Racing seats and harnesses

[smudge 1020]

The time has come for me to look at some proper racing seats and harnesses, with me hopefully entering Time Attack and maybe 1 or 2 other race series next year along with TSS obviously

 

I've never had proper racing seats, so I have no clue what I'm looking for.

 

Obviously, I want something safe (pretty much all decent brands are good for this, right?), stylish but not breaking the bank. So I think Brides are sadly out of the equation

 

I've been looking at the likes of Corbeau, Cobra, Sparco etc - any recommendations on these or other brands?

 

Few questions I've got:

 

1. Seats - I ideally want matching seats rather than just the 1 for the driver. Could I get a fixed seat for me and a reclining seat for the passenger so I can still put stuff on the back seats when travelling?

2. Harnesses - I only need a 4 point harness I assume? 6 point seems OTT

3. Attaching harnesses - I haven't yet come across a cage that allows you to keep the back seats in place, which I want as I do use them sometimes and I don't want to go into the pro class at TSS for shedding weight. Would a harness bar be worthwhile to attach the straps to?

 

Thanks in advance

[Lauren 2259]

1. Avoid the cheap metal framed seats, they are not good. I would spend the money on a decent seat for the driver, don't worry about the passenger. But that said you want GRP or GRP/Carbon. Corbeau do some great seats. But don't buy till you've tried them all. Yes get a reclining seat for the passenger, it won't match though if you have a fixed bucket!

 

You may have some insurance complications through losing the airbags. Obviously you'll need to check that out with your insurers. 

 

2. 4 point harnesses are not great. You want a 5 or 6 point, it's just so much more secure and prevents submarining. 

 

3. You can get a harness bar, royal PITA though. But, yes that would work fine. 

 

Kev uses harnesses I think with the stock seat. Pretty sure he uses the isofix points. Is it not better to suck it and see before spending ££££'s. Just a thought really. 

[smudge 1020]

1. Avoid the cheap metal framed seats, they are not good. I would spend the money on a decent seat for the driver, don't worry about the passenger. But that said you want GRP or GRP/Carbon. Corbeau do some great seats. But don't buy till you've tried them all. Yes get a reclining seat for the passenger, it won't match though if you have a fixed bucket!

 

You may have some insurance complications through losing the airbags. Obviously you'll need to check that out with your insurers. 

 

2. 4 point harnesses are not great. You want a 5 or 6 point, it's just so much more secure and prevents submarining. 

 

3. You can get a harness bar, royal PITA though. But, yes that would work fine. 

 

Kev uses harnesses I think with the stock seat. Pretty sure he uses the isofix points. Is it not better to suck it and see before spending ££££'s. Just a thought really. 

 

I've seen some of the Corbeau and Cobra models that come in fixed or reclining, so look almost the same apart from the mechanism obviously. Hope I can find something I like in both variations

 

Excuse my ignorance, but "submarining"? Doesn't sound good, but what is it?

 

I felt myself moving around a lot in my seat at Rockingham for Japfest 2, now that I'm really confident in what the car can do in the bends I feel I need a lot more support than the OEM seats offer

[Church 209]

I'm not sure one can use on public roads car with cage legally. Cage is meant to be used with eg. helmet on. One can injure himself in collision hitting with head cage with uncovered head for example, also many airbags won't work with it installed.

 

To me even stock seats imho provide enough side support. Just that they are a bit on heavy side (especially if with heating function in top trims). If i would choose to change seats to sport ones, i'd probably would go all-or-nothing though by changing both to lighter weight carbon ones + rear seat delete + cage + possibly ripping out lot of other comfort/sound proofing stuff. But as it is now, with car being mostly DD with very rare track action it seems fine enough as is.

[smudge 1020]

I'm not sure one can use on public roads car with cage legally. Cage is meant to be used with eg. helmet on. One can injure himself in collision hitting with head cage with uncovered head for example, also many airbags won't work with it installed.

 

To me even stock seats imho provide enough side support. Just that they are a bit on heavy side (especially if with heating function in top trims). If i would choose to change seats to sport ones, i'd probably would go all-or-nothing though by changing both to lighter weight carbon ones + rear seat delete + cage + possibly ripping out lot of other comfort/sound proofing stuff. But as it is now, with car being mostly DD with very rare track action it seems fine enough as is.

 

Didn't even think about weight saving with the new seats, a good point

 

As far as I know, there is no law in the UK saying you can't have a cage in a road car. Look at the Meganne 225 that comes with a cage as standard. Yes it's designed to be used on the track but is still a road legal car out of the factory

 

The OEM seats don't hold me in place on the track, so it's time to upgrade and it's not something I'll be doing cheaply, but just don't want to bankrupt myself

 

I can't strip the rear seats out as I use them to put bits on when driving such as bags and helmet if I'm going to a show and the boot is full. Plus it would put me into the pro class off TSS if I stripped them out and I'm not going up against Adrian to come 2nd every time!

[Keethos 842]

Yeah, it was the Megane R26 which even had plastic windows.

