Lumbar support: Any good? Reasonable DIY?

[2004_blue_zhp]

Anyone out there want to weigh in on the quality of the lumbar support in the E46 sport seats that had it as an option?

I have started having back problems recently and was thinking about how much I wished my car had lumbar support. I spent a full day last week driving in a few other cars that all had fantastic lumbar support and I really noticed the difference.

I've looked at the DIY's for retrofitting it. Seems like a real pain, but doable for a couple hundred bucks (I'd only do the driver's side).

Thoughts?

[danewilson77]

It's awesome. My weigh in.

Sent from the HTC DNA, Williamsburg, VA and USA

[BavarianZHP]

You can also get one of those foam lumbar supports to attach to your seat... Maybe give that a go to see how it feels before heavily modifying a seat?

[Tnhl1989]

There is. I believe it's in my thread. Ill have to find the ones I found on e46. However if you google lumbar e46 a few things should show up anyways. Be careful to not cut yourself. :)

[johnrando]

Anyone out there want to weigh in on the quality of the lumbar support in the E46 sport seats that had it as an option?

I have started having back problems recently and was thinking about how much I wished my car had lumbar support. I spent a full day last week driving in a few other cars that all had fantastic lumbar support and I really noticed the difference.

I've looked at the DIY's for retrofitting it. Seems like a real pain, but doable for a couple hundred bucks (I'd only do the driver's side).

Thoughts?

No pun intended? :) It's adjustable, so s/b able to find a setting I'm guessing.

[jayjay_dee]

If you really need it, then it is a reasonable DIY...

I have a problem with my lower back too, im very glad my e70 has the lumbar support especially when driving from NJ to Toronto which we do almost every other month to visit my wife's family... my e46 lacks it, but I dont use for long drives...

I can also suggest to try the lumbar support pillows first...

[Tnhl1989]

Well the best option I would say that came with my 330xi was the lumbar. Not really noticeable since it was buried in the regular leather powered seats however when it is in sports seats it totally made a difference. Well most of you all know that the reason I got a zhp was because Chad introduced it to me and that I was looking for a replacement car due to the accident that totaled the XI. After I found the car and traveled 10 hours to get it. Driving it back I had a lot of back pain still due to the accident. Only up until now my back has been strong enough so that can I adjust the lumbar a bit to not completely push my back away from the chair. I took the seats out of the XI, stripped them down and coming back from Philly I took the seats out of the ZHP and swapped the lumbar over. Best decision I ever made. Majority of the alcantara seats if not all does not have lumbar to my knowledge. I followed this DIY - http://www.tmk.com/lumbar/index.shtml in terms of taking the seats apart. The sport seats are a tad different and a bit easier. The hardest part was to put the control panel back on and taking it off. Be careful with cutting your fingers too. GL :)

[derbo]

I believe pip did this retrofit.


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[yura]

Had no idea this retrofit was possible. Definitely doing it when I get another ZHP. Lumbar support is something I always wanted.

[Pip]

The DIY retrofit is simple and just takes some patience when maneuvering the bag behind the metal frame holding the seat foam.

I paid $160 for two convertible seats out of a ZHP, but it could be any seat with lumbar. Lucky for me one of our members was parting them out because they were damaged and not useable so they were cheaper than normal.

The lumbar support is great and I love it. My only gripe is mine loses its pressure slowly over a long drive so I just fill it up every so often when traveling long distances (2 hours or more in a trip).

Let me know if you want any additional info.

See Tony's post above^ for the DIY I followed as well.

[2004_blue_zhp]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I think the suggestion to try a lumbar pillow first is a reasonable one. Anyone have an example that's worked well for them? (I was thinking that most of the ones I've seen for sale would have an issue staying in the right place. One that doesn't have straps would probably sit too low on the seat for my taste, and one with straps would have trouble staying in the right place because of our relatively large side bolsters.) I'll probably start playing around with options this weekend and will let you guys know if I have any epiphanies.

I'm going to be near a dealership this morning running an errand. I'm tempted to ask them to quote a price for the lumbar retrofit. Anyone want to guess what they'll quote (driver's side only)?

[Avetiso]

Too much.

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[BavarianZHP]

I looked into it once before, I believe the quote was a tad over $1k, if memory serves. In any case, it was not worth it to me. I had a lumbar pillow in my other car for years and it worked well.

[alexandre]

Buy the parts on eBay or ebmwparts/getbmwparts if you want new. Last time I checked I think it ran about $350-400 per seat for new parts. Been thinking about it too.

