How To: Installing Corbeau Seats

[Black_Sunshine]

I just got done installing some Corbeau LG1 seats. I figured I'd take some pix and write a short how to in case anyone was interested in the process. I purchased 1 set of LG1 seats in blue/black cloth w/lumbar support & 1 pair of double locking sliders.

I'm going to assume you have the ability to remove the stock seats. If you don't, then you should pay someone to do this install.

tools required: #2 phillips screw driver, 17mm socket, 14mm deep socket & 6mm hex (allen key), 2 zip ties, wire snips
tools maybe required: dremel, prybar
tools optional: 14mm ratchet wrench,

so this is what it should look like with the seat out. make sure you vacuum the carpet or clean it if necessary. I found all sorts of gross stuff under my seats. You don't need to remove the rear seat. I was running wires for a stereo system, so that's why mine is out. Make sure you don't just yank the seat out. There's a harness under there you need to disconnect.
http://www.audiotether.com/images/lg1/P1020053.jpg

Once you have the seat out, you'll want to detach the seat belt buckle and the wiring harness. The harness is for the seat belt signal. Remove the 2 phillips screws off the plastic cover. Then take your wire snips and cut the two zip ties holding the harness to the seat.
http://www.audiotether.com/images/lg1/P1020049.jpg

Now take your 17mm socket and remove the buckle from the seat.
http://www.audiotether.com/images/lg1/P1020050.jpg

You can choose to try mounting the bracket into the car prior to attaching the seat belt to the Corbeau bracket. It doesn't make a difference.
http://www.audiotether.com/images/lg1/P1020051.jpg

Reuse the 17mm bolt from the original seat and install the buckle into the bracket.
http://www.audiotether.com/images/lg1/P1020052.jpg

Zip tie the harness to the bracket making sure you snake it under the bracket and in front of the rear leg. You will want to test fit the bracket at this point, making sure that the 2 rear 14mm bolts will install and you can tighten them down. I had to modify both brackets for mine to fit properly. I didn't use spacers like I've seen other people do. With just the bracket in there, it will look like that inner corner sits higher, but once it's bolted down, the seat is level. I will say on the driver side, I had to use a longer 14mm bolt to start the threads since the oem one just wouldn't catch it. This is also the point where you should do any modification to the bracket if necessary. I used a dremel with a carbide bit. I highly recommend the carbide bits. grinding bits will take hours to cut enough bracket material to make it fit.
http://www.audiotether.com/images/lg1/P1020055.jpg

Now, take out the slider/bracket and attach it to the seat. There are 4 6mm allen bolts attached to the seat already. Remove those to use to attach the brackets. I didn't take a pic of the bracket holes, but there are 2 types of holes in the bracket. The front side of the bracket has 1 round hole and 1 oval hole. You attach the bracket using the oval hole. The rear is attached using the round hole. You will need to slide the bracket front or back to access the corresponding holes. When attaching the brackets to the seats, do not tighten the bolts down until they are all threaded.
http://www.audiotether.com/images/lg1/P1020058.jpg

NOTE: IF THE BRACKET DOES NOT LINE UP WITH THE HOLE, DO NOT FORCE THE BOLTS INTO PLACE. You'll be very sorry if you do. If for some reason they don't line up (my driver side didn't line up), you need to loosen the nylon locknut to get some play in the bracket. You may need to loosen 1 or both, perhaps even all 4 to get the holes lined up.
http://www.audiotether.com/images/lg1/P1020059.jpg

To tighten those locknuts, you'll notice there's no room at all for a wrench in the slider rail. I jammed a prybar in there and put pressure on the bolt while tightening it down. That worked great.
http://www.audiotether.com/images/lg1/P1020061.jpg

Helpful hint:
Using the seat you just removed, use it as a holder and flip the Corbeau seat on top of it. Makes it a lot easier to mount the brackets.
http://www.audiotether.com/images/lg1/P1020060.jpg

Before bolting the seat down, connect the seat belt wire harness. The seats are low enough to make you sorry if you don't connect the harness first.
Once the brackets are attached, put the seat in the car and bolt it down. That's about it. Enjoy the new seats!

[Black_Sunshine]

http://www.audiotether.com/images/lg1/P1020066.jpg
http://www.audiotether.com/images/lg1/P1020065.jpg

[ballermj23]

great write up... ill bookmark it. i may need it in the future. :)


btw thank you for helping the community with your write HERE.

[RealMcCoy]

Looks good Tri... I thought you sold your VR4, did you buy another one?

[MADMarc]

Nice! I have been checking out Corbeaus in fear of reupholstering mine to have a motor go. How do they fit in your car? Is it super tight against the door or center console? OOOO! And lastly, just how comfortable are those guys compared the factory? I was checking out the CR-1s before seeing this thread.

[Monster Stealth]

Nice setup! I had the same issue with my brackets. The holes just did not line up. I ended up using a step bit from Harbor Freight. It took a matter of seconds at each hole to drill down.

http://www.harborfreight.com/3-piece-titanium-nitride-coated-high-speed-steel-step-drills-91616.html

http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/370x/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_2386.jpg

[Black_Sunshine]

Larry, that's the one I sold to my little brother :D. Since it's still in the family, I still work on it.

