anybody pull rear seat out for track day yet?

[dtbaker61]

...just wondering if anybody has pulled the rear seat out yet... along with other cargo bay items that can be removed for some easy weight loss on track day?

any pictures, videos, weights of items or estimates on time required to help figure out if its worth it....?

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[Woeo]

...just wondering if anybody has pulled the rear seat out yet... along with other cargo bay items that can be removed for some easy weight loss on track day?

any pictures, videos, weights of items or estimates on time required to help figure out if its worth it....?

Check out Sandy Munro on YouTube. They are showing dead down videos...definately have removed the rear seats. Can you run without doors?

 

[dtbaker61]

Check out Sandy Munro on YouTube. They are showing teardown videos...definately have removed the rear seats.

video starts w seats already out.... I want to know how long it takes to pull them, and what they weigh.

 

[ChasingCoral]

video starts w seats already out.... I want to know how long it takes to pull them, and what they weigh.

I’m wondering what the advantage would be to shave a percent off an already heavy car. You might gain a touch on the already fast acceleration but unless you plan a software override the Mach E has no problem hitting its 112 mph limit already (or so I’ve heard ).

 

[dtbaker61]

I’m wondering what the advantage would be to shave a percent off an already heavy car. You might gain a touch on the already fast acceleration but unless you plan a software override the Mach E has no problem hitting its 112 mph limit already (or so I’ve heard ).

I just wanna know.... it's a Virgo/Engineer thing.... yes, tiny percent of an overweight car, but it's *something*. I'm going after replacing the front seats first since I really want a more breathable fabric and more shoulder bolster for cornering... weight reduction as a bonus.

My excitement for the day was replacing my wheels, and reducing weight by over 6# per wheel. I'm not planning on racing, but I usually try to justify my 'mods' with performance improvements.

Second reason is contemplating removal of stock rear seat and cargo cover for a super customer 'bed insert' for camping, and maybe a different one set up for work tools.

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

I recently pulled my back seat. Couldn’t get the Wet Okole seat covers settled without doing so. It’s really quite easy except for that middle seat belt.
The bottom just pulls up.
The backs..
on the outboard side there is a plastic cover over the hinge. Remove the plastic cover. Release the seat back so it comes forward about 20°. Then jimmy the outboard side upward while rocking it a little. This should get the lower hinge rod out of the socket. Then you just slide the seat toward the door. Repeat for the other side but you’ll have to in-anchor the seatbelt if you want that one all the way out.

 

[dtbaker61]

I recently pulled my back seat. Couldn’t get the Wet Okole seat covers settled without doing so. It’s really quite easy except for that middle seat belt.
The bottom just pulls up.
The backs..
on the outboard side there is a plastic cover over the hinge. Remove the plastic cover. Release the seat back so it comes forward about 20°. Then jimmy the outboard side upward while rocking it a little. This should get the lower hinge rod out of the socket. Then you just slide the seat toward the door. Repeat for the other side but you’ll have to in-anchor the seatbelt if you want that one all the way out.

I will probably never autoX or drag race my car, but did you happen to weigh the seats upon removal ? I'm just curious that way, left over from my bike racing days when grams mattered.

 

[Mach-Lee]

Removing the rear seats will probably only make it 1% lighter, so you'd be a whole 1% faster.

 

[machefan]

The MME might toss some errors on the dash with the rear seats removed. The rear occupancy sensor would be missing but I’m not 100% sure.

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

I will probably never autoX or drag race my car, but did you happen to weigh the seats upon removal ? I'm just curious that way, left over from my bike racing days when grams mattered.

Weighing them was not part of my goal. So.. no I did not. I was just trying to get the seat covers stretched properly.

 

[JamieGeek]

I just wanna know.... it's a Virgo/Engineer thing.... yes, tiny percent of an overweight car, but it's *something*. I'm going after replacing the front seats first since I really want a more breathable fabric and more shoulder bolster for cornering... weight reduction as a bonus.

My excitement for the day was replacing my wheels, and reducing weight by over 6# per wheel. I'm not planning on racing, but I usually try to justify my 'mods' with performance improvements.

Second reason is contemplating removal of stock rear seat and cargo cover for a super customer 'bed insert' for camping, and maybe a different one set up for work tools.

So you went from 4587 lbs to 4563 lbs a 0.5% difference in weight. Hardly enough to make any difference at all.

 

[dtbaker61]

Removing the rear seats will probably only make it 1% lighter, so you'd be a whole 1% faster.

likely wouldn't be any faster since the software top-end limit hasn't changed..... but acceleration might be marginally measurable. The point is somewhat moot as I said I don't plan to race, but I still want to know what discretionary weight *could* be removed.

I made more of a difference in accelleration already by changing wheels and lug nuts since that reduced rotating weight.

 

[Murse-In-Airy]

Hey @dtbaker61
So I pulled the rear seat again today to remove the arm rest and put the wet Okole seat covers behind it properly (tucking just wasn’t working).
Since I had it all the way out for disassembly, I weighed it for you.
Seat Bottom: 17 lbs
Right seat back: 16.5 lbs
Left seat back: 38.5 lbs.

So if you pull the whole thing you’ll save 72 lbs

 

[dtbaker61]

Hey @dtbaker61
So I pulled the rear seat again today to remove the arm rest and put the wet Okole seat covers behind it properly (tucking just wasn’t working).
Since I had it all the way out for disassembly, I weighed it for you.
Seat Bottom: 17 lbs
Right seat back: 16.5 lbs
Left seat back: 38.5 lbs.

So if you pull the whole thing you’ll save 72 lbs

thanks for thinking of me.

Like I said, I probably will never track or drag my MME, but ex-bike racing weight weenies like to know these things...

 

[Two Trick Ponies]

Hey @dtbaker61
So I pulled the rear seat again today to remove the arm rest and put the wet Okole seat covers behind it properly (tucking just wasn’t working).
Since I had it all the way out for disassembly, I weighed it for you.
Seat Bottom: 17 lbs
Right seat back: 16.5 lbs
Left seat back: 38.5 lbs.

So if you pull the whole thing you’ll save 72 lbs

Could you share the procedure for the back seat backs removal? I am trying to remove the rear cargo area side panels and it looks like the seat backs need to come out first.

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