Rig seats, is there an alternative approach?

Jean-Pierre Sarti · Mar 13, 2021

I'm looking for an out-of-the-box solution for rig seating. It seems a real car seat isn't stiff enough for LC brakes, but all the racing seats look like they'd be too narrow for me. And, really, I don't need FIA certification or resistance to lateral G force in my pretend cars

, though I totally get the coolness/immersion factor.

I currently race a desk and use a slightly-padded metal folding chair. It's sturdy, comfortable, stiff, and doesn't move on the floor. But I'm considering a rig. I'm trying to figure out how I could mount my chair on profile - it might look dorky but if I could secure it it wold suit me well. Another possibility is mounting something like the seat from an Ikea "ODGER" or "SKÅLBERG / SPORREN" chair.

Has anyone (especially fellow older and ~~wider~~ wiser sim racers) tried something like this?

blekenbleu · Mar 13, 2021

Jean-Pierre Sarti said:
It seems a real car seat isn't stiff enough for LC brakes

Real car seats suffice for real car brakes.
Setting load cell 100% point higher than comfortable is optional and IMO dubious.

metalnwood · Mar 13, 2021

I used load cells and hydraulics for quite a while before I went to a hard seat and was using a car seat. Thinking back on it, perhaps it did feel a little spongy on my back under heavy braking, I cant quite remember but it was never an issue.

Audii-Dudii · Mar 13, 2021

A lot depends upon the specific car seat that's used, of course.

I'm happily using a Porsche Cayman seat -- a power seat, at that! -- and it works very, very well, even though it's only kept in place by gravity and the mechanical lock between the mounting tabs and the wheel / tire combo upon which it's (temporarily) sitting.

I'm using the T-LCM load cell pedals and have them setup on the stiff side and have no issues with the seat moving around under braking.

As for comfort, having two, multi-adjustable lumbar supports, as well as fore/aft, up/down, tilt forward / backward -- seat adjustments, all of which are powered by an inexpensive 12 vdc power supply that I installed underneath the seat, make even long races a pleasant experience.

YMMV, of course, but I'm very happy with this setup, especially the fact that it cost me nothing since I already had everything on hand! 8^)

Wmacky · Mar 13, 2021

Jean-Pierre Sarti said:
I'm looking for an out-of-the-box solution for rig seating. It seems a real car seat isn't stiff enough for LC brakes, but all the racing seats look like they'd be too narrow for me. And, really, I don't need FIA certification or resistance to lateral G force in my pretend cars , though I totally get the coolness/immersion factor.

I currently race a desk and use a slightly-padded metal folding chair. It's sturdy, comfortable, stiff, and doesn't move on the floor. But I'm considering a rig. I'm trying to figure out how I could mount my chair on profile - it might look dorky but if I could secure it it wold suit me well. Another possibility is mounting something like the seat from an Ikea "ODGER" or "SKÅLBERG / SPORREN" chair.

Has anyone (especially fellow older and ~~wider~~ wiser sim racers) tried something like this?

Yeah, there certainly appears to be no love for larger guys in the race seating industry :-( A few toss out a token larger seat for a much larger price. They do appear to love 15 year old girls though.

stigs2cousin · Mar 13, 2021

I concure with @Audii-Dudii,
a good car seat which is not too worn out ( look for passenger seats) is designed for the job at hand.

I myself am a wide/wise guy and sit very comfortably in an old but sturdy car sports seat.
These aftermarket sports seat are easy to mount because they have symmetrical mounting points.
it has a little play in the reclining mechanism which is owed to its age, because i use it since 2004 and for 480.000 km´s (road and sim).
Also don´t ignore an anatomically correct design and a good lumbar support.
T
You probably should not go to cheap because the cheaper aftermarket seat bend more and have more play/creaking even when new.

A chair as shown above is not designed for heavy braking forces and will also bent.
From the short backrest I suspect a great lack in shoulder support and the chance of backpain.
Also it will be much more difficult to mount it without play and movement.

stigs2cousin · Mar 13, 2021

Have you met proffessional racing drivers?

They mostly ARE as tall as 15 year old girls and similarly slight in build ( it´s all about wheight reduction in EVERY part of the car )

MFG Carsten

( I´m TWO proffessional racing drivers plus a small dog

)

MFG Carsten

RedBull48 · Mar 13, 2021

Does anyone have experience using NRG race seats? They seem to be very reasonably priced. I am looking to swap out my DXracer for something with a bit more lumbar support on heavy breaking. For reference I use my HE sprints at about 40kg. I am looking at NRG Innovations FRP-301 specifically. Any related experience would be much appreciated.

blekenbleu · Mar 13, 2021

Audii-Dudii said:
it cost me nothing since I already had everything on hand

Having moved twice in the past 10 years,
I am still learning to accept being one-upped in the junk collection dimension.

