Seats

[tom91ita]

I have a better than entry level aluminum that uses supports at the shoulders rathe wrapping you at the ribs. I have a minimal backbrace that will not injure me.

My sole concern with the fiberglass is that someone like SFI will declare they have a life expectancy of 2 or 5 years and they need periodic replacement based on sun exposure testing in sunlight in Death Valley or some other place we purported store our cars much like the seatbelt debacle.

That being said, I am looking at the entry level $800 seats noted above as my next seat because of side to side head support lost when the Isaac H&NR debacle occurred.

EDIT: seats i would look at (pricing might be dated) the OMP RS-P.T. 2 Racing Seat for $699, the OMP HTE for $899 and the Momo Daytona for $875 but on sale for $656

[Chip42]

My sole concern with the fiberglass is that someone like SFI will declare they have a life expectancy of 2 or 5 years and they need periodic replacement based on sun exposure testing in sunlight in Death Valley or some other place we purported store our cars much like the seatbelt debacle.

FIA calls out 5 years already, SCCA does not enforce. IIRC, NASA and PCA are among the organizations that DO. given all of the attention seat rules are and have been getting of late, it'd be wise to assume the 5 year rule will apply sooner than later in SCCA. if youhave luck like mine, you'll be replacing the whole F'ing car in that same interval so it can be rolled into that cost and hidden somewhat.

EDIT - please check with TrackSpeed if you are interested in the OMP seat.

[wepsbee]

I installed a new full containment seat in my Integra prior to last years season start.
We all know what I did to the car in turn 3 at NHMS I got out of the car with only a "WTF" feeling in my head and a slight bruise on my chest ( steering wheel). Seat was great, H&N system was great and all safety equipment worked as advertised. I had a small club style seat in my previous car and I shudder to think of the bouncing around I would have done in that seat. I was fully contained and appreciated it. I will always use this style seat.

[Simon T.]

I just bought an aluminum Kirkey, not containment, but their road race seat.

I did a lot of research as to what to get. I've even read from multiple people that FIA seats aren't really MADE to give, that's just the nature of the material. You can get into all types of debates, it's hard to find real answers. Some FIA seats even use seat back braces though.

I found some really good threads by searching Google though including one with input from someone who works for the FIA doing seat tests and some of his stories were pretty interesting, I'll see if I can find the thread.

[Ed Funk]

Have had Momo seats, kirkey road race seats, a Sparco full containment. Have always used two tubes coming forward from the cage to a plate across the seat back as a bck support. Te tubes are at the lateral areas of the back and even in a severe situation wouldn't be a danger to the driver. Will say that we feel the Sparco was probably responsible for breaking my ribs in a Mid-O crash a few years ago. Have been really happy with the Kirkeys. Will probably do a Kirkey full containment.

[tom91ita]

Ed,

Series 45 or 71?

http://kirkeyracing.com/index.php?li...srCustomFields[Road%20Race]=True&srSearchType=Eq

[Ed Funk]

45

[tderonne]

I found some really good threads by searching Google though including one with input from someone who works for the FIA doing seat tests and some of his stories were pretty interesting, I'll see if I can find the thread.

That'd be interesting. Please post if you can find it again. The FIA 8855-1999 cert/test is a joke. A single 15g rearward impact test. That's WAY less than production car seats are tested to.

The newer FIA spec is good, don't confuse them. That's where you'll find seats with rear support. That's where you'll also find $5000 seats!

[Chip42]

That'd be interesting. Please post if you can find it again. The FIA 8855-1999 cert/test is a joke. A single 15g rearward impact test. That's WAY less than production car seats are tested to.

The newer FIA spec is good, don't confuse them. That's where you'll find seats with rear support. That's where you'll also find $5000 seats!

8855-1999 test is 20G rear, followed by 15G side and another 10G rear. not the harshest of tests but far more severe than you quote. these seats have proven over time to be VERY safe in a numbe rof applications from WRC to touring cars and club racing. and every model is tested, unlike a lof of the aluminum ones, even of the high end containment variety. I would never hesitate to recommend one of these seats over an untested kirkey or the like. even on proper sliders and especially without a back brace.

the 8862-2009 test is pretty impressive, using static loads in various places, even a crush test of up to 60kN combined, prescribed seat feature dimensions, etc... but NO requirement for a seat back brace, only the option for one. FWIW, allowed side deofrmation of the head region is 80mm lateral, 120mm rearward under loading 7/11/14kN (head shoulder pelvis) lateral and 7/14/14kN (head/shoulder/mid-back) rear. there are specifications for the aparatus to do these tests with load plate shapes and whatnot all defined. good test, good seats. absolutely the "money is no object" seat to have.

[DavidM]

There are tradeoffs. You can get a custom aluminum seat made without breaking the bank and you can typically mount an aluminum seat lower than a fiberglass one. Those were two of the big reasons I have a Kirkey seat. I'm tall and thin and was able to get the seat built to be the right width with the rib supports in the right area as well as have the shoulder strap holes be the correct height. This was impossible with off-the-shelf fiberglass seats. I was also able to get a custom frame built (attached to the cage) to mount the seat pretty much on the floor. I need all the headroom I can get. The seat fits me perfectly and holds me like a glove. Of course, probably nobody else could drive my car due to the seat setup. I looked at various fiberglass seats and nothing fit me quite right. I may have eventually found the right one, but maybe not.

As was said, whatever you do don't get some cheap PoS seat. Get a good seat and then spend the time and money to get it mounted correctly.

David