What about this Jordan? I've been contemplating getting these, my body was built for the stock seats but my I'm always holding leaning on the sides of the centre console and inner door when cornering:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Toyota-86-GT86-TRD-Center-Console-Knee-Pad-Door-Knee-Pad-set-PADS-RHD-only-/171280065824?hash=item27e1166520

Also, I had to look up Submarining and I'm sure what I read isn't what Lauren meant....something along the lines of motor boating but in the nether regions What I think Lauren meant was that 5 or 6 point harness will prevent you from sliding under the harness.

[Deacon 1357]

As a quick fix get a CG lock. They work brilliantly at holding you in place on the stock seats. I wouldn't be without mine on track and as a bonus they're less than £50.

[Tareim 343]

I'm not sure one can use on public roads car with cage legally. Cage is meant to be used with eg. helmet on. One can injure himself in collision hitting with head cage with uncovered head for example, also many airbags won't work with it installed.

 

To me even stock seats imho provide enough side support. Just that they are a bit on heavy side (especially if with heating function in top trims). If i would choose to change seats to sport ones, i'd probably would go all-or-nothing though by changing both to lighter weight carbon ones + rear seat delete + cage + possibly ripping out lot of other comfort/sound proofing stuff. But as it is now, with car being mostly DD with very rare track action it seems fine enough as is.

 

roll cages are street legal as Rally cars that do multi venue races have to be road legal and get an mot, as for stock seats providing enough support, they do to a certain degree but I do find myself sliding a little bit when going around roundabouts enthusiasticly to the point where I would be coming out of the seat if it were not for the door + seatbelt

[Mike 458]

As a quick fix get a CG lock. They work brilliantly at holding you in place on the stock seats. I wouldn't be without mine on track and as a bonus they're less than £50.

 

Is that basically something to keep the seatbelt locked at a specific tightness?

[Lauren 2259]

Firstly a harness bar, is just a harness bar. Fitting a roll cage for road use is not clever, nor is it cool. You would lose all your airbags if you did that. Also a roll cage could kill you in an accident. 

 

Jordan, fitting harnesses with stock seats will make a huge differences. A four point harness is not good because in the event of an impact you can slide forward with your legs, hence the the submarining term. 

 

A five or six point stops this completely and is far, far more secure at holding you in place. 

 

In my old AW11 SC circa2003:

 

 

And when I had installed a bucket seat:

 

 

Given you are going to spend 99% of your time road driving, you may well find that harnesses alone provide enough support to keep you in place during cornering. I too get a sore left knee bracing myself on clockwise circuits, but given the amount of time I actually spend on track, I just don't think it's worth investing in this. I can cope, it's okay. 

 

Make sure though if you do buy a bucket seat to get one that is absolutely perfect for you, or it will be torture on long road trips. 

 

As Jeff said, a CG lock is a cheap and inexpensive way of securing you a bit better than the stock seat belt does. 

[smudge 1020]

Next year I'll be using the car mainly for track stuff, with a new job hopefully on the horizon that gives me a company car, I won't need to drive the 86 everywhere unless I want to

 

I think I need to go sit in some seats. Corbeau aren't too far from me, down on the coast in Hastings. GSM performance have a wide range of seats but they're up in Nottingham which is about 3 hours from me

[Deacon 1357]

Is that basically something to keep the seatbelt locked at a specific tightness?

It is Mike.

[Mike 458]

It is Mike.

 

Assuming you'll have it with you on Monday, can I have look?

[AJ124 118]

Smudge, Grand Prix Raceware at Silverstone certainly used to have a good selection. Might be worth a call.

[Deacon 1357]

Assuming you'll have it with you on Monday, can I have look?

Of course Mike. It's always on the belt so I'll definitely have it.

[Mike 458]

Of course Mike. It's always on the belt so I'll definitely have it.

 

I'll add that to the list of things that explain why you're quicker

[Deacon 1357]

I'll add that to the list of things that explain why you're quicker

:-)

[Tareim 343]

Of course Mike. It's always on the belt so I'll definitely have it.

 

I'll have to take a look at it too, might be a nice option to have

[smudge 1020]

Smudge, Grand Prix Raceware at Silverstone certainly used to have a good selection. Might be worth a call.

 

Oooooh and they've got a VAT free sale this weekend...

 

I like the look of the Sparco seats. From what I can see there is no real difference between the main manufacturers in terms of safety or compatibility, so it kinda of comes down to looks and price

 

I'd love a set like these with the side head rests, but apparently they're not road legal due to blocking your blind spot

 

 

So I think it comes down to something like these 2

 

 

 

[Tareim 343]

I'd go with the Pro 2000, looks more comfortable and supportive

[smudge 1020]

I need to try some out as Lauren said. Might ask Grand Prix Racewear if they have them in stock to try out

[Lauren 2259]

Definitely don't buy a seat till you've had a good sit in it. It's the only way really. 

[Guest]

MOT law states that the car will pass an MOT with no airbags as long as the rear seats are removed, the car has a full roll cage, bucket seats and harnesses.

Any part of the airbag system removed without all the items mentioned above will fail MOT and will therefore not be legal even if the car is under 3 years old.

Not sure how insurance will cover the car with no airbags??

[Polishingpedlar 49]

I was at Grandprix raceware recently and they have a large selection of seats on show to try out for size.

Easy to spend a lot of money in there ! Be careful!

Still would phone before you make the trip buddy..

[smudge 1020]

Cheers will give them a bell tomorrow to see if they've got the seats I've shortlisted for me to try out