AMX Performance - Custom Upholstery Recaro Sportster CS - Installation Guide

[reNeglect]

First Impressions & Review: Coming soon. - More pictures to follow, I wasn't planning on writing a guide, but a lot of people have DM'd me on IG and on the forums asking for assistance. I will take more pictures when I receive the replacement upholstery as I will need to take the passenger seat out to swap the damaged upholstery.

Huge shoutouts to Marek at AMX Performance, his work is second to none from the attention to detail and ability to manifest your design and vision of your seats is incredible. Not to mention customer service, we both aren't sure whether it was DHL or his new employee packing the seats but the passenger side bottom has a puncture and Marek will be sending me a brand new upholstery to replace.

AMX Performance supplied the seats, brackets and Recaro Sliders however this was his first set of seats for the A90 MKV Supra ever and the suppled brackets just didn't fit as we hoped. I opted for almost every option, Carbon Fiber Bottom Covers, Custom Upholstery, Airbags, OEM Heat Integration. I did get Carbon Fiber Seat backs covers but from Darkness Tech as I wanted a more thorough Carbon fiber coverage and to finish it off, the Supra Logo was embroidered on the headrest for that special feel/finish

I had trimmed some of the red OEM leather off the backside of the interior trim and some thread samples to ship to Marek in Poland so he can perfectly color match the red leather and stitching color.

My upholstery design base for this seat is not that original as it is just based off of the NISMO seats for the 370Z/Juke, but Marek at AMX can do any upholstery, not just colors but any design, quilted, diamond stitching anything you name it!

Titan Seat Brackets do work, but will require modifications. Adapter plates will be to be fabricated as the seat base/sliders are not as wide as the Titan Brackets

I opted to use the Bride Type RO brackets which are Slider/Bracket combo (welded together) these bolt up perfectly but do sit a tad high.

I may opt to try the Macht Schnell floor mounts and the Recaro Sliders next season (to lazy to reinstall)


Parts & Tools Needed:
For Basic Install:

• Ratchet
• M8 Triple Square Male Socket
• T50 Torx Male Socket
• T50 Torx Long Arm Hex Key Wrench
• Flat Heat Screw Driver
• 14MM Hex Socket
• 14MM Box Wrench
• Needle Nose Pliers
• M6 Button Head Hex Bolts (8)
• M6 Washers (16)

For with Airbag and OEM Heat Integration:

• Scissors
• Exacto Knife
• Small Electronic Flat Heat Screw Driver
• Pick Tool
• M10 or 3/8 Ring Terminal
• 18 Gauge Wire ( 1 FT or desired length)
• Tesa Tape
• Shrink Wrap
• Electrical Tape
• Double Sided Tape Velcro

Removal Of Seats:

1. Recline the seat all the way forward
2. Move the seat all the way back
   1. Using the T50 Torx Socket, remove the two bolts.
3. Move the seat all the way forward
   1. Lift up the rubber seat belt anchor cover
   2. This is a slide clip style, you will need a flat head to release the tension on the clip to remove the seat belt.
   3. Using the T50 Torx Socket, remove the two bolts.
4. Repeat this on the other side.
5. Disconnect Battery
6. Tilt the seat back, so you have access to the cable tree underneath the seat to disconnect the electronics.
7. For Driver Side seat removal:
   1. Release Steering Wheel lock and have it pushed all the way in and all the way up and lock it back into place.
   2. I'd recommend removing the knee pad rest, as this easily pops off. (Just incase so you don't scratch or damage it)
   3. it would help a lot to have someone to help support the weight of the seat and you to help guide and lift the seat out. As the cabin is super tight and you will run into the risk of damaging or scratching your interior. You could also place a large towel or microfibre on the door sills to protect them.
   4. Tips:
      1. the head rest of the OEM seat will hit the pillars, you will have to wrestle a little bit and get it out.
      2. The oem seat brackets will hit the steering wheel you if arent careful.
8. Passenger side is a little more spacious, repeat and remove seat.

