Fitting Tillets imperial S3

[Angrybee]

Hello all,

 

I have a '98 S3 car, that came with leather s type seats both adjustable. I bought some Tillets that came with one fixed runner and one adjustable runner. When trying to fit the Tillets, I reales that the holes do not line up between the runners and the car floor. The runner holes are a smaller distance apart than in the car floor, by about an inch. Additionally, the adjustable runner is not long enough to be modified to fit the existing holes. Do I change the runners somehow or do I drill new holes in the floor of the car, and if so, where do the new holes go?

[SLR No.77]

You’ll need to drill new holes ... best to start with the fixed runner seat, it’s lighter and less hassle!

The way I did mine ....

Put a few layers of masking tape on the floor, put cap head bolts into the runner holes (the heads are small diameter than hexheads) then carefully position the seat exactly where you want it ... and press down hard. The capheads will leave marks in the masking tape where you need to drill.

Adjustable runner seat is the same, but it’s heavier, has an adjuster thingy sticking out, and you need to carefully line up both runners before you start. You’ll have had practice in the other seat, you’ll need it! Likely you’ll need to drill the holes a little oversize to get everything lined up properly.

Stu.

[Angrybee]

Thanks Stu, I have found some 'imperial fixings' on the Caterham website...I'm thinking they might fit the seat and the existing holes....

 

https://caterhamparts.co.uk/fittings/4492-seat-spacer-box-section-imperial-chassis-only.html

 

Otherwise, it's get the drill out

[rj]

If you use light masking tape (as in white) you can cover the top of the cap head bolts with black ink using a speed-marker. This will leave a mark that's even easier to see.

[7 wonders of the world]

Best thing for the adjustable runners is to weld plain M8 nuts into the channels to make them captive then use button heads from underneath, otherwise the rear fixings are an @rse to get the inevitable grit in the runners. 

I would look to do the same on the ally box section for a fixed seat too

[SimonR300]

I used a sheet of corrugated cardboard, cut from the side of a box probably.  Having made a paper template, I laid the cardboard into the floor, making sure it could not move and once positioned, applied some weight to the seat with the runners attached.  The rivnuts I'd fitted to the adjustable runners and/or the ali box section left a very clear imprint in the cardboard.

I used a center punch and then drilled through the cardboard and the floor.  I bolted my Tillett seats in from below.

If you need to cover the old holes, you can buy some cut-to-order/size aluminium sheet and rivet in place with some suitable sealant, above or below the floor skin.

[rj]

Let the holes be there. They'll help water coming out on a rainy day. I've even drilled four holes in my floors, and yet seen an inch of water in the car when I came home. It was simply pouring down with rain.