Seat locks - How to make your own.

[repiv]

Worried about your $10K seats being stolen? They seem to be quite popular with other car owners and we always hear of our seats being lifted in a few short minutes.
So far, our main choice is the "Kodakan" McGard seat locks. There are 2, maybe 3 series in circulation at present. These were commissioned by a user named "Kodakan_4" (Pete), who had McGard produce these in finite numbers. Then Pete had a friend make up a bunch of window decals to advertise the fact that you had seat locks (as a deterent to would-be thieves).
Here's what the seat locks look like from McGard:
http://inlinethumb57.webshots.com/41912/2635278710025981935S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2635278710025981935spkJCX)
Sure, these locks are pretty and they come with the same sort of key as you would have for your locking wheel lugnuts, but if you want to do all 4 on your own, this is an option for you. The McGard ones are only for the fronts bolts.

Here's the window sticker. I added one of my own, which you could do the same and put whatever label you want. (I used to throw my snake under the seat during the non-winter seasons as an added surprise for anyone who might stick their hands into my car.)
http://inlinethumb05.webshots.com/43652/2665922950025981935S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2665922950025981935OWGumz)

Now, Keep in mind that the McGard locks were only designed for the front bolts. The front and rear bolts are 2 different sizes. I suggest you remove one of each (1 front and 1 rear) and take them to a fastener shop to have them match them up for thread and bolt length and the other assorted hardware you'll see. I won't advertise the sizes here, but they are HEX insert headed, round headed bolts:
http://inlinethumb58.webshots.com/35705/2913793090025981935S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2913793090025981935ZmkCGj)
The other bolt and nut will be described later.

You install these bolts into the seat anchors. Do the fronts first, then move the seat as far forward as you can to access the rear bolts. Once you have them securely fastened, apply a dab of black silicone seal to the bottom of the hex hole on the head of the big bolt and drop in one of those smaller nuts. This holds the nut securely in place and makes it impossible to put a hex key in even if the thief just happened to have the right size. Sure, he can just use vise grips to remove the bolt, but there is lots of thread and that bolt is in there pretty tight, not to mention that the bolt head is recessed in a deep groove, so to get vise grips on it, is quite difficult. It'll take him minutes to undo each bolt and to do 8 of them will take him too long - waaaay too long. Thieves don't like to spend that kind of time.
If you ever want to get the little nut out later, you simply screw in the smaller bolt into the nut and yank it out. Personally, I have no need to ever remove my seats, so I put in the smaller nut and filled the whole thing with silicone. If I ever do need to remove my seats, I'll just dig out the silicone to expose the little nut.
http://inlinethumb60.webshots.com/27899/2136744230025981935S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2136744230025981935TLJdSI)

http://inlinethumb10.webshots.com/42185/2024878040025981935S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2024878040025981935GWgVDZ)

http://inlinethumb03.webshots.com/23874/2085306470025981935S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2085306470025981935xwQPWA)

Nothing is "fool-proof" and if someone wants your seats bad enough, they'll get them, but this'll make the whole excercise far more troublesome.

[gomarlins3]

Another good idea from The Master. There is a guy at S2KI asking about locks so I posted a link there to here. I hope it stays up there for a little while at least.

[svatne]

Xviper,
Thanks for the good ideas. I searched around in a couple hardware stores for some sort of ready made security bolts that would fit the S2 seats, and couldn't find any. This looks like a viable alternative.
Svatne

[gilwood]

Not bad, but I think a Alloy Steel Low Head Socket Cap Screw in M8 x 25mm length would be better.

Something like this:
http://www.smallparts.com/Alloy-Steel-Socket-Screw-DIN7984/dp/B0017I20CU?ie=UTF8&qid=1256604192&sr=1-1&pf_rd_r=0GR686DHMT73G5SXQ6Z3&pf_rd_m=AIUBT5HP6PMAF&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=16410531&pf_rd_p=467590051&pf_rd_s=center-3

[pezjunki]

I like it! Simple and effective!!! :thumbup: :thumbup:

[Wanderer]

I had not thought of the nut glued inside of the hex. Great idea!

[gilwood]

Ok, I took out a front and rear bolt from the seats to my local hardware store. I verified that the front bolts are 8M x 1.25 Thread Pitch x 25mm length. The rear bolts are 10M x 1.25 thread pitch x 20mm length. Not 100% sure about the length of the rear bolt though. Everything else is correct.

The solution above uses a allen head with grips on the sides. The problem is that a thief with a good alligator wrench can still turn the head and get the bolt off. I think a button head would work better as I mentioned above. At least a smooth allen head bolt would work better.

This website has some good button head bolts, but they are pretty expensive - $5/bolt! Might be cheaper elsewhere.

http://www.chromebolt.com/metric-c-108.html

[Geo02s2k]

Thanks for the info. One can get steel button head bolts for less than $.50 each at http://www.boltdepot.com/.

[gilwood]

Here's a pic of the one I put in. Now an alligator wrench would have a hard time with this bolt due to the smooth, sloped head. Four bolts cost me $5 from fastener-warehouse*com. After this, I'll drop in the nut on top and push in some epoxy or other type of glue.

http://i964.photobucket.com/albums/ae121/gilwoody/Bolt.jpg

[repiv]

Here's a pic of the one I put in. Now an alligator wrench would have a hard time with this bolt due to the smooth, sloped head. Four bolts cost me $5 from fastener-warehouse*com. After this, I'll drop in the nut on top and push in some epoxy or other type of glue.
Good stuff. The harder it is for the thief, the better. A window label indication you have seat locks is a good thing, too. I also have hardtop locks and the accompanying window sticker for that as well. Might get the thief to move on and not vandalize your car trying to get at your seats.

[JH03S2K]

Good stuff. The harder it is for the thief, the better. A window label indication you have seat locks is a good thing, too. I also have hardtop locks and the accompanying window sticker for that as well. Might get the thief to move on and not vandalize your car trying to get at your seats.

Hardtop locks is that something you made?

[repiv]

Hardtop locks is that something you made?
Yes. It's as simple as these seat "locks". It just confuses a thief and makes it more difficult to remove if he's in a hurry. Most thieves are in a big hurry.
I'll take some pics and post up a new thread on it soon.