[/Y\]

Lots of discussion here about seat height, but for me the issue is the rake of the bottom cushion (talking RS2 here). I prefer to have my legs more or less straight out in front of me, but lowering the seat merely lowers your butt, without dropping the front of the cushion. At that point, my short legs (5'7") can't reach over the front edge without uncomfortable pressure on the back of my knees or moving the seat very close. On the other hand, raising the seat to reduce the rake makes me feel like I'm sitting in a church pew or something, with my legs coming straight down on the pedals. So I've been making do with an intermediate setting, and it's OK. But yesterday I decided to look underneath to see if there was something I alter, that was easier/cheaper than the cutting & welding or buying an expensive new bracket to lower the entire seat.

My first thought was to fab some new supports for the front to tilt the seat more towards the front. But that looked like a PITA, and perhaps beyond my metal working skills.



So I decided to try the simplest thing first, and tilt the seat by shimming the rear of the seat bracket. For tall people who find the seat too high even at the lowest setting, this would be anathema, but I don't have this problem. The bolts attaching the seat have about 0.6" longer thread length than needed. So you can shim up to that point while maintaining full thread engagement. Also, the seat bracket only contacts the frame at the 4 mounting points anyways, so there's no loss of rigidity by shimming.

Removing the back two bolts and slightly loosening the front allows plenty of play to fit a stack of washers under the brackets. Since the two back brackets have different lengths, I used 0.54" on the longer inner bracket and one less washer (0.45" total) on the shorter outside bracket to keep the seat level.



I'm pleasantly surprised at how much difference this makes. Much more comfortable now, allowing a lower seating and straighter leg position. Time and cost: 15min, $2.50.

 

[adizon]

Thanks for sharing this! Now that you’ve had this mod for a bit, you still like it? Is it still noticibly more comfortable than without the washers in the rear?

 

[Immediately]

This seems cool, but it seems like this would have the same effect as raising the seat bottom like normal. Is this different somehow?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[hydrostream]

Agreed, the seat pivots on the front and shimming the back just raises the seat even more. I'd also be a concerned about safety in a crash.

 

[/Y\]

Agreed, the seat pivots on the front and shimming the back just raises the seat even more. I'd also be a concerned about safety in a crash.

Not quite. As you can see in the top picture, the front of the seat is not attached via an axle where it would simply rotate, but via "legs". As the back of the seat rises, so does the front, because the legs stand up straighter. The front doesn't rise as much as the back, but it still does. So shimming the back end is a simple way to reduce the seat rake without also increasing the height of the front of the cushion.

The difference is subtle but for me it's enough to take the pressure off the inside of my knees, so it's perfect. I wouldn't switch back.

Not sure how this could affect crash safety, since the bolts are fully engaged with the threads in the floor. The seat frame is only anchored by those 4 bolts, none of which are compromised.

 

[Two03Cobras]

We also unbolted our seat and put some washers under the rear mounting points. I'm 5'2" and the RS is my daily, I was extremely uncomfortable with the rake of the seat until we did this. I still have to raise the seat a little bit but it feels so much better then before.

 

[PappaRob]

Great post, as another short guy (5'6) I'll have to give it a try.

 

[hydrostream]

Not quite. As you can see in the top picture, the front of the seat is not attached via an axle where it would simply rotate, but via "legs". As the back of the seat rises, so does the front, because the legs stand up straighter. The front doesn't rise as much as the back, but it still does. So shimming the back end is a simple way to reduce the seat rake without also increasing the height of the front of the cushion.

The difference is subtle but for me it's enough to take the pressure off the inside of my knees, so it's perfect. I wouldn't switch back.

Not sure how this could affect crash safety, since the bolts are fully engaged with the threads in the floor. The seat frame is only anchored by those 4 bolts, none of which are compromised.

It looks to me like the seat rail is designed to mate to the floor. By shimming it you are now taking all of that energy that could be transferred between the rail and the floor and putting it purely on the bolt. Maybe it's nothing and I'm totally wrong, but I wouldn't do it. I'm glad it's worked for you though, I didn't know the front actually came up a bit too. It sure doesn't feel like it!

 

[/Y\]

I wondered about that too, but if you unbolt the seat you'll see the rails aren't really touching the floor, just skimming over the carpet. So shimming makes no structural difference IMO.

The front of the seat moves in the arc defined by the front legs as they pivot at the two joints. So the front moves forward and upward while the butt end moves straight up.

 

[DeanHart]

I started with this mod to prove I liked less rake in the lowest position.

I am tall and need the lowest seat height position. I also felt the stock rake was too great.

Eventually, I removed the washers when I modified the front control arms and their location. This gave me the lowest seat setting and reduced the rake.

This is a safe, simple way to reduce rake for those who don't mind losing the lowest seat height.

 

[/Y\]

I started with this mod to prove I liked less rake in the lowest position.

I am tall and need the lowest seat height position. I also felt the stock rake was too great.

Eventually, I removed the washers when I modified the front control arms and their location. This gave me the lowest seat setting and reduced the rake.

This is a safe, simple way to reduce rake for those who don't mind losing the lowest seat height.

Nice work, could you possibly post a photo of how you modded the control arms?

 

[onestep]

Has anyone else driven other cars and wondered why the seats are trying to pour you into the foot well?

 

[DeanHart]

I'll post a how to - for now:



*This does change your car!




Angle grinder fun:





Result is full use of stock seat up/down function while reducing rake.

Immediately I could use my legs with my hips locked in to the recaros, as opposed to stabbing the clutch with my lower leg only, and my left leg naturally going to the dead pedal. Instant satisfaction!

No more playing with the seat adjustment searching for comfort

More details if any one is interested

Dean

 

[rAte813]

I just did the "redrill the seat mod." The front of the Recaro is nice and low now, but the back of the seat will not go low enough since the mod removes the parallelogram motion of the swing arm.
I will be doing your "swing arm mod" next weekend.
THANK YOU!

 

[Sleeper03]

Many race seats have this degree of rake where knees higher than butt, the idea being that under hard braking you are'nt thrown forward and stay more planted in the seat. Have only owned my RS few weeks but have no issue with seating so far and am very happy with the car.

 

[usmc2141]

I will do this mod on the weekend. Already flared out the bolsters about 15 degrees but that rake still hurts my legs.

 

[DeanHart]

I will do this mod on the weekend. Already flared out the bolsters about 15 degrees but that rake still hurts my legs.

Excellent

How did you flare out the bolsters?

 

[usmc2141]

Once you remove the seat and able to get to the plastic bolster support, there are 4 aluminum rivets you have to remove, I used pliars. Then once the plastic piece was out I removed the webbing inside the protruding bolsters, this will allow the platic to be flexible once heated. Slowly heated the corners and wearing gloves flared the supports outward.

 

[DeanHart]

Once you remove the seat and able to get to the plastic bolster support, there are 4 aluminum rivets you have to remove, I used pliars. Then once the plastic piece was out I removed the webbing inside the protruding bolsters, this will allow the platic to be flexible once heated. Slowly heated the corners and wearing gloves flared the supports outward.

Nice - I'll report back when I get to this one!