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It looks like I'll most likely be running 2 switches for each function. Hi/Lo for cool and for heat. There looks to be space enough on the plastic as well as area behind it to run the pigtails and wires. Though I am also going through my head thinking about where I might run those controls remotely just as an exercise.
If anyone knows of some 3-position push switches please share the link as it would make my life much easier
(For those who don't read the daily Corvette thread)
There have been a handful of threads lately with folks who have don't this mod before me and based on their results, I knew I had to get me a set.
I went from these re-skinned stock sport seats
Passenger side completed.
Driver side is in
The driver seat just barely clears the lower seat belt housing
The passenger side seat is a tighter fit in my car and is pressing against the lower seat belt housing but I unbolted the torx screw on the seat so the seat plastic could move slightly inboard for more clearance.
The stock C5 seat bracket track covers won't fit on the new seats (I ordered new c7 covers) but I was able to reuse them for now with a zip tie mod to the rails.
As for wiring, the passenger factory power is 3 wires
But you only need two, the thick orange power and the thick black ground
Same thing for driver side, you just need the thick orange power and thick black ground
The connection is as below, driver needs the thick black in bottom left and thick orange in bottom right. The driver side also borrows power and ties into the 3rd from right in the lower-upper row (not my pics)
Passenger side is same as driver but ties power into farthest pin on upper-lower row (not my pics)
Big thanks to @Z06ster for his help with some questions I had, along with the other C7 seat pioneers who figured out how to put them into a C5
The seats feel amazing and it's like driving a different car now. They are very firm and grippy at my waist.
The seats are pretty much plug and play with 4 bolts + the 3 wires mentioned above which are all that's needed to get them going. I did lose the power telescoping steering column, but I am thinking I can just pull the module from my stock seats and stash it back under my new seats to get that feature back again. There is also a C5 to C7 seat harness that will make them truly plug-and-play but the manufacturer is having supplier constraints due to coronavirus so had to do the wiring manually.
I did keep the c7 seat belt receivers, as I found that the seat belt indicator light on the instrument cluster did *not* turn on and the car doesn't warn in any way that the belts are not secured. Basically, no nagging nannies with these seats installed as-is.
All in all, while there were some minor things had to be rigged, putting the seats in was much easier than I expected.
For around the price of leather re-skinning & re-foaming stock C5 seats, you can likely get a set of C7 seats which are MUCH better.
My seats also came from a wrecked donor car so they're not entirely pristine perfect, but they're not bad at all. The salvage yard packed them incredibly well and shipped them "free" which I know cost them a pretty penny.
Anyone who is looking for a serious C5 seat upgrade should consider getting a set of these
What type of connector did you use to tap into the C7 seat module. Is it a small spade connector?
did red 2017 seats in my silver convertible, i used the C5 belts in the C7 seats. Seat shoulder bracket did not allow the seatbelt to retrace correctly. I use the C5 belts across shoulder but not thru seat shoulder bracket
you switched to C7 seatbelts in the C5 anchor point do they work correctly are they free to retract
I just used wire taps and tapped into the wires on the back side of the harness connectors, cost next to nothing.
Did you cut off the C5 connector to get to the needed wires, or were you able to pull out the needed wire without completely cutting off the original connector.
Did you cut off the C5 connector to get to the needed wires, or were you able to pull out the needed wire without completely cutting off the original connector.
No, kept the harness connector from the original C5 seat and the power harness coming from the floor, needed to be able to keep the original driver seat harness for the control module plugged in to retain the memory so the telescopic column and mirrors still work.
I just peeled the tape on the harness back to get access to the wires to get the taps on.
I picked up what should have been 5x of the 13580023 wires with connectors which are for the C7 PT3419 connectors. Only one came with it and the ebay vendor is being a donk.
That wire looks to be maybe a 10awg.
The C5 leads and seat controls are 14 for main power and ground and maybe 18 for the second power wire.
Does that sound right(ish)?
My main question then is for those running hwat and fans on their seats, are those running without issue on the 14awg wires?
I'm also thinking immediately as I look at the parts.... Heck with this. That is... There is no point to the expense, dimensional size, or frustration sourcing specific GM connectors or pin types even though I did just that. I flipped my general DT box open and that is just such a better solution. Weather tight for life. I can just butt adapt in and have permanent secure connections. The adapters are about the same dimensions as the C5 pieces too. It's the C7 ones which are larger than they need to be when retrofitting. I'm immediately thinking I ought to slap together a plug and play kit for C7 swappers. If you can connect a butt connector and use a lighter on the heatshrink it is dirt simple.
Anyway. This should be quick work once I figure the length needed.
It took me longer than it should have as I had to seek a few of the DT locks but the power dongles are assembled as 14 and 18. I might seek a better ground wire to use. These are tinned copper which is fine but the shielding is soft silicone. Great temperature resistance but so soft the wire can shift easily inside it. Some Tesa tape and loom at final install can keep it secured but I am picky.
For those unfamiliar with Deutch connectors, they are a male and female pin style connection system which gives excellent conductivity. The crimping style can make the lines watertight. I have used this style to power my fuel pumps on conjunction with high quality wire and shielding. No fuel will ever seep up the line. The connectors themselves lock the pins in place but can be easily serviced and re-wired. They also have weather-tight seals unlike the GM connectors on the C5 or C7 for the interior used on these seats. So you guys with leaky tops.....this is a consideration if you have ever gone out to a car with a soaked carpet. Hopefully you have not! A quality example of a DT crimper tool is easily $200 for pro technician brand name but many are available for $20 on Amazon along with whatever connections and pins you seek. Not cheap to tool up. But once you do you probably won't go back to anything else. Paired with a good Pressmaster stripper the work is exact every time. I'll get off my soap box now. I just like to turn folks on to good kit.
The shop which was offering these was seeking $228 for these same connections using GM connectors for plug-and-play. As long as it is low volume I don't mind making a few of these for forum members as butt splice installs. 8 feet of wire, two DT connectors, 12 pins, 12 butts and 2 feet of heat shrink. If you can cut and strip your wire, then squeeze the butt and hit the shrink with a lighter or heat gun. It is minimally invasive. Putting it out there. Though mostly I need a good distraction as we just hit Day #60 at Yale NICU and we're both showing signs of cracking slowly. Plenty of car projects to be done I guess!
Basically, no nagging nannies with these seats installed as-is.