Electronics:

OEM Seat Buckle:

1. Un-bolt the OEM seat buckle from the OEM seats (14mm socket if I remember correctly)
2. The OEM seat buckle will have a wave washer needs to be broken off so you can take the bolt off and use the supplied bolts and hardware from the Bride Brackets/Slider Combo
3. The harness will have a few clips, using a flat heat pop them off the oem bracket to remove harness.
4. Lastly there will be side clips holding the plug onto the cable tree. I removed it from the harness assembly, as it made routing the cables and transferring the OEM buckle over to the Bride Bracket/Slider combo a lot easier.

This step is ONLY needed for those retaining OEM heat integration.

You will have to remove both the seat control modules on the driver & passenger seats.

Driver Module is much bigger than the passenger module and only has 3 spring type of clips holding it in. Using a Flat head you'll be able to release this.

Passenger Module is much smaller but is held in by like a slide and click type of mechanism. You will have to release the front tab and slide towards leftside to release this.

You will now need to use the combination of exacto knife and scissors to carefully unravel the OEM harness and trace the wires back so you can remove the harness and transfer to the new seat.

Driver Side:

• One wire will be cut off the OEM harness attaching to the seat. This is a ground wire, you will have to extend this and ground it on the seat mounting bolt.
  
• You will have to de-pin two wires off the Cable Tree Connector (excuse my finger, had surgery)
  • There will be two small tabs, you will have to push down on this using a pick tool or small flat head to release and de-pin.

• Once harness is removed, extend the brown ground wire you had cut by roughly 1ft to 1.5ft and attach the ring terminal at the end.
• Now tidy up the cables and re-wrap the cables/harness in Tesa tape.

Passenger Side:

Identical to Driver, except you do not need to cut any wires and no depin required either.

Assembly of Seats:

Seat Bracket/Slider:

Depending where you ordered your seats from, assembly will vary. If you gotten Recaro Sportsters CS from any dealer and they're new, you will only have to worry about mounting the seat to the sliders and brackets.

Because I ordered from AMX Performance, my seats came in two pieces so you will require the M8 Triple Square to attach the Seat Back to the Seat Bottom (4 Bolts, pretty straight forward)

If using Bride Type RO's Seat Bracket/Slider Combo, you will just need 4 M6 Hex Button Head Bolts and 8 M6 Washers per seat.

1. Align the Recaro Seat Bottom Brackets with the Bride Seat Bracket/Rail
2. Using 2 M6 Washer per mounting location, you will have to space out the both the Recaro Seat Bottom Bracket and the Bride Seat Bracket/Rail
   1. This is because the Recaro Seats are bottom mount and they interfere/hit with the Sliders, two washers will provide just enough clearance.
3. Push down on the lever to release and slide the sliders to reveal the other two mounting points.
   1. Repeat Step 2.

OEM Seat Buckle:

1. Un-bolt the OEM seat buckle from the OEM seats (14mm socket if I remember correctly)
2. The OEM seat buckle will have a wave washer needs to be broken off so you can take the bolt off and use the supplied bolts and hardware from the Bride Brackets/Slider Combo
3. The harness will have a few clips, using a flat heat pop them off the oem bracket to remove harness.
4. This plug will easily transfer over to the cable tree.

Optional Assembly:

Using the double sided velcro tape you can attach the Driver Side & Passenger Side seat control modules to the Bride Seat Bracket Slider Combo.

Installation of Seats:

Pretty Straight forward, as its the opposite of removal.

Only thing to add, is if you are using the Bride Type RO seat Bracket/Slider combo, you will not have enough clearance to use a socket to tighten the bolt down. you will have to thread it in as much as you can by hand then use the - T50 Torx Long Arm Hex Key Wrench to torque it down.

OEM Seat Belts:

1. Using a Flat head lift up the seat belt anchor clip, insert the Bride supplied bolt into the hole.
2. Insert seat belt and bolt to the side L brackets on the Bride Seat Bracket/Slider Combo
3. Use the supplied hardware tighten it down.

