Removing seat heat compartments? - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

Silver Cervy · 06-09-2016, 01:13 AM

I have a brz limited, and I really like the bucket-style seats with alcantara lining and red stitching, but I find myself hardly ever using the seat heat option that came with the limited pakage. As these heat compartments add a lot of weight to the seats I was wondering if it was possible to remove them? I don't want to go off and buy an entirely new set of seats just for the sake of weight reduction, so I'm hoping that I can just modify the factory seats and make them lighter. Any suggestions?

OkieSnuffBox · 06-09-2016, 09:33 AM

It's just an electric heating pad that are in the seats. I seriously doubt you are going to save any noticeable amount of weight. Maybe between switches/wiring/element in both seats, maybe 5 pounds, if that?

And this would presuppose you have already done things like a lightweight exhaust, battery, rear seat delete, no trunk junk, brakes, wheels, etc.

......and why did I even give this question a real response.

Silver Cervy · 06-09-2016, 04:31 PM

I know it's a noobish question, but I do genuinely want to know if the seats should be replaced or not. I've already done a new exhaust system (uel headers/catback), and I'll be doing new wheels soon, so yes I am trying to shed weight across the whole car. I hadn't heard about a rear seat delete before though so thank you for mentioning that.

Ultimately I asked this because I looked up bucket seats on google for this car the other day and I'm just not sure if they would be worth it. Sorry if I wasted your time with my dumb question, though.

OkieSnuffBox · 06-09-2016, 08:54 PM

You'd have to dismantle the seats, and unless you're an upholstery pro, have someone put them back together to literally save the same amount of weight as wearing shorts instead of jeans.

If you want to save money in the seats, buy some aftermarket seats. But the flip side is why?

Are you racing? Doing Time Trials? Trying to build a Nationally competitive STX car to Autocross with?

Or are you doing it to sound cool for the bros down at the local parking lot meets?

Silver Cervy · 06-10-2016, 06:55 PM

I was actually thinking of doing a rally event with it sometime in the future (probably 3-5 years), and I'm slowly trying to both shed weight and add power. It was my fault though for not researching enough about the seats before coming here, because to my general knowledge seat-heating compartments usually add significant weight to the seats themselves.

I'm not trying to be a car-meet bro.

06-09-2016, 01:13 AM	#1
Silver Cervy Some really cool title Join Date: May 2016 Drives: 2014 Subaru BRZ Limited Location: Matthews, NC Posts: 343 Thanks: 39 Thanked 211 Times in 125 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Removing seat heat compartments? I have a brz limited, and I really like the bucket-style seats with alcantara lining and red stitching, but I find myself hardly ever using the seat heat option that came with the limited pakage. As these heat compartments add a lot of weight to the seats I was wondering if it was possible to remove them? I don't want to go off and buy an entirely new set of seats just for the sake of weight reduction, so I'm hoping that I can just modify the factory seats and make them lighter. Any suggestions?

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06-09-2016, 09:33 AM	#2
OkieSnuffBox Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Drives: '23 BRZ Limited Location: OKC, OK Posts: 2,089 Thanks: 683 Thanked 1,337 Times in 761 Posts Mentioned: 9 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	It's just an electric heating pad that are in the seats. I seriously doubt you are going to save any noticeable amount of weight. Maybe between switches/wiring/element in both seats, maybe 5 pounds, if that? And this would presuppose you have already done things like a lightweight exhaust, battery, rear seat delete, no trunk junk, brakes, wheels, etc. ......and why did I even give this question a real response.

06-09-2016, 04:31 PM	#3
Silver Cervy Some really cool title Join Date: May 2016 Drives: 2014 Subaru BRZ Limited Location: Matthews, NC Posts: 343 Thanks: 39 Thanked 211 Times in 125 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I know it's a noobish question, but I do genuinely want to know if the seats should be replaced or not. I've already done a new exhaust system (uel headers/catback), and I'll be doing new wheels soon, so yes I am trying to shed weight across the whole car. I hadn't heard about a rear seat delete before though so thank you for mentioning that. Ultimately I asked this because I looked up bucket seats on google for this car the other day and I'm just not sure if they would be worth it. Sorry if I wasted your time with my dumb question, though.

06-09-2016, 08:54 PM	#4
OkieSnuffBox Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Drives: '23 BRZ Limited Location: OKC, OK Posts: 2,089 Thanks: 683 Thanked 1,337 Times in 761 Posts Mentioned: 9 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	You'd have to dismantle the seats, and unless you're an upholstery pro, have someone put them back together to literally save the same amount of weight as wearing shorts instead of jeans. If you want to save money in the seats, buy some aftermarket seats. But the flip side is why? Are you racing? Doing Time Trials? Trying to build a Nationally competitive STX car to Autocross with? Or are you doing it to sound cool for the bros down at the local parking lot meets?

06-10-2016, 06:55 PM	#5
Silver Cervy Some really cool title Join Date: May 2016 Drives: 2014 Subaru BRZ Limited Location: Matthews, NC Posts: 343 Thanks: 39 Thanked 211 Times in 125 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I was actually thinking of doing a rally event with it sometime in the future (probably 3-5 years), and I'm slowly trying to both shed weight and add power. It was my fault though for not researching enough about the seats before coming here, because to my general knowledge seat-heating compartments usually add significant weight to the seats themselves. I'm not trying to be a car-meet bro.

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