Race Seat Fit

[944 man]

How should you fit in a race seat? Ive been fiddling with my Sparcos and Im not sure that I actually do (fit, that is). Theyre about 380mm at their narrowest, what Sparco call dimension D, and whilst I can get in without too much discomfort; I seem to be far too large for the seats.

The side slots come halfway up my legs and the straps would be better located if they ran over the seat sides rather than through and you can only just see over my shoulders through the shoulder slots, because theyre very tall / elongated. Im not particularly large (6' 3" 17 stones, although Ive been slimmer...) and the seat is the same size as all other Sparcos, apart from their 'GT width' models; which fit a little better width-wise, but fit in a similar manner in the other apsects.

Are these fit to use, or do I need some sort of outsized American seat?

 

[Mike_Pollock]

I would think they are a little small for you.
The belts should pull straight from mount to shoulder / waist etc otherwise at impact the belt will try and pull the seat apart.

 

[Cater_Racer]

I'm afraid you're a tad larger than race seats are made for. I'm 5'7" and 11 stone, just about the limit for racing. It also helps if you've got the "racing snake" hips. Take a look at Mark Webber next time f1 is on, he's 1.84 Mtrs tall but only 75Kgs (6ft + about 11.5 stone).

The belts should be horizontal from the shoulder to the anchorage points to the rear, (see blue book). Most cages have a belt bar in the right place, if not then a bar across the original rear seat shoulder belt anchorages works.

 

[John Sims]

ORIGINAL: Cater_Racer

I'm afraid you're a tad larger than race seats are made for. I'm 5'7" and 11 stone, just about the limit for racing. It also helps if you've got the "racing snake" hips.........

Agreed I don't consider myself particularly large (though gave up looking when some scales lied that I was 12½ stone) and had to get the GT variant of my seat.

It is important that the belts have an unhindered route to their mounting point. If the seat is deflecting them (like a cam belt tensioner) they are affecting the tension of the belts. In a big crash the seat may well break and the belts will then become loose.

With your height it must be something of a challenge getting the seat positioned . I'm sub 6' but still needed to get the seat right down on the floor at the back to give sufficient clearance to wear a helmet in the car.

 

[Cater_Racer]

I started with the belts going down onto the lower mount points:

And was very lucky to get passed by scruitineering at Brands Hatch although they had long hard look at it and needed two signatures.

So had a bar made to fit across the upper rear belt mounts that gave unhindered horizontal runs for the belts. that passed FIA approval at Spa in July.

You're right about height John, both me and my son Tom (5'9") are close to the regulation spacing, and we had to rock the seat backwards by drilling extra holes in the seat mount, that gave us the clearance.

 

[944 man]

Thank you for the replies so far. I had used the rear lap belt mounts before, and theyre legal, but I was going to weld mounts onto the rear load deck for this car. Id be extremely interested to see the mounting bar that you have had fabricated.

With regards to the lap belts: I intend to route them over the seats sides because this will be more comfortable in normal use and they wont be trying the break the seat in the event of an off. A wider seat would solve this problem, as even though the sides would still be low, my thighs wouldnt be squeezed between them... Most seats have a similar seat to shoulder strap apeture measurement, so going to 'GT's wont help in that respect, but wider seats are harder to mount; and its already tricky locating the standard width racing seats, as John has pointed out.

I do have slender hips btw: but its my stodgy middle thats the problem! []

 

[Cater_Racer]

Hi I'm away on holiday ATM but here's the "engineering drawing" I had it made to.

I'll be home on Friday, can send a better picture then. Gerry

 

[Neil Haughey]

Simon you need to talk to Alex Eacock on this one, he is a big guy himself and also fits all the seats at EMC. Definitely sounds to me like you need the bigger seat, I have a Sparco Rev sat in my dining room and I barely get in it myself but I must be 1/2 the size of you.

BTW I have changed from using the load deck mounts to wrapping the belts onto the brace bar part of the cage, the advice I had from Stand21 was that the angle was too step for using with HANS.

 

[Hilux]

BTW I have changed from using the load deck mounts to wrapping the belts onto the brace bar part of the cage, the advice I had from Stand21 was that the angle was too step for using with HANS.

Use a Brey Krause harness guide bar?

I also have a BNIB harness guide bar for a 968 - bought but not fitted to my 944

 

[Neil Haughey]

Paul, the brace bar on the Safety Devices weld ins is an integral part of the cage. It runs between feet of the X brace in the back just above the load deck. Creates an almost perfect angle for the belts but I guess is a little further back than ideal if your short. For me at 5'7ish I am right on the limit whereby the belts can wrap next to each other, but its still infinitely better than you tend to see on many cars around a typical paddock and just about fits the HANS mounting guidance.

 

[944 man]

Its funny that you mention Alex Neil, because I had written that I was larger than Kevin when I was writing the first post, but I altered it...

Unfortunately I have a bolt-in Safety Devices cage, with only a single fixed diagonal - and no harness bar. I need to call EMC about a pair of door bars so I will ask then.

Im surprised about the load deck locations being unsuitable. Kev told me that he used to always use the lap belt mountings (as I had), but he had mounted the fixings onto the load deck on Lali Atwall's car particularly because he wanted to use a HANS. Ive always preferred a proper substantial body location rather than a cage cross bar, because I think that theres far more chance of their integrity being compromised; but it looks as though I may not have a choice.

How much would you have in mind Paul; and would the scrutes sign it off?


Simon

 

[Hilux]

Not a lot as its superfluous I can post pics buts a basic bar with threaded ends and brackets that bolt into the rear top seat belt mounts.

As for scrutes I dont know buts its a proper bit of kit.

 

[Neil Haughey]

Simon it varies between the drivers mate some do it like this some use the eye bolts on the load deck, Kev is happy with my belts going on to that bar. Its actually become pretty common on a lot of cage designs now to have a piece welded in just for this purpose and tbh if they start rigorously enforcing the mounting guidance for HANS none if us would have any choice. ISTR the downwards angle has to be between 0 and 20 degrees which is pretty much impossible without wrapping the belts onto a brace / harness bar of some sort.

I can feel the difference and for me its slightly more comfortable as before with the belts tight I had a lot of downwards pressure on my shoulders.

 

[j4mou]

The "Simon special" may have something to do with it fatty lol

 

[CarreraRSR]

I'd get a harness bar welded into the rear cage as per Safety Devices options.

 

[944 man]

Can you alter a cage after its completed Steve; even if its done by the manufacturer (Im sure thsatt thetre made in Eastern Europe now though)? I thought that any alteration would affect the rear's approval.

James - The Simon Special didnt add nearly as much as Emma has, although it might have been the start of it [] These really are slender seats though...

 

[j4mou]

which car are you messing with?

 

[944 man]

924S; but the seats are currently on my garage floor, along with the roll cage...

 

[944 man]

ORIGINAL: Cater_Racer

Hi I'm away on holiday ATM but here's the "engineering drawing" I had it made to.

I'll be home on Friday, can send a better picture then. Gerry

Would you be able to take me that picture please Gerry?


Simon

 

[333pg333]

Simon, if you're not particularly large at 6'3" / 17 stones....I'd hate to see your big brother!! [&:]
I'd also be concerned about headroom between helmet and inside of roof.