seat! Can't say that "bobblehead" is gone, but what bounce is left gets blamed on my suspension.

12-20-2006, 10:21 AM	#121
IceWilly Junior STI Driver Car: '05 STi WRB Location: Norwalk, CT Posts: 128 Join Date: Sep 2006 Trader Rating: (1)	well i used pipe foam, so the thickness was the same, i didn't trim it down at all. I made one side of the bolstering in the right shape, flipped it over and trimmed the other side to match it mirrored. if it was too high in places or too low i pulled it out and trimmed a little more. Thickness wasn't my concern, but i wanted the shape to match up nicely with the side of the seat. 1 layer on each side of the 3/8" or 1/2" don't remember was enough extra thickness. btw since ive done it the top strips i added to extend the spine... have started to move around, basically sliding towards the outsides of the seat, especially bad on the door side. You may want to pin them or glue them down or something. The inside angled ones haven't moved at all though. This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.

08-22-2007, 07:11 PM	#130
*scoobster* Scoobie Dooby Doo Car: Is freaking fast!!! Fav Mod: Going turbo Location: In the middle of you all Posts: 240 Join Date: Aug 2006 Trader Rating: (6)	Re: Modify your stock seats! You could use this stuff, http://www.seatfoam.com/

08-23-2007, 05:15 AM	#131
mykrrrr Junior STI Driver Car: '05 STi Fav Mod: Spec C roof vent Location: Detroitish... Posts: 135 Join Date: Nov 2006 Trader Rating: (1)	Re: Modify your stock seats! I'd like to see how much you can take out of the seat bottom to get you lower in the car. I currently have my Sparco EVO2 in there but it'd be nice to have SAB's again.

10-28-2007, 06:47 PM	#132
KruxSTi STI Driver Car: 06 WRX STi Fav Mod: 20G Location: Calipornia Posts: 234 Join Date: May 2007 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Modify your stock seats! Back from the dead! Just did this today. Only got the upper part done as I could not figure out how to get the seat cushion cover off... any tips?

05-18-2008, 11:43 PM	#133
sti* fan Junior STI Driver Car: 07 obp sti Fav Mod: endura-tech's Location: sillicon valley Posts: 93 Join Date: Sep 2007 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Modify your stock seats! just did mine today as well i picked up some pipe foam insulation for $2.50 at home depot. i only did the upper side bolsters since i was mostly lacking latteral support. the whole process took me about 30 minutes total the air bag side was much harder to get into tho. i went for a drive right after and took some turns i normally take hard and i can say the improvement was easily noticed i can feel the side bolsters pretty much all the time now. before i would have to lean before getting into the turn and not so much now I feel much more confident taking those harder turns.. overall im very happy with the results and now ill just have to wait and see if any issues pop up.. Last edited by sti fan : 05-18-2008 at 11:48 PM.*

12-20-2006, 11:04 AM	#122
NorCALSpeed The Next Petter Solberg Car: 06 AW STI Fav Mod: Hardwired 8500 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 966 Join Date: Feb 2005 Trader Rating: (1)	yeah the foam i have is 1/2 inch. i can see how the spine bolsters will slide. seems like the limit is one layer. i have 2 layers of 1/2 inch, and while it fit and felt awesome. it created a huge wrinkle. the problem is that it lifts the seam of the black and blue fabric too high so the blue suede is floating instead of held against the back. i think if youre like me, and need more than 1/2 an inch on a side u have to make do or buy new seats.

03-17-2007, 01:48 PM	#125
Tomasu Amateur STI Driver Car: 05 wrb Fav Mod: Whiteline steering rack bushings Location: Highland Posts: 31 Join Date: Aug 2005 Trader Rating: (0)	Kinda bringing this back from the dead.... i FINALLY got around to putting the foam in my stock seat and putting stock seat back in the car. Honestly, very litlte improvement :-( , I am dissapointed... Sure, its a little better, but it still doesnt make up for the fact the seat doesn't have any shoulder bolstering at all, and that the seat is overly springy. So the fatter bolsters are actually touching me when i sit in the seat now, but going around a corner, since there is no shoulder bolster at all, my shoulders move right off the seat, and my lower body just slides right up over the side bolster.... the only way i can semi-stay planted is to crowch way down, basically sliding my butt further forward on the seat, lower back just kinda in the air, and have my shoulders start to tuck down in the lower bolsters a little.... as you can imagine, that is not very comfortable.... I'm starting to think of getting a corbeau CR1 and taking to a custom apolstery shop and seeing if they can retrofit the airbag in there or something.... but for now, i might just buy some scroth wrx harnesses to see if they will help at all... BTW I am 5'6" and 135 to 140lbs... (earlier i said 5'7" which was a bit optimistic haha, and I got sick and lost weight since then). How is everybody elses seats holding up?

03-18-2007, 12:28 PM	#126
ace996 Grassroots STI Racer Car: 06 STI - SGM Fav Mod: HPDE Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 568 Join Date: Dec 2004 Trader Rating: (1)	Tomasu, Try stretching the seat springs in the bottom and back. I did this and it changed the seat a great deal, as I now sit in the seat as opposed to on the seat. Now, this isnt a miracle cure, but helped a great deal. I'm 6'4" and 210lbs. Be good, TomK

03-18-2007, 10:04 PM	#128
Tomasu Amateur STI Driver Car: 05 wrb Fav Mod: Whiteline steering rack bushings Location: Highland Posts: 31 Join Date: Aug 2005 Trader Rating: (0)	I think I'll try to stretch the springs some more when i get a chance... I have stretched them a little bit before, but still need to find a good technique to do it, since they're so friggin strong... How did you go about stretching them?

03-20-2007, 06:31 PM	#129
ace996 Grassroots STI Racer Car: 06 STI - SGM Fav Mod: HPDE Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 568 Join Date: Dec 2004 Trader Rating: (1)	Pliers. Just plain pliers and a few good tugs...reminds me of my honeymoon. Yeah...good times. Be good, TomK

07-21-2008, 06:04 PM	#134
ilami01 Senior STI Driver Car: White 06 STi Fav Mod: Forged Bypass Location: Dallas Posts: 391 Join Date: Feb 2006 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Modify your stock seats! ****tiest how to ever!

08-04-2008, 09:55 AM	#135
cekeel Junior STI Driver Car: '06 OBP STi Fav Mod: Driver's Ed Location: North Carolina Posts: 195 Join Date: Sep 2006 Trader Rating: (8)	Re: Modify your stock seats! I removed the top two seat back springs last week before a short road trip (left the bottom spring in for some lumbar support). Immediately noticed I sink back into the seat more, and the side bolsters on the seat back "feel" taller now! Got home and decided to do something about the seat bottom before another road trip. Used zip ties to secure the rear spring to the rear support bar and the front spring to the front of the exposed frame. Essentially eliminated the "spring" action, but they're still there to support the foam and fabric. Made a HUGE difference driving from NC to AR. I now sit deeper down and back into the seat, and I'm no longer budgeting for a new seat! Can't say that "bobblehead" is gone, but what bounce is left gets blamed on my suspension. This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.