Seat Removal

[metgo]

Here is a step by step instructions of how to remove your seats from your LX. This is very easy thing to do to knock off another tenth or two off your 1/4 mile time. First time I did it, took me about an hour. Now I can do it in about 15-20 min.

Tools needed:
ratchet
extender
18mm socket
10 mm socket (star socket if you have one)
14 mm socket
15 mm socket


First thing I do is fold down the back seat, remove the trunk board, spare tire and jack.







Now I put the back set back up. Next remove the bottom cushion from the back seat. To do that, put your hand under the cushion and lift up until it pops loose. Do this on the passenger and driver side and then cushion will come right out.




This is what the clip looks like



It should look like this once you are done




Now it is time to remove the back part of the seat. There should be one bolt on the bottom that was hidden by the seat cushion. Remove this bolt with 18mm socket, you will probably need an extender too.






After that bolt is removed, fold the seat back down. There should be 5 bolts, remove these bolts with a 18 socket and the seat should come right out after that. Screw the nuts back on the studs after the seat is removed so you don't lose them.




It should look like this once the seat is removed





Now time for the front seat. Now your seat may be a little different than min because I don't have a power/heated seat but I'm sure it couldn't be to different. Start by removing the plastic covers that cover the bolts on the front part of the seat.



You now have to remove 2 bolts from the front part of the seat. Use a 14mm stocket to remove the bolts seen in the pictures below.





Now go behind the front seat. There should be two bolts there. Remove these with a 15mm socket.






After the bolts are loose, tilt the seat back so you can get to the wires underneath. There is two things you have to unplug seen in the picture below. Pull the red switch out, then you have to squeeze the red switch and pull out.





Now before you can remove the seat, you have to unhook the seat belt. Pop the plastic guard off where the seat belt connects to the seat. Then use a 10mm socket (star socket if you have one) with an extender to remove the bolt.







One last thing before you remove the seat, remove the head rest. To do this tilt the seat back all the way. Pull the head rest up all they way, then push in the two buttons at the same time and pull it out.





Now tilt the seat all the way forward, lift upward and turn it 45 degrees and take it out through the front seat. Be very careful not to scratch your car with the seat bracket. Make sure you are very careful with the seat after you remove it. Don't drop it down hard, don't sit on it or bump it on anything. These seats have air bag sensors in them and if you hit the seat hard or sit on it when it is out of the car it will have to be recalibrated at the dealer. Your air bag light will be on as long as you have the seat removed. Once you put it back in the car the light should go off. If it doesn't go off, you will need to have it recalibrated.



After the seat is out, I bolt the seat belt down with one of the bolts from the seat so that way it doesn't smack me in the face when I am driving.






When you are done it should look like this

[metgo]

And yes, I'm very aware that my car is dirty. No need to point that out

And here is some other ways you can reduce weight,

Spare Tire/Jack
Board that covers the spare tire
Back seat
Front seat
Floor Mats
plastic guard under the car (one you remove for oil changes)
center counsel cover
engine cover
windshield washer fluid
gas (keep the tank low)
every thing in the glove box and center counsel
sun visors
windshield wipers
door panels
seat belts
driver's seat head rest
sway bars
lining under the hood
license plates
spoiler (if you have one)
light weight battery

[rwalshphoto]

Beans for the write-up very thorough.

[CHERRY]

DEFINITELY MORE BEANS TO YOU FOR THIS.......

Chuck

[FlyByU]

Very cool. Someone was saying there is a need for a female torx to get this done. Maybe its for the power seats or something.

[tank8289]

The driver's seat floor bolts has the femal torx along with the seatbelt bolt........You can use a 10mm but it will damage the bolt a little bit but not too much, i wouldnt do it multiple times with a 10mm for sure you will round the bolt. I can't see being able to get the driver's side seat out without a female torx because you need lots of leverage and for sure you will round the bolt.

[ujokin2]

Have any of you actually weighed the car before you did the removing and then weighed again to see how much actuall came off ?

[Cam]

Great job!, but the nuts that secure the rear seatback brackets is 18mm not 3/4". ALso I would highly suggest getting a star socket for the front seatblet bolt. Sorry I don't remember the size.

[metgo]

Have any of you actually weighed the car before you did the removing and then weighed again to see how much actuall came off ?

I haven't weighed my car before or after, no scale. I'd estimate the back seat weighs about 30lbs and the front seat probably weighs about 50-60lbs. Along with taking everything else out of the car that I can, I'd estimate that I drop about 150lbs.

Great job!, but the nuts that secure the rear seatback brackets is 18mm not 3/4". ALso I would highly suggest getting a star socket for the front seatblet bolt. Sorry I don't remember the size.

Hmmmm, 10mm has work perfectly fine for me for the seat belt bolt. I've done this about 6 times now and no sign of stripping. Maybe I'll have to get me a star socket.

I just went out and tried the 18mm and that works too, I'll edit the first post.

[ZMagnum]

You forgot the last step. Vacuum. LOL.

Great job. Thanks for posting.

[ZMagnum]

It almost seems like the rear seat bottom cushion is meant to be removed in order to allow the rear seats to fold flat. Otherwise they stay up at an angle.

[budoboy]

FYI, I talked to some Sparco racing seat guys at LX Festival in SoCal earlier this year and they said they were working on brackets so their seats will fit in a LX. That'd be a nice permanent weight reduction! Seat are kind of expensive though.

[MikeEast]

If you run an NHRA track and if they are sticklers for the rules, they'll want you to have the battery covered, so leaving in the bottom spare/tire/battery cover wouldn't hurt when you go through tech.

Atlanta Dragway has mentioned it a couple of times but not enforced it that I know of..

Mike

[metgo]

If you run an NHRA track and if they are sticklers for the rules, they'll want you to have the battery covered, so leaving in the bottom spare/tire/battery cover wouldn't hurt when you go through tech.

Atlanta Dragway has mentioned it a couple of times but not enforced it that I know of..

Mike

I race at an NHRA track and they have yet to say anything to me about that. I always bring my trunk cover just in case they do.

[bandaid]

If you remove the front passenger seat on a 300, you will need Starscan to reset the passenger side airbag when you reinstall.

Unbolted Passenger Seat -- Now Seat Belt Light Comes On