How To: Install JDM ITR Rear Seats (Backrests) into 96-00 Civic Hatchbacks with PICS!!*

[SeVeNisOnE]

Not to long ago I bought some minty rear JDM DC2 Type R seats locally after reading so many posts about how these seats bolt up without any modification into a 96-00 hatchback. So after looking at the seats for about 2 days I notice they aren't so much alike after all. I was starting to wonder how they were going to bolt up if they don't even have these same bolt patterns! For those of you out there that always wonder how much of a bolt-on process DC2 ITR rear seats are into a EK hatchback, let me tell you, you can't just slap these on without a bit of modification to the backrests, at least not my ITR seats. They look the same, but they are not. So after wondering how I was going to get these seats in my car, I decided I was going to have to swap out the metal frames. All your basically doing is removing the fabric and foam from the ITR seat and placing it over your stock metal frame. The 2 door ITR bottom cushion fits, but has giants gaps on the left and right side and between the backrests and the cushion itself. Its best to source out the bottom cushion from a DB8 sedan ITR, since the cushion pretty much fits better. If someone has already posted up a how-to like this then a big oops to me for wasting my time on this. So lets start already. First lets compare the stock hatchback backrests to the ITR backrests. They are basically the same size and shape, except the ITR backrest has a little hump up top for a bit of a headrest. The backs look almost identical as well. Upon closer examination (I've always wanted to say that) you notice the inner part of the driver side hatchback frame has a rod sticking out and the ITR has a hole. The outside of the driver side hatchback frame has two threaded holes for the bracket that holds it onto the car, while the ITR frame has a rod. Same thing with the outside of the passenger side ITR frame. It has a rod while the passenger side hatchback frame has two holes to bolt the bracket to. Now I started to dismantle the backrest. Here is a list of what I used: Wire Cutters (or a ninja sword, whatever your more skilled with) Philips Screwdriver Flathead Screwdriver 34 thin 4" Zip-Ties (17 per side) First you can remove the screw on the side with a philips screwdriver. Remove the plastic piece. It pops right off. You can remove this knob now if you want to. It twists off counter clock-wise after about 20 turns. Now comes the dangerous part! Get your wire cutters (or your trusting ninja sword) and cut off all of the metal rings on the back side. I counted 17 per side. They are pretty simple to get to, but after cutting them off all 4 seats at once, my hand was sore. Once you get all of the rings off you can start to separate the foam from the metal frame slowly. BE VERY CAREFUL, the frame edges are very sharp. I cut myself a couple of times. You can't remove the foam yet since you still have to take off the tricky plastic grommet where the knob was up top. No need to remove the fabric from the foam. Just leave it all together. Ahh my favorite part (note my sarcasm). The plastic piece on the top of the backrest is a bit of a pain to get to and remove, but with a bit of patience and screaming, you can get it out. Be very careful here with the sharp frame edges again. I squeezed my hand in and pressed the parts inward and up to get it out. I also jammed a flat head in there to help. Eventually with enough pushing, twisting, and pulling, I go it out. Once you remove the plastic piece up top, remove all of the foam from the frame and your ready to move along. Again, I compared the ITR frame to the hatchback frame and I just don't see how this was going to easily fit into my hatch without swapping the frames. ITR frame on the front, hatchback frame in the back Now all you have to do is repeat this process 3 more times!!! Use the same procedure in order to remove the foam and fabric from your ITR seats so you can slap them on to your OEM hatchback frames. Don't separate the fabric from the foam. Take your ITR foam and fabric and start to place the civic hatchback frame into it. Just take your time. It is very easy at this point. Do the same for the other backrest. Now you should have your ITR backrests go to go for the Zip Tie process. At this point you can either take it to an upholstery shop to get new hog rings installed, or you can go the simple route and just tie the seats back together with some quality zip-ties like I did. Just slip them all into the same areas where the original rings were and tighten them down just enough to hold it all together. Once your done, pat your self on the back and take a nap. After you wake up take the time to check out your awesome ITR seats that can NOW officially bolt in like stock OEM hatchback seats. I don't have a pic of my seats installed just yet, so I borrowed one from the net. Hopefully I don't get sued. Here is a pic I found with the DC2 ITR seats with the DB8 ITR bottom cushion installed in a EG. Hopes this helps someone. I learned the hard way, but it was fun. *Disclaimer: Don't hold me accountable for any damage you do to your seats. If you tear or rip up your stuff, thats your own fault. Do this mod at your own risk, Have a nice day!

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[ejoner]

Good job seems like a little bit of work but pays off in the end.

[BlueIntegraBoy]

Nice writeup. There is obviously two types of backrests for the "EK" body. One here there are the rods on the outer part like the Integra backrests and one with the rods on the inner part. This is the same reason why some people have a hard time putting in CTR EK9 backrests.

No Outer Rods (pic borrowed from TheNgboyStory)




Outer Rods



Perhaps 96-98 is different from 99-00?

[REAL TIME]

good write up! now we need one for a civic coupe 96-00

[SeVeNisOnE]

Originally Posted by BlueIntegraBoy

Nice writeup. There is obviously two types of backrests for the "EK" body. One here there are the rods on the outer part like the Integra backrests and one with the rods on the inner part. This is the same reason why some people have a hard time putting in CTR EK9 backrests.

