Custom Seat Question
Custom Seat Question
Ok, odds are I'll get flamed for this, but since I'm a) cheap and b) kinda broke after tax season and all new copper plumbing in the house (warning - if you have Anaconda pipe in your house it's only a matter of time - yikes!) - here goes.
My seat is terrible - I found that out after 6 plus hours of seat time at school this weekend. I'd love to build a bead seat, but have other places I need to spend $ first - like new tires. So I started thinking.
If I line the inside of my cockpit with plastic (hefty bags, whatever) spray in a bottle "GreatStuff" cover with more plastic. climb in and wait for it to set. Then climb out, pull out the mold, trim, shape, smooth etc etc and wala - new seat!
Quesions - a) anyone know if Great Stuff, once cured, is still fameable? I know it's VERY fameable when wet, but since it goes into walls I'd expect that once cured it's not.
b) Anyone have any reason to beleive this would not be legal in SCCA?
c) Is this a really stupid idea or is there actual metir here? I mean it seems to me that this is basically what a commercial seat kit actually does anyway
Thanks - flame away
My seat is terrible - I found that out after 6 plus hours of seat time at school this weekend. I'd love to build a bead seat, but have other places I need to spend $ first - like new tires. So I started thinking.
If I line the inside of my cockpit with plastic (hefty bags, whatever) spray in a bottle "GreatStuff" cover with more plastic. climb in and wait for it to set. Then climb out, pull out the mold, trim, shape, smooth etc etc and wala - new seat!
Quesions - a) anyone know if Great Stuff, once cured, is still fameable? I know it's VERY fameable when wet, but since it goes into walls I'd expect that once cured it's not.
b) Anyone have any reason to beleive this would not be legal in SCCA?
c) Is this a really stupid idea or is there actual metir here? I mean it seems to me that this is basically what a commercial seat kit actually does anyway
Thanks - flame away
Re: Custom Seat Question
Believe it or not, you are on the right path....sort of.
Don't use great stuff. a: you will need 20 cans of it to make it work, by the time you get the last one sprayed it will be cured where you started., b: there is another product that works much better.
Go down to your local plastics/fiberglass or boat supply shop, and get some two part expanding foam.
Put a big thick heavy duty trash sack in your car and mix the stuff together. Fill the bag with the mixture and get in the car.
It will expand all around you. Don't get trapped. I never have, but don't ask me how I know it is possible.
Then take it out of the car, trim is as you mentioned and wrap it in tape. Cloth tape is fine, racing tape is fine, nomex or suede fabric is best.
Good luck!
Don't use great stuff. a: you will need 20 cans of it to make it work, by the time you get the last one sprayed it will be cured where you started., b: there is another product that works much better.
Go down to your local plastics/fiberglass or boat supply shop, and get some two part expanding foam.
Put a big thick heavy duty trash sack in your car and mix the stuff together. Fill the bag with the mixture and get in the car.
It will expand all around you. Don't get trapped. I never have, but don't ask me how I know it is possible.
Then take it out of the car, trim is as you mentioned and wrap it in tape. Cloth tape is fine, racing tape is fine, nomex or suede fabric is best.
Good luck!
Stephen Saslow
FV 09 NWR
FV 09 NWR
Re: Custom Seat Question
Something like this:
http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=79&
http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=79&
Stephen Saslow
FV 09 NWR
FV 09 NWR
Re: Custom Seat Question
Bob,
You can get this two-part expanding foam at Pegasus:
http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/produc ... RecID=1038
You can get this two-part expanding foam at Pegasus:
http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/produc ... RecID=1038
Re: Custom Seat Question
Very cool! Thanks guys!
So now the next question - GCR says the seat has to be "securely fastened" - how do these things attach? I thinking you drill a small hole all the way through for the bolt, then drill a a larger hole (counter-sink basically) to fit a large washer to keep the bolts from ripping through, and deep enough that the bolts arren't poking at you. Right track again?
So now the next question - GCR says the seat has to be "securely fastened" - how do these things attach? I thinking you drill a small hole all the way through for the bolt, then drill a a larger hole (counter-sink basically) to fit a large washer to keep the bolts from ripping through, and deep enough that the bolts arren't poking at you. Right track again?
Re: Custom Seat Question
Bob.
You need to think of your newly foamed (or bead) part as a cushion. It is not your seat. The seat in your car is your fuel cell cover and any aluminum or fiberglass pieces that are around your hips to shoulders. We don't fasten the foam (bead) part in. When you pour the foam seat or make the bead seat it will fill in all of the voids and will be a 'wedge' fit.
Mike Beaumia
You need to think of your newly foamed (or bead) part as a cushion. It is not your seat. The seat in your car is your fuel cell cover and any aluminum or fiberglass pieces that are around your hips to shoulders. We don't fasten the foam (bead) part in. When you pour the foam seat or make the bead seat it will fill in all of the voids and will be a 'wedge' fit.
