I have searched this forum for help with seats brackets installation for a 996. I have purchased these seats from PLM.com
https://privatelabelmfg.com/collections/racing-seats/products/f1spec-997-gt2-recline-seat-pair-frp-with-pu-leather
and they recommended these brackets
https://privatelabelmfg.com/collections/seat-rails/products/plm-seat-base-mount-track-bracket-for-porsche

The brackets are the right length, the problem is that they are not the right width when bolted on the seats. Porsche has a 16 inch width between seat bolts and the brackets installed on the seats are 15.5 inch in the front and 15 inch flat in the rear, there is also no way to install the factory seat belt.

I'm looking at these brackets, but there is no information on the dimensions of the holes to know if my seats can bolt directly to the bracket.
https://www.plantedtechnology.com/products/seat-brackets/porsche/planted-seat-bracket-porsche-996-boxster-997-cayman-991-1998-driver-left.html

How have you guys that have installed aftermarket seats on the 996 deal with this?

 

Any luck?

 

Seat....attaches to side mount OR bottom mounts...then to sliders OR directly to brackets.
I believe the seats you bought are side mounts? I can't tell from the picture. Those side mounts will attach to sliders(are they included?). The sliders attach to the brackets. You can skip the sliders and screw the side mounts directly to the brackets.
The side mounts should be adjustable to wider width.
I have different seats but I have use the same brackets you have listed....
The planted bracket...you can drill extra holes to bolt your slider or brackets onto

 

Hello GeeTee, thanks for the info. I’m actually replacing some fixed back seats and was wondering about the PLM (Private Label Manufacturing) reclining/tilt GT3 997 seats.

 

Do NOT BUY the brackets that PLM recommends they are a waste of money. Get the planted brackets.


The quality of the seat is quite crappy the plastic is thin and the cushion and material that is on the seat is cheap. You will need to buy another bracket that can help the seat bolt into the car, cause the one they recommend is junk and it does not have a seat belt mount. Then the mechanism that allows the back of the seat to be adjusted will move with time, so your seat will lay back more and more. The whole seat it self moves and squeaks constantly cause the plastic that the seat is made out of is thin it will not break but it has some play in it. That kind of makes it comfortable to drive since my car is a little rough around the edges in the suspension side. But that is something some one should know if they are purchasing racing seats.

This is what I did. I bought 2 seats from them I think it was $800 for both. Then I had them reupholstered with leather and new more durable cushion cause the one that comes on there from them is unusable. I wish they would sell the bare seat with no cushion cause whatever they call a cushion is a joke. Then bought flor brackets with seatbelt mounts form another company for $140 for both (I think). Then had them reupholstered for $800 each at a local shop. That made the seats look like they belong in the car, extremely beautiful I get complements all the time for them it makes the car look racy and track like. Even the Porsche shop mechanics likes them, the seats fit me well and hold me in place in the corners and since the seat has a little play in it its not so hard on the body in.


Pros and Cons:
Pros:
Racing cup seats leathered for $2k for both. Cant really beat that.
Cons:
Cheap plastic and in internals. Now you really see why it costs $800 for both.


This is what I would recommend if you want to go down this route.
Call the company and tell them you want them with out the cushion or material, just the bare seats with hardware, cause you want to reupholster them. Once you get them replace the mechanism that allows the adjustability of the back of the seat. Install them in the car and find the position that is comfortable for you and fix it there. You can still bring the back of the seat to the front to have access to the back of the car if you want cause that mechanism is different then the adjustability of the seat back. I hope that makes sense. Then use different bolts and bigger washers that attach the plastic to the metal brackets. Then get them reupholstered.

This was my experience and my recommendations, if you chose to go down this route.

 

Thanks, nottoshabi, for the super detailed answer. I actually have an upholsterer with whom I've been working. My plan was to reupholster in custom leather so I didn't want to spend like $3500 on Recaros then put another $2000 into the seats. My concern was the seat chassis itself. Is replacing the tilting mechanism something you were able to do yourself? What/where did you buy? Does it still squeak and flex with your new mechanism? Would you do it all again like that or just get something else? Did yours have a submarine belt slot? Is the slider mechanism that comes with the seat any good?

I'm pulling out some Corbeaus FX1 Pro (fixed back) and may be able to reuse the Cipher brackets.

Thanks again, this was really helpful

 

The seats do have the slot so you can add the submarine belt. The slider brackets are good and the planted floor bracket is really good and worth the money.

I never ran the seats before upholstering them, so I don't know how they were before they got wrapped in leather. I started having the seat back movement issue about 3 months into it. I tied the rotating handle that positions the seat back so it wont twist any more, and that seems to fix the problem for now. The flex will always be there since the material of the seat is so cheap and the squeak might be coming from the upholster shop. He might haven gotten glue and leather in the screw wholes. That could be why its squeaking, its not bad but its noticeable.

Giving the fact there are no other alternatives for sport seats with leather, with out a minimum 4k price tag each. I would defiantly do this again. I would change all the hardware and really reinforce the plastic to the brackets then get it upholstered and work with the shop to minimize the squeak. I would take it a step further and remove the plastic and find a metal shaping shop and get the plastic replaced with aluminum, then get it wrapped in leather and reblot it back to the seat brackets. The seats fit really nice, they are tighter then the Corbeau around the mid section and legs. I'm 5'8" 180lbs. And these fit me like a glove.

Good luck with what you decide to do. Post some pics of the final decision.

 

Thanks again. The planted brackets have good reviews everywhere. I was planning on doing custom leather do the PU “leather” is not an issue.

but I’m trying to find where I can source the replacement for the internal mechanism as you suggested?

 

You might have to get creative and drill a whole in the turning wheel and put a bolt through it, or something like that. I did not have any luck finding anything. But if you please let me know.

 

Pics of all this? Be nice to see them in the car.

 

Yes pics would be awesome. Do you think you'd have been happier with the fixed-back 996 GT3 knock-offs? They're growing on me.

 

Here are some pics of the seats in the car. The upholster did a fantastic job.

 

Those are beautiful seats, including real custom leather! Have your resolved the squeaking and stability issue to your satisfaction? Where did you get the bit to tighten them up? Are they able to tilt forward for rear access on command like the stock seats? Guys on the 911UK are pretty happy about their GT3 knockoffs (fixed back) once they have custom leather added.

 

I can not express enough the satisfaction of the leather, you get a real pungent kick of leather when getting into the car.

 

Great write up I installing the same Plm seats in carbon fiber with the planted base any tips for this to work on my 99 996???
Mike