What seats are you running?

[Sleeper_08]

Those will be available from Ford Racing (minus the BOSS302 logo) sometime this year. They have gotten great reviews from the magazine drivers.

Track-car downsides of these seats:
Side airbags = extra weight
No anti-submarining harness hole (Irrelevant if not running rollbar + harnesses)
Not fixed-back. (Irrelevant if not running rollbar + harnesses)

I was actually thinking of using them with a rollbar + harness + airbag so that all of my bases would be covered on and off the track.

 

[DusterRT]

Yeah, but you get what you pay for. If you slam your car into a tire wall at triple-digit speeds, would you rather be strapped into a well-engineered Sparco or a JC-Whitney special?

Actually don't the ol' NASCAR boys use aluminum seats? Think what you want about the racing, but there's no denying that they get in some gnarly wrecks and usually walk away. I know they used to at least. I wouldn't call a seat from a reputable manufacturer cheap junk, it's just a lot cheaper to bend up and weld aluminum compared to making a complex and high quality, light weight composite molding.

Track-car downsides of these seats:
Side airbags = extra weight

Probably not that much though; I'd wager single digits for each seat, possibly combined.

 

[Philostang]

OK, between foolio acting the fool and Sky Render completely speaking out his arse, the misrepresentation of Kirkey needs to come to an end. Some folks here are actually looking at this thread with interest, and we should at least try to make informed comments (or better, stay silent).

The aluminum seat pictured earlier (in bare form) in this thread isn't a Kirkey, it's an Ultrashield. They're a reputable manufacturer and make a solid/safe seat, but frankly having been in both I think the Kirkey are better made and more comfortable. I've never heard any racer bash either seat manufacturer.

Aluminum seats in general have proven their worth time and time again in 200+ mph crashes (is that what you had in mind by "triple-digit speeds"?). Kirkey has been manufacturing the very seats that were in those crashes for over 25 years.

Now you come to your FIA certification. First, read it. What you'll find is that composite seats lose their certification after 5 years (much like composite helmets, they degrade over time and exposure to elements). I know some organizations allow you to continue to use them after 5 years, but then you are required to support the back.

Now you come to the ease of manufacturing - composite wins hands down, as it doesn't take an experienced hand to lay down glass over a buck and make it look decent enough to sell. (Doing it right is another story, which is why you pay the price for a quality composite seat.) The reality is that this has spawned a slew of fake seats from over-seas (some with convincing FIA stickers). So you had better be sure your vendor is well-known.

As for safety, unless I was required by competition rules to run an FIA seat, I'd go with a Kirkey every time. I've seen video of composite seats flexing side-to-side, and even without a back brace the Kirkeys are nowhere near as flexible. Personally, I'd recommend to anyone to run a bolted-in back brace, as it is stiffer and safer (ties the seat into the chassis & roll bar/cage at an additional point). You can't easily do this with most composite seats, as it compromises their integrity.

For those still reading, here are some pics of the Kirkey Deluxe Road Race Seat structure:

Best,
-j

 

[foolio2k4]

From what i can tell, most if not all of NASCAR has gone with CF/Kevlar seats. Same goes for DTM, ALMS, LMS, BTCC, GT3, GT1, GT4, Mustang Challange, and just about every other series.

Im not suggesting that Kirkeys wont be safe. I look at it as old school tech. Theres more or less a reason why theres a shift into composite seats. Because they have been proven to be safer.

As for people that are cost conscious, and nowadays who isnt. OMP sells a decently priced FRP seat for less than 400 that are FIA homologated and HANS compatible.


Regardless, you are the one purchasing the seats. So its your decision on how you value your safety.

Anyways, we have gone off topic and I would like to see what kind of seats others are running.

Please post pictures of your seats if you can.

I saw a GT500 that swapped in Ford GT CF seats I will have to find a picture of that in my archives.

 

[Sleeper_08]

That is a pretty impressive Kirkey seat.

 

[chrumck]

Well, I run Corbeau FX1 Pro and I'd say it's very stiff. When I try to push/pull it sideways the car moves more on tires and suspension then the seat itself. The only part of the seat which flexes about 1/2in are the shoulder supports.

But before you crucify me for saying that, I'd like to add that I installed it on sidemount brackets like on the pic below. I heard it makes a world of difference. The downside is the installation/adjustment which is a major PITA. I curse the whole world every time I have to do that.

Since some safety concerns have been raised about this seat here I think I'll add a back support brace in the near future. It should be really rock solid with it.

I also tweaked the seat by adding some lumbar support (a piece of foam) and raising the thigh support (high density styrofoam cut to proper height) to get the perfect fit.

So, I'm satisfied with the seat. But you get what you pay for, right?

Tom

 

[mancha]

Is the Ford Racing seat the only one available with side airbags? I'd love to have a supportive racing seat, but I don't want to get shafted for disabling the factory safety system by my insurance company if I get in an accident on the street.

 

[Sky Render]

OK, between foolio acting the fool and Sky Render completely speaking out his arse, the misrepresentation of Kirkey needs to come to an end. Some folks here are actually looking at this thread with interest, and we should at least try to make informed comments (or better, stay silent).

How am I speaking out of my butt? I just said to avoid cheap seats like these. I never said Kirkey made junk.

 

[Philostang]

Sky,

My bad.

From the context it looked like you were talking about a.) aluminum seats in general or b.) Kirkey seats in particular. The ones in the link are pretty sketchy looking, and yet I've seen folks run stuff like that. I suppose it rests on your level of awareness and sense of risk tolerance. I couldn't do it...hell, I wouldn't even recommend those on the street.

