Teach me race seats

[AndyK5]

I think its time for me to get a race seat as between downshifting to 4th an MT taking my left foot and right hand away with my right foot on throttle and left hand one handing the car through a left to right and up down transition it is getting impossible to keep my self in place. It is at a point where my helmet mounted camera footage is sideways through corners as my neck bends beyond 45 degrees.


The only race seat I ever owned is an NRG on my race sim.

-What do you run and why?
-Does every race seat need a roll bar of some
sort for its harness?
-Can it be run with a 3 point belt for city usage and 4 point for track?
-What are some common brands/lines to avoid that are more for show (like $20 aluminum tow hooks)
-Any recommendations for 20 track day a year car that gets driven to track? I am 6.2 235lb more upper body than legs, so lower the seat the better.

Sponsored

 

[Renegadmelons]

I thought I'd take a stab at this as I just went through putting a racing seat and harness in my car and tried my best to do a lot of research. That said I'm definitely not an expert or have any venerable experience on this as it was my first time ever doing racing seats.

1. Recaro Sportster GT w/ Sub hole for HPDE with a USR Harness Bar and Schroth Clubman 2x2 6 point harness. I mostly chose this seat and set up as I do roughly 10-12 track days a year at the moment. I wanted something that would could still recline and be comfortable for the rest of the year, but could hold me reasonably well on track or during spirited drives. I don't run the 6 points on the street though as they don't have breakaway shoulder straps.

2. I don't believe you need a roll bar with harnesses, I know there are some harnesses where the shoulder belts can be mounted somewhere behind the driver. These types are traditionally mounted to the rear seat headrest behind the driver so I don't know if they can be used on a Supra. That said, this is dependent on the club you track with as some might have different requirements.

3. For my set up, I still have the OE 3 point harness to be used when I'm on the street as my 6 point harnesses are not safe to be used without a helmet and HANs.

4. I don't feel like I have enough experience to comment on brands to avoid, I know a lot of people like using the Cusco Harness bar but the OE mounting points for it don't feel as sturdy to me as the USR does, but that was a personal preference.

5. I used Pro Car Innovations for the seat mount and rails, they sit maybe about an inch lower than the lowest OEM seating position. I'm 5'7 so this set up was plenty low enough for me. I know companies like Macht Schnell, PLM, and Doteki make seat brackets that sit even lower that may give you an even lower seating position.

Hope this helps! Sorry if I missed anything or if I got anything wrong. If I did, someone please let me know lmao

 

[Rocksandblues]

All the major race seat brands are good.
Most all the brands make different lines of seats.
The difference in seats are basically weight, width, and how far down the line in containment.

weight is basically a decision on how much $ you want to spend to save 5-10-15 lbs.
for fit- the best thing i did was sit in a bunch of different seats at track days. 99% of track guys I have met are super cool and helpful. It helps that i am outgoing, but a basically introduced myself, complimenting them on whatever car they had and then asked if i could sit in followed by a bunch of questions.

* any race seat makes it harder to daily. I kind of have to fold myself into the seat. I don't daily but it would get super old fast.

sitting in them helps you figure out what width or size seat you need too. The better you fit the harder it is to get in and out- if that makes sense. You don't want to be squeezed but your hips and bottom kind of have to be one with the seat. Again would be a super pain to daily.

I have a Sparco Evo for three seasons- coming up on expiration and I will move to a full containment seat.

do NOT do 4 point at track. In fact most groups will fail that at tech. Cusco bar is good. go 6 point w hans if serious about track. Don't cheap out on helmet. I always ask students "well, how much is your head worth?" when asked how much to spend.

three point can be done w expanders but to ME is unsafe after installing a real race seat.
any seat under $800 is equal to $20 tow hooks

 

[nibble]

-What do you run and why?
OMP RS-PT2 on my race car (not supra) because cheapest yet has FIA certification. Also having halo allows not to have center net because extra protection. however, it will hinder vision in street car.

-Does every race seat need a roll bar of some sort for its harness?
Will be up to you. Most of design of stock seat is to use with 3 pt seat belt in the car. meaning seat belt, seat, & airbags were tested together in stock but if you replace any one component with other, it may not be as safe. Race seats are designed to work with rollbar, not 3 pt harness. that does not mean it will not work for every combination but certain combination may work on certain car. Too many variable and not tested... most likely any combination you will choose might be very unique to your car. please let us know if it didn't work during an incident or worked. On other hand, I recently purchased a set of 6pt harness from Project Motoring to be used on my race car. It also comes with bolts for shoulder harnesses so I assume it can use bolts instead of rollbar, I think.. Also, there are harness bar (not entire roll bar structure) just for harness mount although not sure if it's also available for supra.. I don't recommend using cusco bar - I have this on my supra as well - because it is held on by 2 small bolts on each side - better than stock but still not secure enough as well as made out of aluminum which is not strong as steel. however, Cusco does say it can used used as harness bar.. despite what they say, I still don't feel secure to use it as harness bar.

-Can it be run with a 3 point belt for city usage and 4 point for track?
DO NOT use 4pt harness.

-What are some common brands/lines to avoid that are more for show (like $20 aluminum tow hooks)
Always look for FIA Certification. Not Certified = Not tested = Not safe.

