body and interior E21 Recaro seat brackets

[pisgahlvr]

Hey all, 

 

I have a question about E21 Recaro seat brackets. I bought my seats from a guy who had these installed in a different car than a 2002. They came with a different mounting setup from stock, and from the 2002 setup. They came with square bar stock risers, with what I "think" are the stock e21 brackets. 

 

Are the brackets that are bolted to the square bar stock the stock e21 seat sliders, or are they from another car? 

 

I have searched and searched but I can not really find a thread with good pictures showing step by step how to mount recaros in the 2002. Can anyone help me out with some install tips or even better, some pictures? 

 

 

Edited March 19, 2015 by pisgahlvr

[zinz]

Lots of tech articles in the pull-down menu at the top of the page.  Body and Interior category has this one on seat options: http://www.bmw2002faq.com/articles.html/_/technical-articles/body-and-interior/02-replacement-seats-r63

 

For e21 Recaros it recommends this well-done article http://www.my2002tii.com/recaro_seats.htm

 

Enjoy

 

Ed Z

[pisgahlvr]

Hi Ed, 

 

Thanks for the quick response. I have searched previously and found both of those articles. Both are well written. The 2nd even includes pictures (the first one doesn't have any pictures anymore). 

 

Neither of them are exactly helpful to me though since my seats came with somewhat of a different setup than stock.  

 

What I would really like to find are some close in pictures of the setup that you would need to install recaros in a 2002. 

[Nesset127]

 

These are what the rails on mine look like... I will take a picture of what it looks like in my car after school.

 

Edit: Here is the Real OEM link for it http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=3173&mospid=47175&btnr=52_0166&hg=52&fg=10

Edited March 19, 2015 by Nesset127

[bluedevils]

Easiest solution is (1) to remove those completely (sliders and square tubing need all gone) and install recaro-to-2002 adapters bolted on original 2002 sliders as described in those articles. Adapter brackets (see above post)  are available from Dave Varco  or Sherman Martinez, both are great 02 fellows. Originally, E21 seats came with two piece rails, you would use only one part (two per seat), the adapter mentioned above; usually they have a slanted side on the outside, they are non-moving parts where the seat belt receives were bolted on, mirror-imaged for driver and passenger seats. 2002 sliders are bolted on them directly as holes match up. You don't have those in your seats. Another option is (2) not to use 2002 sliders  but to fabricate two wider plates for each seat that will be inserted between the sliders currently installed on your recaros and the 2002 "ears" on the body where the original 02 sliders bolt on. But, recaros may sit too high with what you have. So there...

 

 

p.s. Check Speedway web site for seat adapters (that is the wide plates I mentioned) , you will need 4 of them if you go with second option. You will need to drill new holes to match the holes on your slider and then holes on the 2002 ears. 

Edited March 19, 2015 by bluedevils

[pisgahlvr]

Easiest solution is (1) to remove those completely (sliders and square tubing need all gone) and install recaro-to-2002 adapters bolted on original 2002 sliders as described in those articles. Adapter brackets (see above post)  are available from Dave Varco  or Sherman Martinez, both are great 02 fellows. Originally, E21 seats came with two piece rails, you would use only one part (two per seat), the adapter mentioned above; usually they have a slanted side on the outside, they are non-moving parts where the seat belt receives were bolted on, mirror-imaged for driver and passenger seats. 2002 sliders are bolted on them directly as holes match up. You don't have those in your seats. Another option is (2) not to use 2002 sliders  but to fabricate two wider plates for each seat that will be inserted between the sliders currently installed on your recaros and the 2002 "ears" on the body where the original 02 sliders bolt on. But, recaros may sit too high with what you have. So there...

 

 

p.s. Check Speedway web site for seat adapters (that is the wide plates I mentioned) , you will need 4 of them if you go with second option. You will need to drill new holes to match the holes on your slider and then holes on the 2002 ears. 

 

 

These are what the rails on mine look like... I will take a picture of what it looks like in my car after school.

 

Edit: Here is the Real OEM link for it http://realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=3173&mospid=47175&btnr=52_0166&hg=52&fg=10

 

Ok, thank you for the responses guys. So safe to say, probably the easiest solution will be the aardvark adapters? I was thinking about getting those anyway, but I wanted to make sure that I don't need the stock recaro brackets for them to work in the 2002. 

 

Am I right in assuming the 2002 adapters bolt straight to the bottom of the seat, and then the 2002 slider bolts to the adapter? No fuss? 

[bento]

Massive also has nice adapters. That's what I used. They bolt to the seats, the sliders bolt to the adapter, and the sliders bolt to the car. No fuss other than getting to the bolts that attach the sliders to the car.

If you're tall, the Massive adapters sit a bit lower. That's why I chose them.

[pisgahlvr]

Massive also has nice adapters. That's what I used. They bolt to the seats, the sliders bolt to the adapter, and the sliders bolt to the car. No fuss other than getting to the bolts that attach the sliders to the car.

If you're tall, the Massive adapters sit a bit lower. That's why I chose them.

 

I'm 5'11". how tall are you? Do you have a link to the website? I'm not familiar with massive. 

[bluedevils]

Ok, thank you for the responses guys. So safe to say, probably the easiest solution will be the aardvark adapters? I was thinking about getting those anyway, but I wanted to make sure that I don't need the stock recaro brackets for them to work in the 2002. 

 

Am I right in assuming the 2002 adapters bolt straight to the bottom of the seat, and then the 2002 slider bolts to the adapter? No fuss? 

Yes to all.

[bento]

I'm 5'11". how tall are you? Do you have a link to the website? I'm not familiar with massive.

Here you go;

http://www.massivebrakes.com/accessories.php?p=2002_RecaroAdapters

Edit: I'm 6'2" and wanted all the headroom I could get in case I want to wear a helmet.

Edited March 20, 2015 by bento

[tashakes]

I'm sorry but I don't understand the need for the adapters. I bolted the stock 2002 tracks to my E21 recaros and that was it.

[02Les]

I'm sorry but I don't understand the need for the adapters. I bolted the stock 2002 tracks to my E21 recaros and that was it.

 

Yes, finally!

 

I have Recaros in two of my '02s and I just used the original '02 seat tracks also.

[pisgahlvr]

I'm sorry but I don't understand the need for the adapters. I bolted the stock 2002 tracks to my E21 recaros and that was it.

Well....the game is afoot then. Do your seats sit really low or are they perfect height? How tall are you? Are your seats shifted left or right of the steering wheel?

Sent from my abacus using precise finger movements......

[tashakes]

In my opinion, they are just right, I am 6-1 and they could be a little lower, but there is no way to achieve that easily.  For shorter folks, then spacers would be possible.  I don't have experience with any other seats, or any other 02 so far, so I could not tell you about the offset, but the way they are now does not bother me at all.  Again, I don't see what benefit specialty adapters will bring to this issue, unless using other Recaros that are not out of an E21.

[ldsbeaker]

_{That's interesting, but you do have a LATE '02...}

_{In my '69, the e21 seats would definitely NOT bolt up to the car.}

 

 

 

_{I bought the Massive adapters, too. I'm 6'4", so DEFINITELY needed the extra head room. Good Service and Good partses.}

_{Don't forget to spread the wealth and get some new bottom cushion straps from Aardvarc or whomoever you support.}  

Edited March 20, 2015 by ldsbeaker