Track seats

Over the past year, I've gotten into doing track days with my '03 BMW Z4. It's just for fun, about 5 times a year but it's at the point where I'd really like to put in a proper racing/track day seat and stop sliding around every lap. I actually ended up with a bruise on my knee last time bracing against the door....

The car is also a daily driver for me, which is a factor. I think of got two choice - buy one seat and swap it out for track days or get two seas and leave them in. Advantage of the one seat swap is I get to keep the comfort and convenance of the stock seats for everyday drive. Disadvantage is that I'm having swap them back and forth.

Also have a question in the seat itself. I see plenty in eBay and elsewhere for cheap. I also see recaros and the like for several hundred dollars each. For someone like me - not racing, no need to have the lightest possible materials, etc., is there anything wrong with the cheaper models.

For now all I want is to be better held by the seat, next step will be getting a harness in as well while keeping my three point belts for everyday use.

Thought and opinions welcome. Thanks!

 

I have recaros in mine and love them. Have you went to the BMW forum to see what other drivers are putting in their Z4's? See if there is a shop near you which carries race seats. Go in and sit in a few of them to see which one fits the best.

 

Chris,

Go to trackhq.com and join us over there. You will get lots of track knowledge there. Look up Moti at Blackbird fabworks. He is a pro south of santa barbara who can help you with your sliding down the slippery slope. Do your homework. Seats are super important and are a primary piece of life saving equipment. If you are a newbie at this you really need someone like Moti to help. You can't mix race seats with OEM seatbelts well which means harness needed to be safely fitted.


This gives you an idea about how seats must be seriously considered. Goggle similar docs to get you started. In general there are 5 year and 10 year FIA seats, NASCAR full containment seats, and a world of unrated race seats of questionable value that I would never use.

http://argent.fia.com/web/fia-public.nsf/87DE058E9D824DD9C125755500546904/$FILE/8862-2009_Advanced_Racing_Seat.pdf

 

Agreed 100% with FBB above. Do your homework.

Also, I'd strongly recommend physically sitting in the seats you're trying out for an extended period of time (20 mins at least). You need to get a seat that fits your body and makes you comfortable.
When I was choosing between 2 halo seats for my race car, I went and sat in both for 20 minutes and read a magazine...

 

Try using a belt lock or put in harnesses first, you may find that's enough. It's a pita getting in and out of track seats on a dd.

 

Thanks, I'll check out trackhq.

Bob - I agree about the track seats. If I don't swap one in and out, they have to be usable on a daily basis. Just having better bolstering would be a huge improvement. I had hoped to find the seats from the M version of my car but they seem to be impossible to find.

 

Most DE and racing organization will require the same type of seat for both driver and passenger, so if you have a "racing" seat your instructer must also have the same. If you switch to any FIA approved seat, you also will need to go from OEM seat belts to 5 or 6 point harnesses. Racing seats are not made to be used with 3pt seat belts. Do your reasearch and ask the organization you intend to do you track events with, they should help you. The info above is correct for FCA, PCA, NASA, BMW and most others.
Welcome to the slippery slope, it is very difficult to have one car that is good both on and off track.

 

I am working towards having my 308 ready for the VIR FCA track event in early March. I am a zealot when it comes to the HANS device--I won't drive on a race track without one. So I needed a five or six-point harness in my car. And that means a race seat; the belts won't work with the stock seat. I asked in advance about whether I had to have the same set up on both driver and passenger side. The answer was that if I wanted an instructor, I had to have identical set ups on either side.

Since I have an SCCA Comp license, the instuction part of the deal is not a priority for me. I decided to go with belts and seat on drivers side only. I selected the Corbeau Forza with the Corbeau mount and G-Force cam-lock harnesses. I should be installing all of it in the next few weeks. I need to fab up a harness bar along the way...

 

Both points above are dead on.

If your car is a real DD and track days are occasional, and you're going to stay at a reasonable driving level, keep the 3pt belts and get an upgraded seat (eg. a Recaro or similar).

Once you change a component (seat or harness) you're going to need both, plus a HANS. As for real race seats, feel free to spend as much as you think your life is worth. (sorry if that makes me sound like an a__, I've seen too many cars in the barriers. Drive long enough and it will happen.). A quality seat, a harness, a helmet and a HANS all cost less than a set of tires for most cars...

 

My car is definitely my daily driver and I'm doing track days maybe 4-5 times a year. I'm not a terribly aggressive driver on the track. As best I can tell, installing a harness would require installation of a bar behind the seat which isn't something I want to get into now. So basically I'm looking for a seat with better bolstering that will work with my stock three point belts. Swapping them out each time would be fine.

 

I'll just add that if you install seats and a harness you need two other things - A roll bar and a HANS. Roll bar: Harnesses lock you upright and should you flip you can't duck to avoid holding the car up with your neck. HANS: Harnesses hold your body in place, in a frontal collision your body won't move but your head will. Add the weight of the helmet and... There are no shortcuts, safety is a system. I would try a CG Lock on your stock belts to start with, beyond that see if a road seat with better bolsters and shoulder support feel good (in the store). There are comfortable seats that offer support (in a DD), you have to try them out..

 

Everyone has their own opinion on this topic so take this, and the others, with a grain of salt.

My past track/street cars (Porsche 3.6 Turbo and 993) were both set up with track seats. The turbo used the three point factory belts. The 993 had a roll bar in it as well as five point harnesses.

While I didn't drive the cars every day I did street drive them and the fixed back seats were not a big deal for me. They were a little harder to get into and out of but once you learn the roll into the seat trick it's pretty easy. And they were pretty comfortable as well. I never drove them more than an a hour or so at a time so a longer drive may be different, but I doubt it.

As I'm pretty tall I used the three point belts, even in the 993 which had a roll bar, instead of the five point harnesses. With the track seat I was held in place pretty well. If you plan on using a Hans type device then you'll want to have harnesses in place as well as a roll bar.

I would not want to be trading seats back and forth so I'd suggest a seat that works for you on the street as well as the track (no halo).

Good luck with your decision.