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Just got my 2018 GTR. The place I bought it from installed the Roll bar already. I def want a harness so I can use my Hanns. Sounds like I should not use the factory seats. Not quite supportive enough anyway. Love to use the Recaro Profi but I haven’t seen anyone do this successfully yet.
Will the track pack seats plug and play with a US car ? They look pretty good. Worried about fitment. I’m 6 2 240. Was hoping this would be more straight forward and people had this all figured out by now
The seats work but I know it need reprogram for the steering column and airbags. I don’t know any Delaer here that knows how to do it.
shmee did a video about it. Look for it on YouTube.
While it took time, I was able to successfully secure and install the MB roll bar and AMG race bucket seats from Europe (and had them. shipped to the US) for my AMG GTR Pro.. The fit and finish was great… seats were a direct bolt-in and came with a stock main harness plug. I did have to use side air bag emulators for the seats that were removed when I upgraded to the bucket seats. The roll bar took a little more time to make it look like it came from the factory (modified interior panels and supports). I believe the should harness belts should be ‘crossed style’ due to the distance from the seats. It’s great that the 4 point harnesses are direct bolt in and require no drilling or modification and I like how they don’t have large labels/patches if I had ordered them aftermarket.
Last edited by LTHL VPR; May 30, 2022 at 06:40 PM.
While it took time, I was able to successfully secure and install the MB roll bar and AMG race bucket seats from Europe (and had them. shipped to the US) for my AMG GTR Pro.. The fit and finish was great… seats were a direct bolt-in and came with a stock main harness plug. I did have to use side air bag emulators for the seats that were removed when I upgraded to the bucket seats. The roll bar took a little more time to make it look like it came from the factory (modified interior panels and supports). I believe the should harness belts should be ‘crossed style’ due to the distance from the seats. It’s great that the 4 point harnesses are direct bolt in and require no drilling or modification and I like how they don’t have large labels/patches if I had ordered them aftermarket.
Can you provide some information on the air bag emulators that you are using?
There are emulators for sale all over the place online, and I believe they all do the same thing. I went with these units: I like the build quality and the design to for the connectors with a simple push. https://shop.blshop24.com/airbagbmw
The seat occupancy sensor is a different issue which will likely require a custom solution if you want it to work properly (vs an 'always on' or 'always off' setup).
While it took time, I was able to successfully secure and install the MB roll bar and AMG race bucket seats from Europe (and had them. shipped to the US) for my AMG GTR Pro.. The fit and finish was great… seats were a direct bolt-in and came with a stock main harness plug. I did have to use side air bag emulators for the seats that were removed when I upgraded to the bucket seats. The roll bar took a little more time to make it look like it came from the factory (modified interior panels and supports). I believe the should harness belts should be ‘crossed style’ due to the distance from the seats. It’s great that the 4 point harnesses are direct bolt in and require no drilling or modification and I like how they don’t have large labels/patches if I had ordered them aftermarket.
thanks for this great info. How did you deal with the steering column control? Were you able to reprogram them in some ways after the original seat removal?
i decided to keep the electric/stock steering column control... I didn't go to a dealer and reprogram the ECU to remove the stock seats and reprogram for the bucket seats. This would remove the steering column control.
i decided to keep the electric/stock steering column control... I didn't go to a dealer and reprogram the ECU to remove the stock seats and reprogram for the bucket seats. This would remove the steering column control.
Thanks! That's one of the biggest decision factors that I was trying to figure out as once it's set, I cannot adjust the steering column angle any more. Seeing more and more ppl swapping makes me feel that I should just do it and live with it
I was unwilling to give up steering column control and keeping it was simple.
Just to clarify, was your steering column control still functional after the seat swap? My understanding from the information online was that the electronic steering column control ECU is with the stock sport seat, by swapping it out to the sports seat you would lose the adjustment.
To minimize my confusion, have people swapped out the seats, lost control of the steering column, and were ok with that? I wouldn't have given that up and surprised people are taking an extra 3 mins to keep that intact.
, and couple others on the forum who attempted this, the steering column adjustment ECU is within the stock seats and once removed you would lose the steering wheel column adjustability. You are the first that reported the swap would not lose it which is why I was very curious to ask. Your reply on swapping one of the boxes solved the mystery.