No Outer Rods (pic borrowed from TheNgboyStory)




Outer Rods



Perhaps 96-98 is different from 99-00?

Hmmmmmm maybe. I've only seen the CTR seats with the posts on the sides. Maybe its just JDM that has rods on the outside? I don't know, but I had to work with what I got. I've heard CTR seats don't just bolt in either, but maybe I'm wrong. Either way this write up should help those that have to swap stuff around. Its easy to swap frames.

All in all it took me about 2 hours start to finish.

[weezy2525]

I have CTR rear seats and bought them because the guy at ICB motorsports said they were a bolt in change over but I am going to have to do this because they do have the bolts on the outside. Great write up.

[Eran]

For my CTR seats in my 97 hatch, I fabbed up an inner rod out of a nut and bolt (to utilize the inner tab on the chassis). I then drilled out the threaded holes on the outside to accommodate the outer rods.

Works fantastic.

[.mattyz_]

Looks good.. I plan on doing this to my EG pretty soon.

[R-Civic]

@ Sevenisone:

Can you please post some pics of the itr seats in the ek.
I was planning to get some itr seats for my ek, but after i saw those gaps i didn't
want them anymore...but you're "how to" makes me wanna itr the back seats!

Because i'm wondering if you really closed up all the gaps after the frame swaps.
esspecially the gaps left/right from the bottom seat.

& why does the db8 seat fits better, does it close up the gaps better?

i hope those gaps could be closed with a dc2 seats!

[ProMotive]

Love it, looks good

[SeVeNisOnE]

Originally Posted by R-Civic

@ Sevenisone:

Can you please post some pics of the itr seats in the ek.
I was planning to get some itr seats for my ek, but after i saw those gaps i didn't
want them anymore...but you're "how to" makes me wanna itr the back seats!

Because i'm wondering if you really closed up all the gaps after the frame swaps.
esspecially the gaps left/right from the bottom seat.

& why does the db8 seat fits better, does it close up the gaps better?

i hope those gaps could be closed with a dc2 seats!

I'll try and get pics soon of the seats in my car. I took them back out to install new carpet and the front ITR seats I have. Ihad to borrow my camera from work to do the frame swap, but I didn't have it with me when I bolted the seats up.

I'll try to answer some of your questions. The swap I showed above has nothing to do with the bottom seats cushion. Its helps with the problem of bolting up the top backrests into an EK chassis. As for the bottom cushion, the best way to get rid of the gaps between the side panels and the bench as well as the gaps between the bench and the backrests is to get a hold of a bottom cushion from a DB8 four door Integra.

If you compare the back seats from the ITR you can see the bottom cushion is smaller in the DC2 Integra compared to the cushion from a DB8 Integra


The bigger cushion helps get rid of the caps between the side panels and the backrests. You could try and use the cushion from the DC2 in your EK, but if you compare your OEM EK bottom cushion to the one from the DC2, you will see that it is smaller. The bottom cushion from a DB8 Sedan ITR is almost the same exact size as the cushion in an EK Civic. The DB8 bottom cushion is almost 3-4 inches wider and 2 inches taller than the DC2 cushion. It is all around fatter. That is why if you are wanting to swap seats from an ITR into you EK hatchback, you will need to do the swap I listed above to the frames and find the bottom cushion from a DB8 ITR sedan (four door).

[hybrid1224]

Originally Posted by Eran

For my CTR seats in my 97 hatch, I fabbed up an inner rod out of a nut and bolt (to utilize the inner tab on the chassis). I then drilled out the threaded holes on the outside to accommodate the outer rods.

Works fantastic.

Same here! Worsk like a charm.

[R-Civic]

Ohkay,

i understand now.

Now who sells only the bottom end of itr db8? I think nobody.

So i have to buy the rear seats from a dc2 & db8 to fix it up al nice.

And have a db8 backrest as a leftover.


my wallet won't be glad with that.

[JDM Like Whoa]

Nice writeup! I did this a couple years ago on my 97 black hatch. Was a PITA if you ask me and this time around, I am just gonna cage the car and remove seats haha.

[Agent_EM1]

Nice Thanks for the write-up. I put 96-00 leather rear hatch seats in my EK coupe or atleast "tried" to, and it didn't turn out too good.

[nabin]

i took my gsr seats apart today, and im picking up stock ek ones tommorow. nice write up, ill post some pics of mine when i finish!

[ctran015]

nice!

[Abius]

Very good write up. Does it work the same in an EG Hatch? DO the locks line up the same in the EG.

THanks
Matt

[Abius]

Very good write up. Does it work the same in an EG Hatch? DO the locks line up the same in the EG.

THanks
Matt

[Abius]

Originally Posted by ProMotive

This picture is from an EG hatch. Do the seats just swap right into them?

[Abius]

Originally Posted by ProMotive

This picture is from an EG hatch. Do the seats just swap right into them?

[JdmPhoolish]

Excellent Write up Buddy ..i think i want to do this to my EK..post pictures as soon as u can no rush just hurry up

[Redbone]

yeah, password has rear seats for 99-00 hatch but not the 96-98 which is in the pic up there.

[insanelex]

good job! wouldve said great job if it was for em1 coupe haha. any way to do that!? i heard you have to get the itr sedan seats but is there a way with the itr coupe seats!?

[bluebomber]

You can probably make them fit, but there are going to be huge gaps on the sides and between the top and bottom cushions.