Mike Beaumia
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Re: Custom Seat Question
Make sure you have your driving suit on when you do this.
Re: Custom Seat Question
Ah ok, that makes sense.brp wrote:Bob.
You need to think of your newly foamed (or bead) part as a cushion. It is not your seat. The seat in your car is your fuel cell cover and any aluminum or fiberglass pieces that are around your hips to shoulders. We don't fasten the foam (bead) part in. When you pour the foam seat or make the bead seat it will fill in all of the voids and will be a 'wedge' fit.
Mike Beaumia
As for waering the driver's suit - good point! Thanks for that tip Speedsport
Re: Custom Seat Question
Prefit the bag and be ready to tape the open end securely closed. You do not want to get any of that foam on the car or yourself. Use the belts and strap yourself in really tight and have a cold beer waiting cause this stuff will get hot while it's going off. You'll be in there for about twenty minutes.
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.
Re: Custom Seat Question
I wouldn't do the expandable foam. Can be a nightmare. You can build your own bead seat like pennon sells for the cost of a garbage bag, expoy resin, and bean bag beads. Its cheaper than the foam too. http://www.apexspeed.com/forums/showthr ... =bead+seat
Re: Custom Seat Question
Bob,
I'm not sure what your current seat is like, but Wally World sells some 1/2" thick CAMPING FOAM for cheap. It's intended for campers to sleep on and works really well as a light, easy to manage cushion (< $15 IIRC). It's ALMOST as good as that trick stuff that Pegasus sells for $45/sq ft! You can cut it with scissors and 'racer tape' it into place ... or just lay it in the seat area - when you strap yourself in, it won't go anywhere much - but it might walk around beneath you and need tape to keep that from happening. In my case, I'm also using some roll bar foam underneath it to provide some side support.
Not ideal, but it's getting the job done till I can find the time to build a good bead seat.
Steve
I'm not sure what your current seat is like, but Wally World sells some 1/2" thick CAMPING FOAM for cheap. It's intended for campers to sleep on and works really well as a light, easy to manage cushion (< $15 IIRC). It's ALMOST as good as that trick stuff that Pegasus sells for $45/sq ft! You can cut it with scissors and 'racer tape' it into place ... or just lay it in the seat area - when you strap yourself in, it won't go anywhere much - but it might walk around beneath you and need tape to keep that from happening. In my case, I'm also using some roll bar foam underneath it to provide some side support.
Not ideal, but it's getting the job done till I can find the time to build a good bead seat.
Steve
The Racer's Wedge and now a Vortech, FV80
Re: Custom Seat Question
Bead seat kits sell for over $200 and contain twice what we need. The foam kits are under $50 the last time I used one. mucho years ago. Give me a call, the number is on my ad above and I'll share the whole process with you.
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.
Re: Custom Seat Question
Thanks Brian - I'll give you a shout in the next week or so!brian wrote:Bead seat kits sell for over $200 and contain twice what we need. The foam kits are under $50 the last time I used one. mucho years ago. Give me a call, the number is on my ad above and I'll share the whole process with you.
Re: Custom Seat Question
Great thread!!! I am also going to be building a seat for my Lynx soon and was wondering about this process.
Re: Custom Seat Question
There's some good info on the Pegasus website:
http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/docume ... =TECH00005
http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/docume ... =TECH00005
Re: Custom Seat Question
I am not sure about the wisdom of wearing your racesuit. It is all too easy (especially when doing this for the first time) to spill the two-part foam or hole the garbage bag or whatever you are using to hold the foam, while it forms into the seat. Before you know it you’ve f*#ked up a perfectly good racesuit . Wear an old race suit or a pair of coveralls.Speedsport wrote:Make sure you have your driving suit on when you do this.
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Re: Custom Seat Question
If you don't wear your driving suit when you make the seat, the seat won't fit when you put it on.
Re: Custom Seat Question
Agreed.Speedsport wrote:If you don't wear your driving suit when you make the seat, the seat won't fit when you put it on.
If you are that concerned, then double bag it in case of a hole and i guess worst case where a really thin coverall over you suit. Although, that will effect fit, but it should be close.
If you don't believe it will make a difference. measure your hips and waist circumference with coveralls, then measure them with your driving suit. big difference.
Stephen Saslow
FV 09 NWR
FV 09 NWR
Re: Custom Seat Question
A few thoughts from my attempts. Great Foam does not cure if confined in a bag with no air. Spent one hour seating in a soggy bag. Two part foam works well if applied as instructions call for. Used Pennon last time and found that you must have vacuum off to move beads around. My kit may have been old as the resin (throughly mixed) was still uncured in the mixing container after three weeks in 80 degree garage. If I were to do it again I would try Pegasius product with differant size beads and always having good luck with there products.