[derbo]

i thought about it too but I think im permanently putting in my recaro in and it didnt seem worth it to me. Like Sean said, I would get used seats to get the parts out. It's probably cheaper.

[ELCID86]

I had them in the 330Ci that I sold. Really like them. Now you have me thinking about a DIY.

[BimmerWill]

I love them in mine. They came stock with the premium package on the car I believe. But I don't have the sport seats so didn't get the thigh bolsters.

Mine slowly lose pressure as well so i have to reinflate every once in a while but I believe they have saved my back on several trips.

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[billyjack]

That's the one option I wish I had. I think my car is fairly loaded except for lumbar and nav. I've always had problems in the lumbar region. I just use a small pillow whenever I feel I need the support. I don't usually like memory foam but I've thought about getting it for this purpose. Don't know how it would keep with heat in a car over summer though.

[Dave1027]

The seats in my ZHP have to be the best seats I have ever had in a vehicle mainly because they are so adjustable. I have the power seat option. Maybe all ZHPs come with that? Any way, the lumbar support has the cool feature of a 4 way power adjustment so it can be increased or decreased and best of all, moved up and down your back. How can it get any better than that?

[Hermes]

How can it get any better than that?

E38 Sport Seats have all the adjustability options of E46 Sport seats plus the top half of the seat back can tilt separately from the lower half so you can put your shoulders at the angle that is most comfortable to you ;)

[Dave1027]

E38 Sport Seats have all the adjustability options of E46 Sport seats plus the top half of the seat back can tilt separately from the lower half so you can put your shoulders at the angle that is most comfortable to you ;)Wow, that's impressive. Are the E38 sport seats compatible with E46?

[BimmerWill]

That's freaking awesome! I don't think I've ever seen that in a seat before.

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[Hermes]

I doubt they fit, they seem too wide to fit in my car but I haven't tried

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/1/web/433000-433999/433594_129.jpg

[Dave1027]

Yeah those seats look really nice. I like the headrests too. Can't stand the headrests they're putting in cars these days that push your head forward like your some sort of paraplegic.

[Hermes]

headrests are power as well

[stephenkirsh]

looking for a DIY guide for lumbar + side bolster retrofit on M3 seats... any suggestions? The ones I keep finding have expired pictures.

[nextelbuddy]

looking for a DIY guide for lumbar + side bolster retrofit on M3 seats... any suggestions? The ones I keep finding have expired pictures.

first my kit wont work with your seats because you also need the seat foam. apparently the seat foam is different than non bolster seats. it has its own PN.

but here are a few DIY links for you to chew on.

this is not a complicated retrofit especially if you are technically inclined meaning you pay attention to how things are when you pull tem apart as opposed to some people that just take things apart and dont pay attention. there is no coding involved, no crazy wiring. no running wires into fuse box ect..all plug and play.


i followed this doc for lumbar retrofit into sport seats... its literally the same for M3 seats.

https://www.glaver.org/lumbar/index.shtml

this link is for someone whom did the retrofit and gave points hints and thoughts but no pics since he said it is cut and dry.

http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=101662

i sent you plenty of pictures of how the items looked so you should have a good idea of how they fit onto the seat frames but here is a pic of a bare seat frame with the bolster system in place.

i believe it is very self explanatory in how things fit in regards to the bags and lumbar. your seats wont have any of it so the system just fits int your seat frame since there are spots to accept the parts.

i take pictures of things before I remove them so i know how they go back together.

the last picture shows the wire harness from the bolster pumps.. it just comes through and lines in with the seat switch main cover and it has a single 2 pin plug that plugs into an existing plug hole in your seat switch. no splicing, cutting, routing to fuse box etc...

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4765/39637317841_7816d5a005_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/23oBBDK)IMG_20171229_161838 (https://flic.kr/p/23oBBDK) by Shawn Robertson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/nextelbuddy/), on Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4752/39637317421_05bc448753_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/23oBBwv)IMG_20171229_155511 (https://flic.kr/p/23oBBwv) by Shawn Robertson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/nextelbuddy/), on Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4666/39637318291_fcd457c923_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/23oBBMv)IMG_20171229_161856 (https://flic.kr/p/23oBBMv) by Shawn Robertson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/nextelbuddy/), on Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4742/39637318531_308e4e0804_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/23oBBRD)IMG_20171229_163515 (https://flic.kr/p/23oBBRD) by Shawn Robertson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/nextelbuddy/), on Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4705/39637318761_791af99652_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/23oBBVB)IMG_20171229_164519 (https://flic.kr/p/23oBBVB) by Shawn Robertson (https://www.flickr.com/photos/nextelbuddy/), on Flickr