greebler

Ok there is no good DIY on installing these bad boys in EKs, so I will make you one.
For starters this was kind of a bitch, you have to do some drilling and matching of notches in the rails.

Note - I will refer to outer rail a lot; this is the outer most rail of each seat. Ex: If you are sitting in the drivers seat looking down at your zipper, it is the rail to your left. Next to the door.
What you need:
- x2 - 8mm bolt <1" long w\ nuts
- Dremel really helps
- Metal drill bits (small one for piolet hole)
- 4hrs at most ( it took me this long because, I was stoned)

Step one:
Take out the civic seats and take the outer rails off the EK seats. Take a look at your floorboard; the outer side is what we are concerned with. Look at the rear bolt for the outer rail, you will see that it bends to a 90 degree bend. The prelude rail is flat, so we need to use the civic one that has that 90 degree bend to match the floorboard hole.

Step Two:
So take the outer rails off the prelude seats. Now if you hold the two up to each other they don't match, the civic ones are shorter. This effects the notches in the inside Lude rails, basically if you put the one screw that is attached to the Civic rail. These notches I am referring to are the notches that it locks into when you slide the seat back and forth. So the problem is, the civic rail will not go as far back as the Lude rail. So you need to drill a hole exactually 1" for the bolts for the EK rail. Starting with the bottom most holes on the seat. Measure 1” up and the hole is actually 1\4” off the right edge of the seat, they are NOT in the center. Now for the rear hole, after you drill the first hole you will see that the 2nd hole is going to be right on top of this silver aluminum bracket where the plastic molding screwed into. This is in the way, and prevents you from getting the screw (refer to step three) in the hole. So you say to your self, wtf is this guy thinking?! Well this bracket with the hole for the screw isn't important, you only need 1/4 of the holeÂ’s threads to screw in the screw to mount the plastic molding, TRUST ME! So you can either use your drill bit to mill down the bracket going through the hole, or use a Dremel and cut the bitch down. Make sure you leave ~ 1/4” of thread so you have something to screw that screw into. I know this seems getto, but it works and it is not any of its structural integrity. TRUST ME!

Step Three:
Go to the hardware store and get two 8mm bolts that are < 1”, any longer than this and it will hit the rail when it slides all the way back. If you run into this problem, just cut off the bolt above the nut like I had to do.

Step Four:
Those bolts you got are for the rear hole on the rail; reuse the nut from taking off the prelude rail for the attached bolt on the front. I had to cut off the top of the rear bolt so it would clear the rail when going all the way back. Use a Dremel.

Step Five:
Measure Measure Measure, you got to be sure that the notches on the Lude rail matches the notches on the EK rail. Also make sure the rails are straight when they are mounted on the seat!!! An easy ways is to run your finger down the outer side and feel for any shifts.

Step Six: Installing
Now the EK outer rails match up perfectly, but in my first attempt the inner didn't. Match up the hole for the inner rear bolt, the front wonÂ’t fit so just make sure you cut the carpet around it and hammer it flush with the floorboard. So you have three bolts that match up into the factory holes, it will take a little effort to get that inner rear bolt in but it will go. Just make sure that you are pushing on the seat the entire time you are screwing in the bolt to avoid any intense pressure on the bolt.
Now the inner front is a different story, you can drill a hole in the bracket which I donÂ’t recommend doing. Altering the integrity of the bracket is no good in my book. So at the auto store get some rubber grommets that fit in the factory holes in the floor board to plug them up to prevent any water or something like that. Then drill a hole for the brackeÂ’s hole in the floorboard; you will need a thick bolt with deep thread. So that it will grip into the floorboard, you basically want a short thick bolt with deep threads for sheet metal.
Now I know you are thinking to your self, "I don't want to drill into the floor board." but it's the sturdiest way to do it. Bottom lineÂ…







Modified by greebler at 4:42 PM 6/20/2005

IWearMyKswiss

i think you should take pictures of the whole process,..i know you said you will have pictures up,..but try to take pictures of the step by step,..i think if you have those,..the DIY will be easier to understand,..but anyways,..good job

TwoKSiR

When you get some pics please post them, I have been wanting to do this for a longtime, but i want to see how low they will sit in my car. Thanks.

greebler

having issues with the black colored rails, the pictures are not comming out. stay tuned.

greebler

::

Ricey McRicerton

Damn man, toss this up in the FAQ thread at the top of the forum. I had a free set of Lude seats and almost tried to make them work in my EK, but they were blue, so I just sold them. Good job getting this done though!

greebler

::Bump:::

DIY Finished!!!!!!!

PupaScoopa

I installed some Prelude seats into my 99 coupe, I think the seats were out of a 97 year. My swap was a little simpler:

1. Remove old seats, swap inner rails onto Prelude seats (since prelude rails have flat ends).

2. Bend ends of Prelude outer rails down to match Civic rear/outer mounting point.

3. Use 8mm bolt and some spacer in between bent end and mounting point where bolt threads in. Three other bolts work fine with no modification, the tension wire that goes in between the two rails works fine.

4. Enjoy.

greebler

Well the outer rails arn't that bad to put on, bending the prelude ones would weaken the actual rail. So I didn't want to do that, and redrilling the hole is just a better solution.
Another reason was, the outter rail was hitting the side moulding by the door. Mabey the newer Lude seats are a little narrower or somthing. I haven't looked at any so I am not sure.
All in all I am not saying that "my way" is any better than another. Its just what I thought was best for my application.

Good Luck

My *** says - "These seats are tha shizzle"

hondasport2000

Good job on install and write up.

I bet those seats make a world of difference over stock civic seats.

Icey112

yes good job, I have them in my eg and i love them way better then the stock seats.

greebler

greebler

----UPDATED-----

BLUE EH3

pics

BIG T

would this work for EG rail as wel since they are the same as EK only you sit lower

talkJDM

I'm bumping this cause I did the Install in my Hatch today. Here's some pics:







I love these seats, they're so comfortable ... I advice any one who has Stock EK Seats to switch to these or LS/GSR Seats cause the Stock EK Seats are so f'n uncomfortable it sucks ...

89MA70

nice write up. i'm think about pickin up some 97 prelude seats to put in my 98 civic hatch.

89MA70

picked up some '01 prelude seats for my 98 civic hatch and they fit perfect. swapped rails and they bolt right in. very easy.

rbeharry

so do the 5th gen prelude seats work in an ek?

vc15

where are the pic

machuu

Super good write up! BUT please please please post pics! I just got my prelude seats today and I want to see pictures for me to understand clearly.

Redline_inboost

So what would have to be done for some 91 Prelude seats to work?

Arthas

How much are you guys getting your seats for? I have never seen Prelude seats in an EK before, and I did the swap for a homie into his EG so I figured it fit EK as well. The seats are soo comfortable, ride lower, and hug you a lot more than the shitty stock EK ones. Ive gotten a few compliments for them along with the common "Are those S13 seats?" questions haha.

I got my set for $40 . I see them go for that price all day around LA.




Dude this write up is from 2004 man, I highly doubt he even has the car anymore.


Anyways, when I did my install I swapped in the EK outer rails. I had to drill a hole into the rail or the seat I forget which but its only one hole. Make the hole big enough to fit an M8-1.25 bolt (12mm). I left the Prelude inner rail on and the bolt closest to the shifter doesnt go in. The seat doesnt flex at all and I cant even tell its missing.
Why would you put those ugly things into an EK?

(. )( .)

wow the head rest to those seats look tall haha cool beans though. DC seats would be sick in an EJ

TwoFaced

These are comfy but they look hideous IMHO.