Lastly Coding:

Shoutouts to Bimmer Remote (IG: Bimmer_Coding), he can code out all the errors. For me, I just needed the Passenger Occupancy Sensor coded out and both Driver & Passenger restraint systems. Took him less than 10-15mins to get this done.

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[reNeglect]

Gallery:

 

[Kiske]

I'm in love! Really added a higher quality feelto that cockpit.
Thank you so much for the writeup.

How close does that airbag come to the c-pillar when the seat isn't forward? Did the carbon backing thin up some leg room compared to stock?

 

[reNeglect]

I'm in love! Really added a higher quality feelto that cockpit.
Thank you so much for the writeup.

How close does that airbag come to the c-pillar when the seat isn't forward? Did the carbon backing thin up some leg room compared to stock?

Thanks man! These seats really do change the feel of the car, you just feel special sitting in them and the way it looks. Compared to stock, really planted in the seat when cornering. Obviously a bucket seat would hug you more but this very comfortable.

Uhm its tight about a finger? But doesn't rub. The carbon backing cover is just a carbon trim that goes on them on the Recaro shell so it doesnt exactly make the seat thinner. But the seat itself is thinner and does allow for more movement backwards but that would also depend on the bracket/slider combo you want to run.

I’m 5’9 and the seat can go back a little more 1 to 1.5” inches. the way the seats are mounted to the seat base, the front of the seat cushion is raised up and the bottom for your ass is low giving you that angle and also supporting your thigh which is exactly what I like

 

[HOV_Built]

I have the same Bride RO Bracket System and at 5’ 7, I still feel like I’m too high lol. The Recaro Sliders/Brackets look extremely slim. What made them not fit for you? I know the E90/92, F80/F82, and G80/G82 have the same seat bolt pattern as the Supra MKV.

 

[Akashugly]

Amazing write up! Appreciate all the details. I thought I was fine with the OEM seats but now I need something like yours hahaha

 

[Akashugly]

If you don't mind me asking, what does it costs to have those beautiful seats inside the Supra?

 

[kurumi]

I was looking into a pair of these for a long time. I'm glad that you took the plunge and figured out most of the dirty work.

Now to save up for this.

 

[reNeglect]

I have the same Bride RO Bracket System and at 5’ 7, I still feel like I’m too high lol. The Recaro Sliders/Brackets look extremely slim. What made them not fit for you? I know the E90/92, F80/F82, and G80/G82 have the same seat bolt pattern as the Supra MKV.

They were extremely close/rubbing on the center console and they didnt have the mounts for the OEM seat belt anchor.

How you liking the Euro/JDM Spec GK sportsters?

 

[reNeglect]

If you don't mind me asking, what does it costs to have those beautiful seats inside the Supra?

You can message Marek at AMX Performance on Instagram, pricing varies depending on what options you want (custom upholstery, seat heating, airbag, carbon trim, embroidery) My set was roughly 6320 USD

 

[reNeglect]

I was looking into a pair of these for a long time. I'm glad that you took the plunge and figured out most of the dirty work.

Now to save up for this.

Its well worth it! I just wanted something a bit more custom hence with AMX performance. You can definitely get a set cheaper if you dont want all the options and with standard upholstery from any dealer

 

[Andrew4Supra]

Beautifully executed...

 

[HOV_Built]

They were extremely close/rubbing on the center console and they didnt have the mounts for the OEM seat belt anchor.

How you liking the Euro/JDM Spec GK sportsters?

Gotcha. I was going to order a set of rails from AMX but opted to wait and design my own brackets. Glad I used the Bride RO's in the meantime.

I'm loving them. Sucks not having the heated option through the OEM button but I may do it later on if I re-do the seats with AMX. Aside from how great they feel, they also look like they came with the car from factory.

Your seats came out amazing though!!!

 

[Vroomin350]

Wow that’s amazing, congrats on possibly the best looking interior I’ve seen on one of these cars.

Here’s to hoping toyota comes in this thread and makes this standard on the new SE model coming out lol

 

[23' Supra or maybe 22']

I may be dumb but these aren’t authentic recaro seats right? He just embroidered it to say recaro? I’m interested in getting seats but just trying to clear things up

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