Ruttman98 · Mar 13, 2021

RedBull48 said:
Does anyone have experience using NRG race seats? They seem to be very reasonably priced. I am looking to swap out my DXracer for something with a bit more lumbar support on heavy breaking. For reference I use my HE sprints at about 40kg. I am looking at NRG Innovations FRP-301 specifically. Any related experience would be much appreciated.

You might look at adding a lumbar cushion to your existing seat. Sparco, OMP, Cobra Seats, and other racing seat manufacturers offer various foam cushions.

I am using an inflatable lumbar cushion (photo below) from Back Vitalizer to help position myself better in my Recaro Pole Position seat. I just got it last weekend, and I find the side wings confine my size 44 shoulders). I dare say a very small percentage of people "fit" a given seat due to differences in body type and comfort preferences.

Side note: Most of the NRG fixed back seats (Ultra, Prisma, etc.) seem to be out of stock and many unscrupulous sellers attempt to charge extra for the side mount brackets which are standard.

If you are in the U.S., also look at the Corbeau FX-1 and the RaceQuip FIA seat.

RedBull48 · Mar 13, 2021

@Ruttman98 Thank you for your various suggestions. I will likely end up buying another seat as my Dxracer was my dedicated office chair and it was just a bit of a cost cutting measure while I got my rig together. Now I am happily branching out.

Jean-Pierre Sarti · Mar 13, 2021

Audii-Dudii said:
I'm happily using a Porsche Cayman seat -- a power seat, at that! -- and it works very, very well, even though it's only kept in place by gravity and the mechanical lock between the mounting tabs and the wheel / tire combo upon which it's (temporarily) sitting.

Exactly the kind of alternative rig thinking I was looking for.

Davie T Thomson · Mar 13, 2021

I use a bit of Paracord to tie my office chair to my wheel stand. It's not brilliant, but do's a job.

stigs2cousin · Mar 13, 2021

[

Davie T Thomson said:
I use a bit of Paracord to tie my office chair to my wheel stand. It's not brilliant, but do's a job.

These grassroots solutions tend to work less well with heavy/stiff brakepedals.

And I´m with @Ruttman98, the race seats i see irl are often adapted to the drivers with extra padding.
As they are quite rigid and stiff compared to a "normal" car seat they don´t give as much.

MFG Carsten

Davie T Thomson · Mar 13, 2021

stigs2cousin said:
[

These grassroots solutions tend to work less well with heavy/stiff brakepedals.

And I´m with @Ruttman98, the race seats i see irl are often adapted to the drivers with extra padding.
As they are quite rigid and stiff compared to a "normal" car seat they don´t give as much.

MFG Carsten

I totally agree with you, but since I am really just starting out sim racing, and finances are a bit streched, due to a lack of work (Thanks Mr Covid), it's paracord for the next wee while, till I get back to work, and can afford a decent rig.

RCHeliguy · Mar 13, 2021

RedBull48 said:
Does anyone have experience using NRG race seats? They seem to be very reasonably priced. I am looking to swap out my DXracer for something with a bit more lumbar support on heavy breaking. For reference I use my HE sprints at about 40kg. I am looking at NRG Innovations FRP-301 specifically. Any related experience would be much appreciated.

I've been using an NRG Prisma for a while now. It gives my back plenty of support. I can drive for hours with zero pain and it's very comfortable. I'm 6' and 195lbs for the last year unfortunately. Barry at SRG has been using one for a while so his friends can fit in the rigs. His Sparco Evolution II fits his smaller frame well, but I haven't seen much of it lately.

RedBull48 · Mar 13, 2021

@RCHeliguy Thanks for your shared experience, I will pick one up this week. Look forward to trying it out.

Wmacky · Mar 14, 2021

RedBull48 said:
Does anyone have experience using NRG race seats? They seem to be very reasonably priced. I am looking to swap out my DXracer for something with a bit more lumbar support on heavy breaking. For reference I use my HE sprints at about 40kg. I am looking at NRG Innovations FRP-301 specifically. Any related experience would be much appreciated.

I use the FRP-301 . Still a little tight for me even though it is a large. Other than that it is one of the best deals I got for my rig. It looks fantastic, feels fantastic, and I have no regrets. Would buy it again. No need for anything more expensive on a Sim rig.