-Any recommendations for 20 track day a year car that gets driven to track? I am 6.2 235lb more upper body than legs, so lower the seat the better.
I run close to 30 track days a year with stock seat on supra so I don't have any for you except goto local race shop who has seats on display for you to seat on. in my area, there's race shop, Stable Energy, near by so I was able to seat on many before purchasing OMP. Ask them if seat and seat rail can support you as well as mounting advises if there's any special procedure to watch out for including 6 pt harness. you may pay a bit more than on-line but advises are worth it.

 

[razorlab]

I surprisingly agree with "Dishonest tracks" @nibble.

Best bet is to try out seats and find one that fits well for you. I will say OMP make some really comfy race seats. One thing to watch out for is the width as the Supra is quite tight.

For sure do a six point. It's safer and actually keeps you in the seat better. Four point you will constantly be slipping down and/or the waist belt will constantly be creeping up and crush your stomach.

Since you are 6.2 most of the rails won't work for you most likely. Bolt it straight to the floor.

 

[AndyK5]

I surprisingly agree with "Dishonest tracks" @nibble.

Best bet is to try out seats and find one that fits well for you. I will say OMP make some really comfy race seats. One thing to watch out for is the width as the Supra is quite tight.

For sure do a six point. It's safer and actually keeps you in the seat better. Four point you will constantly be slipping down and/or the waist belt will constantly be creeping up and crush your stomach.

Since you are 6.2 most of the rails won't work for you most likely. Bolt it straight to the floor.

So its alright to have a race seat, a 6 point harness, no roll cage but a harness bar only and the stock 3 point for street driving?

 

[kaj]

So its alright to have a race seat, a 6 point harness, no roll cage but a harness bar only and the stock 3 point for street driving?

Depends on who you ask lol

I'm part of the old school safety committee and was always taught that
1. harness bars were only meant to get the correct angle on your harness when you mount them to a proper surface.
2. You should only have a race seat and harness with a roll bar. (Rollover issues).

Times and popular opinion have changed considerably. Everyone has their own comfortable levels of risk.

 

[AndyK5]

I surprisingly agree with "Dishonest tracks" @nibble.

Best bet is to try out seats and find one that fits well for you. I will say OMP make some really comfy race seats. One thing to watch out for is the width as the Supra is quite tight.

For sure do a six point. It's safer and actually keeps you in the seat better. Four point you will constantly be slipping down and/or the waist belt will constantly be creeping up and crush your stomach.

Since you are 6.2 most of the rails won't work for you most likely. Bolt it straight to the floor.

Bolt it straight to the floor meaning don't have sliders but have a seat base like this sparco? https://www.sparcousa.com/product/seat-base-600-series


Or the side mounts will somehow line up to the floor without the seat base?

 

[razorlab]

Bolt it straight to the floor meaning don't have sliders but have a seat base like this sparco? https://www.sparcousa.com/product/seat-base-600-series


Or the side mounts will somehow line up to the floor without the seat base?

The Brey Krause side mounts bolt straight to the floor. Also have a nice six point addition that you can purchase separately.

Here is my setup. Straight to the floor was a little too low for me (i'm around 5'9") so I purchased Macht Schnell floor mounts to raise the seat a little.

https://www.bkauto.com/R_9261_for_Mid_Width_Seats_p/r-9261.htm
https://www.bkauto.com/R_9258_Sub_Strap_Mount_for_BK_Side_Mount_System_p/r-9258.htm
https://machtschnell.com/competition-liteweight-floor-mounts-for-racing-seats-e8x-e9x-f8x-m3-m4.html

 

[kyle9]

@razorlab do those BK floor/side mounts really only weight 4.5lb per seat?

(I’m assuming you weighed them in the name of data haha)

 

[AndyK5]

@razorlab do those BK floor/side mounts really only weight 4.5lb per seat?

(I’m assuming you weighed them in the name of data haha)

and is it doable to get in the seat without a removable steering wheel?

I like to sit pretty close to the wheel, about 50 degree bend at the elbows but I have long arms. Uber scientific measurements I know ahaha. I like to sit 50 bald eagle feathers away from the dashboard.

 

[razorlab]

@razorlab do those BK floor/side mounts really only weight 4.5lb per seat?

(I’m assuming you weighed them in the name of data haha)

LOL. Not by themselves but I did weigh the seat + 6pt harness + side mounts + 6pt bar + Oem seat belt buckle.

Sparco Evo QRT is advertised at 15.5lbs itself

 

[razorlab]

and is it doable to get in the seat without a removable steering wheel?

I like to sit pretty close to the wheel, about 50 degree bend at the elbows but I have long arms. Uber scientific measurements I know ahaha. I like to sit 50 bald eagle feathers away from the dashboard.

Yes, easily. I don't even need to move the wheel up.

 

[AndyK5]

Yes, easily. I don't even need to move the wheel up.

I really need the headroom that the sliders would take up....My head/helmet is banging on the sides of the "helmet bubble" while rubbing the headliner. I guess race seat would limit that to a degree but still.

 

[razorlab]

I really need the headroom that the sliders would take up....My head/helmet is banging on the sides of the "helmet bubble" while rubbing the headliner. I guess race seat would limit that to a degree but still.

It quickly becomes second nature how to get in/out of the car with the seat. Even guys with higher lower side bolsters like the OMP WRC-R (which, btw I am probably upgrading to this winter) don't need a removable wheel.

When you go to a halo seat is when you *should* have a removable wheel so you can get out of the car easier in an emergency.

That said, you can still get in/out with the oem wheel with a halo seat.

Sponsored