Lowering Standard Seat Height In 205 Gti?

[Ryan_B 2 2 Cars]

Has anyone ever attempted to lower the height the two front seats are set at in a road car? I understand a 5 door subframe can be used or i can take the plastic spaces out from underneath the subframe. I'm wondering if anyone has ever had anything else made up? I want to keep the carpet.

 

Ryan.

[damo 17 2 Cars]

good question, id like mine to go back another 10 mm being a lanky 6 foot 7 ! so any one?

[Ryan_B 2 2 Cars]

Im only a 6 foot myself but I'd love to sit an inch lower. I have a friend who is engineer, no doubt he will modify and make something that fits the bill but just thought I'd try on here before i go to him.

[DanteICE 72]

HOLY CRAP!!! I was literally thinking about this on my way home today. Something in the air today you reckon? So are we talking back or down, or both?

[Ryan_B 2 2 Cars]

Im happy with back as i may have a passenger in the rear the very odd time. My last 3 cars have been two M3's and a SL320 all of which the seats are set quite low. I dont feel part of the car in the 205 haha

[Paul_13 212 1 Cars]

5 dr subframes will lower it nicely

Might be worth keeping the passenger seat as a 3dr subframes so people can get in the back

[Ryan_B 2 2 Cars]

You wouldnt happen to have any actual figures Paul_13 of the difference in the two? I'd need both lowered as the rear will only be used a handful of times a year.

[Paul_13 212 1 Cars]

I'd say it'll lower your seat by 1" / 1 1/2" at a quick guess.

[Ryan_B 2 2 Cars]

I think the plastic spacers that sit underneath the subframe are about 15mm in total so along with the 5dr subframe that would be a perfect drop with minimum effort!!

[pug_ham 240 3 Cars]

The spacers are at most 10mm & by removing the tilt mechanism or fitting a 5dr subframe you'll gain about the same iirc so the most you will lower a seat in a 205 whilst still using standard mounting points & a sliding subframe is approx 20mm.

 

g

[rallysteve 22]

I removed the tilting mech and plastic spacers from my driver's seat as I am 6'6". It made it much nicer to drive and I can almost even sit comfortably with the sunroof cover closed! I am going to try fitting a 5dr subframe however as with the 3dr one and no tilt it is tricky to get the bolts into the front runners and the seatbelt clasp is hard to mount without fabricating a bracket.

 

Steve

[Paul_13 212 1 Cars]

I'll be taking apart my 5dr subframes as I'll be putting them in a newly acquired car. I'll take some pics

[j_turnell 134 3 Cars]

I'm 6.4" and use a 5dr subframe with the spacers removed, i find it much, much better in terms of headroom and overall driving position. Feels very odd now when i jump in a 205 with a 3dr subframe fitted!

[kuuner 56 2 Cars]

correct me, if i'm wrong. But a 5dr is the same subframe as a 3dr, without the tilting mechanism. So why bother to buy a 5dr subframe, if you could remove the tilting mechanism of a 3dr subframe?

[Ryan_B 2 2 Cars]

Some good replies boys, looking forward to the pics Paul. Be detailed haha!! I can only assume it is easier to install the 5dr subframe than to remove the tilt and refit the 3dr??

[McDude 33]

I did this on my (now gone) 205 - removed the plastic spacers and replaced them with washers then removed the tilt mechanism on the driver's side.

 

I didn't have any issue with refitting, but I did find that the seatbelt clasp fouls with the handbrake shroud. So I used a 309 one as this has a longer arm.

 

Worked very well and gave me plenty of headroom - feels good sitting that low as well!

[pug_ham 240 3 Cars]

I removed the tilting mech and plastic spacers from my driver's seat as I am 6'6". It made it much nicer to drive and I can almost even sit comfortably with the sunroof cover closed! I am going to try fitting a 5dr subframe however as with the 3dr one and no tilt it is tricky to get the bolts into the front runners and the seatbelt clasp is hard to mount without fabricating a bracket.

 

Steve

 

I don't think you'll gain anything from fitting the 5dr subframe compared to a 3dr one with the tilt mech & spacers removed tbh & the front bolts are awkward to fit on either of them.

 

I removed the spacers from the seat belt attachment & bent it slightly out to clear the seat base.

 

g

[minimaniacwhyard 17]

This is brilliant. Ive always thought i sat a bit high. I will be lowering my seats this weekend.

[davey sprocket 14]

I'll be taking apart my 5dr subframes as I'll be putting them in a newly acquired car. I'll take some pics

 

Yes please Paul pics would be good... I'm another one thinking about this as well. Apart from anything else I wondered if it would take some of the play in the mounting, my driver's seat wobbles about a fair bit when you're not in it?

 

If someone else can show how they've managed to remove the tilt mechanism from the standard 3 door set-up I'd like to see that as well.

[Ryan_B 2 2 Cars]

Yep I'd be interested in hearing or seeing how the tilt gets done away with too

[allye 530 3 Cars]

Its because the French are all tiny!

 

Anyone know whether this is the case with 309's too?

[pug_ham 240 3 Cars]

Anyone know whether this is the case with 309's too?

I expect so, they still show spacers under the front seat sliders but I didn't check if they were the same as the 205 plastic ones or just the thinner metal washers.

 

I don't remember my 309 being massively different in seat height to my 205 when they were at the original height on a tilting subframe.

 

g

[Ryan_B 2 2 Cars]

I'm just wondering before I remove the tilt from my subframes will this pass an mot? Could be a stupid question...

[j_turnell 134 3 Cars]

Yeah no reason why not, there will still be access to the back from the passenger seat and as long as its securely mounted and the seat frame isn't rocking everywhere then you shouldn't have any problems.

[Matteo 17 1 Cars]

Yesterday I was trying to remove the tilting mechanism but I cannot figure where should the seatbelt clasp be bolted as it is actually bolted to the tilting mechanism itself

Could anyone explain me this please?