Marc, the seats sit inside the car like stock. The spacing is comfortable. I should have also mentioned that the seat being the way it is, it can be a challenge to get in the car. I have to swing my butt in first and then my legs. Comfort wise, I would say a brand new cloth factory seat has more give to it. Keep in mind these seats are "race" seats. They're a bit firmer, but not in any way uncomfortable. I was quite surprised when I drove it to work. It felt great, much better than 19 year old worn out leather seats.

I hesitate to use step bits because they're not meant to be forced sideways to make oval holes. The HF bits are pretty cheap, so that's not a bad option. I do have them, but the metal used on the bracket is somewhat thick and mine are worn out. I found the dremel with carbide works great. It took me about 10 minutes on each bracket to get the holes where I needed them.

[Black_Sunshine]

I should also say that I've sat in CR1's and they're not near as comfortable as LG1's. They're also ridiculously hard to get out of because the CR1's have a high thigh bolster. I purchased the seats from IPS. Jeff gave me a great deal on everything and shipping was quick from UT to CA. Lastly, this install guide is meant to supplement the factory installation sheet. Please do yourself a favor and read that first.

[Atrosity]

great write up... ill bookmark it. i may need it in the future. :)


btw thank you for helping the community with your write HERE.

You gotta post up your Evo 8 write up on how to install, I have that same plan to do to my car.

[MADMarc]

Thanks for the quick response and opinion on the CR1s. Interesting to hear about the bolsters getting in the way on occasion - I will be sure to check that out when I get serious into shopping for some seats. Now, have you ever sat in the A4s?

[Black_Sunshine]

I have only sat in the CR1's and now the LG1's. Looking at the A4 design, the kidney bolsters look rather short and I'm not sure how well that hold you in place if you were to do an autox. I see jeep/ 4x4 rock crawlers like the LG1 for comfort and the kidney bolsters stick out enough that you don't find yourself displaced too far.

[TwoXist]

This was a good write up, wish it was around a few months ago. I had bought a set of Corbeau TRS seats. They were a pain to get into the car, and boy was i happy to see them go. Some of the most uncomfortable, flimsy seats i have ever been in.

[jba3]

Those seats fit great. I put a set of sparcos in mine, had the same seat bracket issue, the seats nearly touched the roof, and were pressed up against the center console, and the slider bracket was so far recessed I had to get out of the car to move the seat!

Very nice. :D

[MADMarc]

This was a good write up, wish it was around a few months ago. I had bought a set of Corbeau TRS seats. They were a pain to get into the car, and boy was i happy to see them go. Some of the most uncomfortable, flimsy seats i have ever been in.

DAMN! I just came across them on IPS's website. Does anybody else have experience with these guys? (I'm sorry...If I am thread jacking please shut me out and I will start a new one)

[familyMAN]

Great write up! Couple questions...
What seat mounting brackets did you use?
How is the head room compared to stock?

[Black_Sunshine]

I purchased double locking sliders from corbeau since that's what the seats are. Head room is fine to me. It sits a tad bit higher, but not high enough to be uncomfortable. Not sure if anyone else had this issue, but the sliders are stiff and difficult to adjust the seat. Thankfully, there won't be many people driving the car.

[i3igpete]

the sliders will be hard to slide if the bracket is bent while bolting it down. i had the same problem because the bracket was bent down slightly when bolting the rear center corner. i put a spacer in between the bracket and the body, this took out the stress and allowed it to slide easier.

[Hard AttacK]

What mounting brackets are those?

[Black_Sunshine]

Corbeau brackets.

[Intropy]

Back from the grave but thanks for this thread. Based on your review I got a set of the LG1s and couldn't be happier. Much more practical and comfortable than the others I've tried. Only took a crappy picture but they look great.

http://i440.photobucket.com/albums/qq124/intropy/29f7199e.jpg

[MR2]

I hate the brackets...and the seats :p I have a similar review somewhere...

[mb3000]

Subscribed for possible future use.

[Intropy]

I hate the brackets...and the seats :p I have a similar review somewhere...

Oh yeah? I'll look for your thread. I'm sure seats are as personal a taste as jeans, but I love these. They're the perfect "not-quite-a-daily-driver" seat - i.e. aggressive enough without being obnoxious for normal use.

[MR2]

let me help you

http://www.3sgto.org/f20/corbeau-seat-installations-anyone-having-had-my-problems-2937.html

[Intropy]

let me help you

http://www.3sgto.org/f20/corbeau-seat-installations-anyone-having-had-my-problems-2937.html

Hmm, didn't have any big problems like that. Did you get the LG1s? I used the single-locking sliders.

I had to do the obligatory dremmeling of the bolt holes and spacer under the inner-rear corner, but nothing out of the ordinary. Once installed they are very comfortable and easily adjusted, with plenty of headroom for me (5'10").