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Thread: Vaders into a sedan

  1. #1
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    Vaders into a sedan

    I just bought a 98 m3 sedan with manual, heated seats that I want to swap a set of manual, heated Vaders that I picked up into it. I thought the seats bolt right in and no modifications were nessacary? But now I just read another thread and it sounds like the bracket where the seat belt mounts to the seat on the sedan, (that's secured by a torx bolt) is different than where it will mount to the Vaders? What's the deal? Do I have to cut the plastic, etc? Any pictures would be awesome! Confused here. Thanks! Already Modding it within the first week! Hehe

  2. #2
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    Vaders into a sedan

    Aren’t the Vader’s equipped with tensioners? If mid 96 MY with pyrotechnic tensioners, they sound bolt right in and connect to wire loom.

    Check tensioners part numbers for a 97-98 Sedan and a 97-98 Coupe in www.realoem.com. I would be surprised to find them to be different.


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  3. #3
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    I swapped the Vader cushions/covers directly to the sedan seat frames. The coupe and sedan frames are the same apart from the tilt function on the coupe seats. Honestly it's the best way to go about it, as you'll end up with sedan specific Vaders (no tilt).

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by bluptgm3 View Post
    Aren’t the Vader’s equipped with tensioners? If mid 96 MY with pyrotechnic tensioners, they sound bolt right in and connect to wire loom.

    Check tensioners part numbers for a 97-98 Sedan and a 97-98 Coupe in www.realoem.com. I would be surprised to find them to be different.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    No model year 96 had pyrotechnic. They are all mechanical until the change in 4/1997 production.

  5. #5
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    The Vaders are from a 95 I believe and I think I read that the 95's won't swap directly onto the sport frames? Also that seems like much more work. I just want to pop the sport seats out and put the Vaders in. So am I going to have to cut some plastic or is it truly a plug and play swap?
    Last edited by Waynegro; 10-12-2018 at 09:58 AM.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Waynegro View Post
    The Vaders are from a 95 I believe and I think I read that the 95's won't swap directly onto the sport frames? Also that seems like much more work. I just want to pop the sport seats out and put the Vaders in. So am I going to have to cut some plastic or is it truly a plug and play swap?
    There was a late 95 model year change in Vader seat style. If they are the later style, you can likely swap foams. Avoid them entirely if they are they are the early style (imo).

  7. #7
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    Okay so, I took the leap and pulled the sport seats out and went to install the Vaders. I dropped the Vader in place, propped it up and went to plug it in and the Vaders only have 4 plugins, where the sports have 5. Also the plugs on the Vaders are different than the sports and a few of the smaller plugs will not plug in. What gives? Both are manual and heated. Can anyone shed some light?

  8. #8
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    There is a difference in electrical connections for spring tensioners and electronic pyrotechnic tensioners.


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  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by bluptgm3 View Post
    There is a difference in electrical connections for spring tensioners and electronic pyrotechnic tensioners.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Ok so, do you know how to mate the two together?


    Also from all the threads I researched on is topic none mentioned this. This is important for those considering doing this swap. It's not plug and play as advertised.

  10. #10
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    I don't have anything to add to help, but what are you doing with your old seats? Are you selling them?

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Waynegro View Post
    Ok so, do you know how to mate the two together?


    Also from all the threads I researched on is topic none mentioned this. This is important for those considering doing this swap. It's not plug and play as advertised.

    Can you confirm if these are the early Vaders or the later Vaders (late '95 model year)? Maybe post a pic if you are not sure. With that said, IF they are the later Vaders I strongly urge you to swap the entire cushions over to the sedan frames. When I did it, it was the first time I took the seats apart and swap, and it took me 45 minutes to do the first seat and 18 minutes to do the second seat. I specifically timed myself to be able to answer a question such as yours. If you do this... the only thing I imagine you'd need to worry about is the plugs for the seat heater elements - If they are not the same as your sedan cushions, than I'd imagine swapping the plugs should do the trick.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Xiphos View Post
    I don't have anything to add to help, but what are you doing with your old seats? Are you selling them?
    Once I get the Vaders installed I will probably sell them. I should have them in within a week or so.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by bimma360 View Post
    Can you confirm if these are the early Vaders or the later Vaders (late '95 model year)? Maybe post a pic if you are not sure. With that said, IF they are the later Vaders I strongly urge you to swap the entire cushions over to the sedan frames. When I did it, it was the first time I took the seats apart and swap, and it took me 45 minutes to do the first seat and 18 minutes to do the second seat. I specifically timed myself to be able to answer a question such as yours. If you do this... the only thing I imagine you'd need to worry about is the plugs for the seat heater elements - If they are not the same as your sedan cushions, than I'd imagine swapping the plugs should do the trick.
    I'm not sure which gen they are. Are there any visual clues? I will try to post a picture up. That sounds like the way to go if possible.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Waynegro View Post
    Once I get the Vaders installed I will probably sell them. I should have them in within a week or so.
    What color are they? I might be interested.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Xiphos View Post
    What color are they? I might be interested.
    Black.

  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Waynegro View Post
    I'm not sure which gen they are. Are there any visual clues? I will try to post a picture up. That sounds like the way to go if possible.
    There are a few, but the easiest is the headrests. The later model ones have two vertical stitching lines in the front like this:



    The early ones don't, like this:


  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by bimma360 View Post
    There are a few, but the easiest is the headrests. The later model ones have two vertical stitching lines in the front like this:



    The early ones don't, like this:

    That is perfect, thank you! Will be checking when I get home.

  17. #17
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    Damn, mine are early models. Looks like I'm gonna just have to swap seats.

  18. #18
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    Ahh... well thats a bummer.

  19. #19
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    Is there anyway to splice the wiring from the early 95 Vaders and put the matching connectors on to make it match my Sedan seats? There are two wires (one is for the seatbelt and I don't know what the other one is) that are different. I don't want to have any CELs.

    This has turned into a nightmare and i'm getting ready to bail on this entire idea soon.

  20. #20
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    Dude, just swap the seat belt receptacles. Everything you’re trying to plug in, swaps from one seat to another. Don’t cut anything.

  21. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by Braymond141 View Post
    Dude, just swap the seat belt receptacles. Everything you’re trying to plug in, swaps from one seat to another. Don’t cut anything.
    Even with the early model 95 Vaders? I thought they have a different SRS system?

  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by Waynegro View Post
    Even with the early model 95 Vaders? I thought they have a different SRS system?
    All of the necessary 98 electrical bits swap over to the 95 seats no problem. That's the difference, not the actual seat (other than being the crummiest version of the vaders). Swap them.
    Last edited by Braymond141; 10-19-2018 at 03:11 PM.

  23. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by Braymond141 View Post
    All of the necessary 98 electrical bits swap over to the 95 seats no problem. That's the difference, not the actual seat (other than being the crummiest version of the vaders). Swap them.
    Thank you sir!

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