Bead Seats or Alternatives

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jpetillo
Posts: 759
Joined: August 26th, 2006, 2:54 pm

Bead Seats or Alternatives

Post by jpetillo »

I was wondering what experiences people have had with fitting/forming bead seats.

I was looking at bead seats last year, and remember finding information on an alternative, but similar, seat that didn't take the ~1 hours of sitting-in-it time that the bead seats take. But, I can't find where I stuffed that information. Does anyone know of alternatives and how they might compare?

The big need is for fitting my daughter into my car. She needs to move forward and a bit higher - being 7" shorter than me. We seem to be able to mimic a good seating position by rotating the rear of the seat forward at the top about 4". But, we need to keep something solid between the seat and the fuel cell cover so that seat won't give in an accident. The idea of a bead seat that sits inside the present seat was suggested. I'll still need to deal with the belts working out right.

Any ideas are welcome.

Thanks in advance.
brian
Posts: 1348
Joined: June 26th, 2006, 12:31 pm

Re: Bead Seats or Alternatives

Post by brian »

The two part foam is less expensive but is prone to have air voids and that reduces structural support. If you need a lot of material to make up for your petite daughter, use the beads.
The above post is for reference only and your results may vary. This post is not intended to reflect the views or opinions of SCCA and should not be considered an analysis or opinion of the rules written in the GCR.
Dave
Posts: 187
Joined: June 24th, 2006, 2:40 pm

Re: Bead Seats or Alternatives

Post by Dave »

The bead seats are the way to go. They give you the time necessary to move the beads to get a good fit. Once you move the beads around and get things just right, hit it with you vacuum cleaner sit back for a half hour and climb out. The vacuum holds beads in place. Cure time is about24 hours(full). Obviously I left out several steps, adjusting the amount of beads, mixing epoxy, etc.

Dave
jpetillo
Posts: 759
Joined: August 26th, 2006, 2:54 pm

Re: Bead Seats or Alternatives

Post by jpetillo »

Brian and Dave, thanks!

Yes, my daughter will need a good amount of space made up, and I'm certainly worried about ending up not compromising seat strength in the process. It sounds like the bead seat would give us the ability to try a lot of positioning options so that the seat works and the belts work properly when done.
kevin willmorth
Posts: 177
Joined: September 16th, 2007, 7:42 am

Re: Bead Seats or Alternatives

Post by kevin willmorth »

I installed this seat system last year, and love it!

http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/produc ... oduct=4525

The creafoam has beads of different sizes, so makes a very solid surface when its finished, with solid perimeter edges that don't flake away or break. The finished seat has a rubbery feel to it, with anough flex to make fitting it in and out of the car easy, while providing a rigid seating surface.

Took about 4 hours to get it done, including 45 minutes sitting in the seat with the shop vac running (wear hearing protection!), then another 24 hours to set up firm, and another hour to wrap it in tape. I also put a layer of Nomex on the seating side, to keep tape gum from getting on my suit.
jpetillo
Posts: 759
Joined: August 26th, 2006, 2:54 pm

Re: Bead Seats or Alternatives

Post by jpetillo »

Kevin, thanks for the sourcing and installation suggestions. Yes, the Pegasus creafoam what what I've been looking at.

Regards
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