DIY: Power Seat Retrofit w/Memory!! Pics!!

Originally Posted by elfer

Yeah, I'm looking at doing the same.

Although the bolt is intended to be used in a shearing plane and we'll be using it in the weaker (for want of a word) pulling-straight-out-stripping-the-thread-off plane.

No - it is used in a shearing plane, it cannot be 'pulled' out of it's hole.

The seat belt is slotted down in between the rail walls and then the bolt slots through all 3 pieces 'binding' them together. Inner rail, through seatbelt anchor then screws into the inside of the outer rail.

It can only move in one direction and that's up, not out.

What one EARTH are you going to be doing in your Touring anyway!?? LOL!

Originally Posted by royalratch

No - it is used in a shearing plane, it cannot be 'pulled' out of it's hole.

The seat belt is slotted down in between the rail walls and then the bolt slots through all 3 pieces 'binding' them together. Inner rail, through seatbelt anchor then screws into the inside of the outer rail.

It can only move in one direction and that's up, not out.

Let me try and explain better. The new bolt would be fitted vertically, in the same direction that the seat belt would be pulling in the event of a crash.

Whereas factory anchor bolts are fitted at 90 degrees to the force that would be exerted, so they would have to shear in two for them to fail.

Originally Posted by royalratch

What one EARTH are you going to be doing in your Touring anyway!?? LOL!

Nearly 150MPH. I visit Germany two or three times a year.

Originally Posted by elfer

Let me try and explain better. The new bolt would be fitted vertically, in the same direction that the seat belt would be pulling in the event of a crash.

Whereas factory anchor bolts are fitted at 90 degrees to the force that would be exerted, so they would have to shear in two for them to fail.

That's exactly how my mine are mounted - read my post bro.

The bolt 'pierces' the rail with the seatbelt anchor in the middle of the 'sandwich'.

Bolt at right angle to anchor.

Ah, so you haven't transferred the bracket to the new rail, replacing the rivet that secures it to the top of the rail with a bolt. Instead, you've discarded the bracket and bolted the belt directly to the side of the new rail. That right?

I like that idea Why didn't BMW do it that way?! Any chance you could get me a pic?

It wouldn't show much, just a bolt disappearing into a hole. It threads in smoothly and tightens up properly but the bolt used there is about half the length of a normal seat bolt.

Try and get a pic in any case.

That'd be great

Is it correct this diagram that I wrote?
I didn't understand where I have to connect the memory cable (yellow color) on the car side.

What is the code of the pins on the fuse box?

Thanks a lot

Read the first install posts ALL the info is there.

pictures doens't show up.. I need this thread to install my M3 seats....: (

You don't need pics - all the info is in the text!

Said I'd post up pix - enjoy:

The original seats - E46 Coupe seats in weird Alcantara/Fabric mix.
These are power/memory and £150 off eBay!


Here they are re-trimmed in my Touring in OEM BMW Leather 'Saddle Tan'


Also retrofitted Heated Seats thanks to the OP and BMW's retrofit wiring loom.
Switch console was $45 from eBay.


Here is the new seatbelt mount position (from rear of Drivers seat) when fitting Coupe seats.
The only difference is the way the bracket enters the seat rails, you don't have to change
anything to use Coupe seats in Saloon or Vice Versa - which is awesome! Bracket enters from
above with bolt piercing the rails and seatbelt bracket.


All functions work fine except recently, the memory stopped working. It worked when I first
installed but now the M button won't light up or store positions. I have checked all connections
and am stumped. Will have to look into it deeper soon.

That colour scheme looks superb! What an improvement over the dirty Alcantara.

I can see how you attached the belt to the bracket, but still can't see how you attached the bracket to the rail. My M3 seats are in storage but, as far as I remember, there's nothing sticking up from the rail that you could have passed that bolt through.

Maybe M3 seats are different...?

Or maybe I did swap just the outer rail...?

My M3 rails look exactly the same as yours...



Nothing sticking up there to pass that bolt through

Swap the outer rail from a 4-door seat - must be it.

rail doesn't swap between manual and power seats - can't be it

I think that bracket comes off via the reverse Torx screw and then can be re-bolted?

There's no other way but to bolt it. And that's the bolt which will be inline with the pulling force in the event of a crash.

Hmmmm.

I have to check how the trimmers did it. even if it were bolted, I don't think it would go anywhere though before the seat belt click tab anyway.

question:

i have heated non-memory seats, and i'm gonna get m3 seats with power/memory, will i have any wire job to do or its plug and play ?