How to get lower seating position?

siren676 · Post by **siren676** » Wed Jan 23, 2013 10:12 pm

Lately my height is starting to get to me in my car.
Its annoying having to crane my neck to see traffic lights and sometimes I hit my head on the roof on big bumps.

I am considering doing a foamectomy on my seats but im not sure it'll be enough.

Any ideas?

Bwarp · Post by **Bwarp** » Wed Jan 23, 2013 10:43 pm

Do foamectomy first cos its easy. Look at other options second. I found my race tech seats sat me higher in the car than standard seats after foamectomy did.

Furai · Post by **Furai** » Wed Jan 23, 2013 10:58 pm

Your having height issues? Mines sweet, dont hit my head on even the harshest bumps and only have to tilt a little to see the worst of traffic lights.

Get a steering wheel spacer as it makes a huge difference(You can sit back more and get more leg room). Then do the Foam thing from the back of the seat as its easiest and see how it sits.

siren676 · Post by **siren676** » Wed Jan 23, 2013 11:05 pm

Steering wheel spacer is on the cards as well but my seat is already as far back as possible.
I really want to sit as low as possible as the rollbar i just got is a little under my head height

Furai · Post by **Furai** » Wed Jan 23, 2013 11:08 pm

siren676 wrote:Steering wheel spacer is on the cards as well but my seat is already as far back as possible.
I really want to sit as low as possible as the rollbar i just got is a little under my head height

Thats where the foam from the back of the seat comes in, then a foamectomy on the bottom. James seats fell a fair amount lower just by slipping out the back piece.

After that you have to go aftermarket.

siren676 · Post by **siren676** » Wed Jan 23, 2013 11:45 pm

Going to be painting and fitting the roll bar tomorrow. Will try a foamectomy if i get some spare time tomorrow between working on friends cars

dylann · Post by **dylann** » Thu Jan 24, 2013 1:05 am

you could take the seat off the sliding rails (if possible, havent looked lately) and mount the seat to a frame of flat steel that bolts to the original floor holes. hope you know what i mean haha but should lower you a couple of inches, however youd obviously lose the sliding function.

chris · Post by **chris** » Thu Jan 24, 2013 8:27 am

Put a bucket in the car.

Mad Kiwi · Post by **Mad Kiwi** » Thu Jan 24, 2013 4:45 pm

The design of the seat and the rails is very good. The bottom of the seat sits lower than than mounting point of the rails.

Removing the rails wont help.

My race seats also sit higher than the OEM seats because the base (bum part) is level with the mounts not lower like the OEM setup....

Installing race seats for tall guys is a real pain......

The foamectomy and back insert removal is a great mod that really "made" the car for me and a good reason why I remove the race seats and use the OEM ones for anything but track work......

siren676 · Post by **siren676** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 11:39 pm

Going to have a go at doing a foamectomy tomorrow.
Have had a look online and have seen a few methods for the base part. 1 removing the bump from the base of the seat and the other removing a layer off the top of it.
Is one better than the other? Or can you do both for an even lower position?

Angreal · Post by **Angreal** » Wed Jan 30, 2013 11:41 pm

I just pulled all the staples off, lifted up the seat cover and then got a knife and started hacking away at it. Put it all back together using cable ties rather than trying to re-bend the staples back on which was much less effort.

Be careful though, they're sharp and I managed to get a few small cuts from them

tomtikki · Post by **tomtikki** » Thu Jan 31, 2013 8:30 am

siren676 wrote:Going to have a go at doing a foamectomy tomorrow.
Have had a look online and have seen a few methods for the base part. 1 removing the bump from the base of the seat and the other removing a layer off the top of it.

Cut from the bottom up, if you cut the top of the seat it could feel lumpy.
I cut a crapload out of my seat, I put it in and out a few times but I'm happy with the result. Dropped me about 40mm and seat hugs better. Don't forget you can do the back rest too, it has a flap that lifts up so you can easily cut underneath without affecting the outside finish. (or at least my seat did)

siren676 · Post by **siren676** » Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:14 pm

fuuuuuuu
Seems someones tried to remove the seat before and has left me a nice rounded off bolt at the back of the seat, gearbox side.

Oh well, no foamectomy for me

dylann · Post by **dylann** » Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:27 pm

Get a hacksaw and cut a slit in the top, then a fat as screwdriver to get it out or just some vice grips real tight on it, it might work

siren676 · Post by **siren676** » Thu Jan 31, 2013 1:30 pm

Will have to try that when i get back from a friends place

chris · Post by **chris** » Thu Jan 31, 2013 2:45 pm

dylann wrote:Get a hacksaw and cut a slit in the top, then a fat as screwdriver to get it out or just some vice grips real tight on it, it might work

OMFG You sire just won the internet.

So logical. I had never genuinely though of that

siren676 · Post by **siren676** » Thu Jan 31, 2013 5:22 pm

Just tried the vice grip method and there is just not enough room under there to get proper leverage on it.
Tried getting a hacksaw in there but the blade doesnt get to the bolt as the hacksaw body hits the gearbox tunnel.

Have hit it with wd40 a few times and am attacking the bolt with a cold chisel. If i cant get it off ill have to wait till dads home and see if hes got any ideas

HK_Fooey · Post by **HK_Fooey** » Thu Jan 31, 2013 5:51 pm

Weld a large nut to the top of the bolt, then undo that

siren676 · Post by **siren676** » Thu Jan 31, 2013 6:08 pm

dont have a welder

dylann · Post by **dylann** » Fri Feb 01, 2013 12:29 am

chris wrote:
dylann wrote:Get a hacksaw and cut a slit in the top, then a fat as screwdriver to get it out or just some vice grips real tight on it, it might work

OMFG You sire just won the internet.

So logical. I had never genuinely though of that

aww thanks you're making me blush

sounds like it is being a real pain in the ass though, what about an angle grinder with a cutting wheel for a slit? im sure that would be able to fit in there

siren676 · Post by **siren676** » Fri Feb 01, 2013 6:25 am

Wouldn't want to risk it with there being carpet around it which might catch fire

A friend has some special sockets which should be able to get the bolt out

tomtikki · Post by **tomtikki** » Fri Feb 01, 2013 8:29 am

Don't forget to sort new bolt/s beforehand so you don't have to muck about when you go to chuck your seat back in. -its the sort of thing I always forget...

dynofiend · Post by **dynofiend** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 8:30 pm

I did a foamectomy on my drivers seat. Easiest/best mod ive done!

siren676 · Post by **siren676** » Mon Feb 11, 2013 10:53 pm

tomtikki wrote:Don't forget to sort new bolt/s beforehand so you don't have to muck about when you go to chuck your seat back in. -its the sort of thing I always forget...

Glad i just saw this post. Friend leant me these koken nut/bolt extractors tonight so ill have to find a replacement bolt before attempting removing the seat again.

tomtikki · Post by **tomtikki** » Tue Feb 12, 2013 6:26 am

tomtikki wrote:Don't forget to sort new bolt/s beforehand so you don't have to muck about when you go to chuck your seat back in. -its the sort of thing I always forget...

To be honest I don't think I could wait to use those 'sockets', they look kinda mean!
Whatcha do with them? -hammer them on to the bolt so it cuts into the head to give grip or something??

How to get lower seating position?

How to get lower seating position?

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