Tom,

I don't have much to say about Corbeau seats, I've only seen them here and there. However, I will say you're a mean-mean man sitting all secure in your seat while your poor passenger hangs on for dear life! =)

From what I've seen a bit of flex in the shoulder wings is pretty common when directly pressed on, so I'm inclined not to think much of it. Maybe I'm wrong? I think you'll really like the back brace. The more tied in your seat is to the car, the greater direct feel you have of what its doing. I fell in love with the first proper-seat/harnessed car I drove just on that alone.

Anyway, to get back to the thread, I'm surprised we haven't seen more pics of what folks are running.

-j

 

[chrumck]

Tom,

I don't have much to say about Corbeau seats, I've only seen them here and there. However, I will say you're a mean-mean man sitting all secure in your seat while your poor passenger hangs on for dear life! =)

-j

Yeah, I know But the reason is that I need passenger's reclining seat to be able to put the wheels in the back. I put at least a racing harness on the passenger side. I've just started working on making some inconspicuous hole in the OEM seat for the fifth point.

Tom

 

[pcdrj]

These were taken when I first installed them.

 

[Sky Render]

Sky,

My bad.

From the context it looked like you were talking about a.) aluminum seats in general or b.) Kirkey seats in particular. The ones in the link are pretty sketchy looking, and yet I've seen folks run stuff like that. I suppose it rests on your level of awareness and sense of risk tolerance. I couldn't do it...hell, I wouldn't even recommend those on the street.
-j

Forget about it. I was trying to be helpful for others that might read this thread in the future. My point was to get good seats from a reputable brand, not some off-brand junk that just happens to look the same.

 

[Axes-Of-Evil]

pcdrj are u running just a harness bar or is that a roll bar and I just can't see the loop?

 

[pcdrj]

pcdrj are u running just a harness bar or is that a roll bar and I just can't see the loop?

It's the Grigg's roll bar.

 

[Axes-Of-Evil]

It's the Grigg's roll bar.

out of curiosity howcome you went with that one? from what i can tell it doesnt have any rear bracing and its just a loop, when you could get a 4 point from autopower or w/e for relatively cheaper? (to teh best of my knowledge, correct me if I'm wrong)

 

[pcdrj]

out of curiosity howcome you went with that one? from what i can tell it doesnt have any rear bracing and its just a loop, when you could get a 4 point from autopower or w/e for relatively cheaper? (to teh best of my knowledge, correct me if I'm wrong)

It's been a while so I don't recall exactly what autopower's bar looked like but I didn't want to attach to the floor. The Griggs bar mounts at the area just below the rear seat and replaces the stock bracing in that area. In the event of a roll over it will not go though the floor. It also ties into the upper seat belt attachment points so it is technically a 4 point...maybe. Figured I would add rear bracing when I was ready to gut the interior but it hasn't happened yet.

 

[Axes-Of-Evil]

It's been a while so I don't recall exactly what autopower's bar looked like but I didn't want to attach to the floor. The Griggs bar mounts at the area just below the rear seat and replaces the stock bracing in that area. In the event of a roll over it will not go though the floor. It also ties into the upper seat belt attachment points so it is technically a 4 point...maybe. Figured I would add rear bracing when I was ready to gut the interior but it hasn't happened yet.

That's sound reasoning, thanks!

 

[Philostang]

Not sure what was available when pcdrj got the Griggs bar, but as an FYI the Maximum Motorsports bar also bolts on top of the rear seat bulkhead (replacing the OEM gusset there) but it also has rear struts that mount down to the wheel well. And like the Griggs bar, you can get it with a triangulated brace. Neither bar is cheap, but I think they're the best designed ones out there.

I've never been fond of roll bar designs that attach to the floor, but if you're going to do it then a 6" square pad is pretty much standard. The Autopower bar's main hoop pads are ridiculously small (3"x4" if I recall), and we've already seen the TX roll over incident where their bar went through the floor.

If you have one already, then reinforcing that area with additional plates should be high on your priority list. When we did Dave's bar we reinforced it in with a 3-sided and gusseted brace that was welded to the floor, bulkhead, and rocker panel.

If you're shopping for a bar, I'd look seriously at the MM bar. I run it and admit I'm biased, as I totally love that thing.

Best,
-j

 

[Axes-Of-Evil]

Not sure what was available when pcdrj got the Griggs bar, but as an FYI the Maximum Motorsports bar also bolts on top of the rear seat bulkhead (replacing the OEM gusset there) but it also has rear struts that mount down to the wheel well. And like the Griggs bar, you can get it with a triangulated brace. Neither bar is cheap, but I think they're the best designed ones out there.

I've never been fond of roll bar designs that attach to the floor, but if you're going to do it then a 6" square pad is pretty much standard. The Autopower bar's main hoop pads are ridiculously small (3"x4" if I recall), and we've already seen the TX roll over incident where their bar went through the floor.

If you have one already, then reinforcing that area with additional plates should be high on your priority list. When we did Dave's bar we reinforced it in with a 3-sided and gusseted brace that was welded to the floor, bulkhead, and rocker panel.

If you're shopping for a bar, I'd look seriously at the MM bar. I run it and admit I'm biased, as I totally love that thing.

Best,
-j

I don't have a rollbar yet and don't forsee one in the very near future, but it is in the future none the less. So I'll steer clear of the Autopower (forgot it was theirs that punched through the floor). I'll remember to look for the MM/Griggs when I go to purchase one. Sorry for the thread jack.

 

[pcdrj]

Last Monday a Z06 ended up on its roof at Watkins Glen. The guy had a proper roll bar and walked away. It slammed pretty hard and without that bar the roof would have totally collapsed.