Yep. Just unplug the main box from the seat, remove, and, in my case, I stuck some velcro on it and mounted it under the seat. Took a few minutes once the seat was removed. Not sure why others haven't done this.... and happy to help others if they didn't do this.
Last edited by LTHL VPR; May 31, 2022 at 04:12 PM.
Yep. Just unplug the main box from the seat, remove, and, in my case, I stuck some velcro on it and mounted it under the seat. Took a few minutes once the seat was removed. Not sure why others haven't done this.... and happy to help others if they didn't do this.
smart. Pretty easy it sounds like. I need a racing seat asap. These factory seats won’t cut it on track.
Yep. Just unplug the main box from the seat, remove, and, in my case, I stuck some velcro on it and mounted it under the seat. Took a few minutes once the seat was removed. Not sure why others haven't done this.... and happy to help others if they didn't do this.
Thanks to the great info on this and other threads on the forum I'm started to working on the project of swapping out the seats finally...
Would appreciate if anyone has an OEM bucket seats to take a picture of the main harness plug underneath the seat for both driver/passenger, just want to make sure I'm sourcing the right parts.
I can try to include a picture this weekend, however it’s impossible to miss. There is only 1 main box. If you want to be 100% sure, just unplug one connector at a time and you’ll see which one causes the steering wheel to stop moving.
I can try to include a picture this weekend, however it’s impossible to miss. There is only 1 main box. If you want to be 100% sure, just unplug one connector at a time and you’ll see which one causes the steering wheel to stop moving.
Thanks!
Did you have to reconnect anything other than the main box? Given that the seat occupancy won't work and using emulator for the airbags is the way to go, it's pretty much just the mainbox left correct? Did you have to do it for both seats or just the driver seat?
Given that the seat occupancy won't work and using emulator for the airbags is the way to go
If the Seat Occupancy is nixed, will the Steering and Knee Airbags work? Side Curtain/Overhead Airbags?
Emulators mentioned above deactivate the seat Side Impact Airbags, since race buckets do not have any airbag at that location, correct?
Not sure i'd want to be on track with less Airbags, especially since this is still not purpose built with track safety in mind: ie - No Halo seat, no true Cage, nor webbing/net to restrain arm/head egress out window, etc, despite possible HANS implementation with the race buckets and Schroth ASM harness.
If the Seat Occupancy is nixed, will the Steering and Knee Airbags work? Side Curtain/Overhead Airbags?
Emulators mentioned above deactivate the seat Side Impact Airbags, since race buckets do not have any airbag at that location, correct?
Not sure i'd want to be on track with less Airbags, especially since this is still not purpose built with track safety in mind: ie - No Halo seat, no true Cage, nor webbing/net to restrain arm/head egress out window, etc, despite possible HANS implementation with the race buckets and Schroth ASM harness.
if the passenger seat occupancy is off, then the airbags won't work for the passenger seat but it won't affect the driver side. As for airbag on track, tbh I don't think airbag is the defense for track related safety. Helmet, seat belt/harness and hans devices gives all the protection you need. The safety webbing is for avoid objects flying into hitting your helmet.
As for airbag on track, tbh I don't think airbag is the defense for track related safety. Helmet, seat belt/harness and hans devices gives all the protection you need. The safety webbing is for avoid objects flying into hitting your helmet.
Correct - Airbags are not considered the "proper defense" for Track related safety, as track collisions typically occur at higher speeds, involve higher forces, and perhaps more noteworthy, can involve multiple roll overs at significant speed, when compared to street driving collisions, etc.
"Helmet, seat belt/harness and hans devices gives all the protection you need" - Incorrect; this is definitely not all one needs.
The point i am conveying is that "proper track safety" appears still Sub-optimal given the provisions of OEM Race Buckets (they are not Halo seats), OEM Roll Bar (not true Cage), 4 Point Harness (instead of 6 with dedicated Anti-Sub belts, altho Schroth has their "ASM" technology implementation in their 4 point), etc etc.
For those of you who did the seat swap, I'm trying to figure out which one is the airbag connector which I need to use the emulator for, appreciate if someone could point me in the right direction. Thanks!
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