Fk8 extra driver seat adjustment hack

R-00123

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Hello all. Ever since I've had this car I've felt like these heavily bolstered seats (especially the driver side) are missing a simple adjustment. When you raise or lower the overall height with the side lever it will always raise the front slightly more than the rear (where your butt is). Also because of the design it moves slightly forward.
What it's missing is being able to individually adjust the height of the butt region and knee region.
Me being somewhere between 5'8" and 5'10" this is annoying for a couple reasons.
1. At a comfortable height I find the seat is still raked back substantially and in my case of being "short" makes me feel like when I'm pressing in pedals (mainly the clutch) it feels like my knee is fighting to push into the seat front as my leg extends and ultimately straightens.
2. If the seat is basically at its highest setting to get a flatter seat bottom, my knees would need to be jammed into the dash/steering column to get full range on the pedals. This is due to the seat slightly moving forward as it raises.

I believe I found a simple solution. I found some old 'ebay' dress-up valve cover washers from my integra. (Which of course sealed for crap and allowed oil to seep past them so I went back to oem)
But they're aluminum and thicker than a regular washer. Drilled out the center hole and simply removed the two rear seat bolts (holding the whole assembly to the floor board) and slipped a couple of these in as spacers to raise the back of the seat over all. Reinstall bolts and now the seat sits more level at a comfortable mid height.
I dont know why I didnt try this 12,000miles ago.
Overall I think adding two spacers is about 1/2inch to 3/4 inch. I'm considering finding longer bolts so that there are a few more threads but for now they have plenty of threads to hold just fine. I may add one more spacer in the future in which I will need longer bolts.

TLDR: seating position sucks for shorter people, add some washers/spacers under the two bolts holding the back of the driver seat to the floor board and bam.
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tinyman392

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Just about every manually adjusting seat I’ve been in has this mechanism where if you move the set height up, the seat moves forward. Personally, any drivers seat is a little finicky for me since I’m only 5’0” tall.
 
OP
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R-00123

R-00123

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Just about every manually adjusting seat I’ve been in has this mechanism where if you move the set height up, the seat moves forward. Personally, any drivers seat is a little finicky for me since I’m only 5’0” tall.
Yea I've noticed most newer vehicles if the seats are not electric they have odd "forced" positions (such as in my case with the butt end always being lower) whether the vehicle is manual or auto.

And it's just confusing when my 98 integra gsr has manual seats but it has two separate dials/knobs on the side of the seat, the one in front raises/lowers the knee end of the seat and the rear raises/lowers the butt end of the seat.
 

scottjua

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Good idea. I can machine some spacers from scratch so I may try that too. However I think new bolts is a must because I'm paranoid and it would totally suck to have an accident and the seat dislodge. Now if I could also figure out a way to get some lumbar support.
 
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R-00123

R-00123

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Good idea. I can machine some spacers from scratch so I may try that too. However I think new bolts is a must because I'm paranoid and it would totally suck to have an accident and the seat dislodge. Now if I could also figure out a way to get some lumbar support.
Yea I'm a little paranoid too about the bolt having enough threads to be safe. But in the mean time I've figured I've driven so many older "less safe" vehicles so it cant be that bad, plus the seat belt should be rated to hold a 200+lb. Person and the seat incase it were to break lose.
 


Maximum6

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I was just thinking the same today about the seat.

I’m short at 5ft 4 and I have the same complaint as the OP where the clutch leg feels like I have to fight against the seat.

Currently I have the setting of seat at 3 pumps for height, 1 click back from the furthest forward position. I noticed that even though I can do fine with the seat at 0 pumps for height, it got a little easier on my clutch leg as I got to the 2nd-3rd pump.
 

FK8CW2019

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Gotta thank OP! this hack worked out for me. Used Honda Oil Filter crush washer man oh man what a difference
 


Maximum6

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I did two on each side. If the bolt was longer might have done four each side. Might look into finding a longer bolt
so 2 little thin washers each side actually made that much of a difference in the thigh boltster Feel when pressing the clutch?!!
 

MadMage

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Yea I'm a little paranoid too about the bolt having enough threads to be safe. But in the mean time I've figured I've driven so many older "less safe" vehicles so it cant be that bad, plus the seat belt should be rated to hold a 200+lb. Person and the seat incase it were to break lose.
Make sure at least 1/2 bolt diameter of threads protrude through the nut. Preferable a full diameter worth.

But no, the seat belt will not hold you if the seat breaks free. Had that happen to me once. In a Volvo no less. The seat and belt together work to keep your body in place. Ether one fails and you end up where physics decide :)
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