A problem with new rules in SCCA/NASA regarding FIA seats

[CyberFormula]

Was searching for rules about FIA inspection of seats and belts ...

when i found out that now they have changed to rules to where your car must have a rear back brace if your bucket seat has sliders.....

but the problem here is, no seat sliders i know of are even FIA approved.


In addition, you can't have a rear back brace, unless you have a rollbar/cage installed.

This forces drivers who have a race car with 2 drivers (and needing to adjust seats) to either put a rollcage/rollbar with a seat back brace secured into it, or have a FIXED bucket seat with no adjusment while having the brackets also FIA approved. To further the problem, you shouldn't be drilling into your Composite Bucket seats with the rear back brace. There are only 2 companies i know of that has a built in system where you don't need to drill holes into the composite seat.

[Dave-ROR]

Uhh what race car were you planning to build that DIDN'T have a rollcage?

And this is how you do it:

[CyberFormula]

all race cars should have a six pt roll cage.

But before this new rule, cars with multiple drivers were allowed to use seat sliders for adjustability with no problems with the rules. Now the drivers would have to fix their seats or put a seat back brace if they want to drive in SCCA/NASA Road race

[oneday]

CyberFormula, I think you are misinterpreting the rules a bit. You do not HAVE to run an FIA seat. If you do have an FIA seat, it must be mounted according to the FIA's rules, and it does not need a back brace if it is either not on sliders or if it is on FIA sliders. If you have a non-FIA seat you must have a seat back brace no matter what. NASA enforces the FIA re-cerirtification on FIA seats (FIA seats more than five years old must be re-certified or run a SBB no matter what), while the SCCA is not enforcing the FIA re-certification (at this time, I'm sure they will eventually).

*We run sliders and a SBB in all of our cars. We have two pins we pull to adjust the SBB for each driver (allowing the seat to be moved forward and aft for driver preference). It's pretty easy to make the adjustments during a pit stop with a driver change.

The wording in the SCCA GCR (NASA GCR uses similar language, except they enforce and check FIA production/expiration dates)) definitely caused some concern for club racers. New wording in red, below.

Originally Posted by SCCA GCR

9.3.41. SEATS
The driver’s seat shall be a one-piece bucket-type seat and shall be securely
mounted. The back of the seat shall be firmly attached to the
main roll hoop, or its cross bracing, so as to provide aft and lateral support.
Seats homologated to and mounted in accordance with FIA standard
8855-1999, or FIA.Standard.8862-2009 or higher need not have the seat
back attached to the roll structure. Seats with a back not attached to
the main roll hoop or its cross bracing may be mounted on runners only
if they were part of the FIA homologated seats assembly specified in an
FIA homologated race car. The homologation labels must be visible. Seat
supports shall be of the type listed on FIA technical list No.12 or No. 40
(lateral, bottom, etc). Passenger seat back–if a folding seat, it shall be
securely bolted or strapped in place.