Lowering stock seats

[ka-t_240]

Originally Posted by Bearcat86

You are correct, I don't fit in a WRX at all. The list of cars I don't fit in is quite extensive. The twins have a lot of headroom relative to other modern sports cars.

I'm very hesitant to mess with the foam in the seat as it is so comfy. If I could get some pictures or see how the shop in texas did it I could probably find someone nearby who could do the same thing.

I'm also too tall for the headrest. The shoulder bolsters hug my torso nicely right in the armpits and the top of the headrest barely hits above where my neck and head meet. I usually drive with the headrest pulled up past the last notch so it isn't terribly secure. I'm concerned about the safety of the headrest either way. I suppose cutting out some foam could also help with headrest height so I will look into that.

Odd, I fit the the wrx/chassis with lots of room, but my helmet touches the roof in the BRZ.

[8R6]

i think 1 or 2 guys on the forum swapped out seats to the recaro seats from an RX8. not sure if its actually lower than the stock frs seat though.

unfortunately as far as aftermarket seats go (which sound like your only choice so far), you would still need to get a fixed bucket seat with side mounts. i dont know of any bottom-mount aftermarket seats that would be lower than the stock frs seat at its lowest setting.

if you take out the stock seat and look at how its designed and mounted to the car, there really isnt any room left to do anything that will make it lower... which is why a side-mounted aftermarket fixed bucket seat is the only way to go

[sebastiansim]

Has anyone on here installed a sparco evo 2 seat in their car with the super low seat base and actually confirmed that it sits lower than the stock seat? I've been searching and no luck so far. If they do sit lower I might get that seat if not, I'll just live with the stock seat. I'm 6'3" so the little bit of more head clearance would help alot.

[8R6]

Originally Posted by sebastiansim

Has anyone on here installed a sparco evo 2 seat in their car with the super low seat base and actually confirmed that it sits lower than the stock seat? I've been searching and no luck so far. If they do sit lower I might get that seat if not, I'll just live with the stock seat. I'm 6'3" so the little bit of more head clearance would help alot.

who makes the super low seat base? I think Sparco only makes one standard seat base mount.

[sebastiansim]

Originally Posted by 8R6

who makes the super low seat base? I think Sparco only makes one standard seat base mount.

Planted and buddy club both make low seat bases that will fit most aftermarket seats like recaro, sparco, etc

[Vracer111]

Originally Posted by Bearcat86

Yes the seats are quite low. No argument from me. If the seats weren't already relatively low I wouldn't have made it past the test drive. I'm just looking for suggestions to help a circus freak like me fit in a reasonably designed car a bit better. It does appear that there is an extra inch or two of height under the seat to be had. I realize that I would be making the car virtually undriveable for most people but that has always been any car that I fit well in.

I suppose replacing the seat could also solve headrest and back height issues. I'll try to find a place where I can try fitting in some aftermarket seats. It may be hard to find one that I fit in with a tall enough back. If anyone knows of a good place in Ohio/NKY let me know. I'll report back if I find anything that works well.

It's too bad because I really like the stock seats and would like to keep the airbag.

There is no extra room under the stock seats to be had unless you solid mount them somehow. I bought a Recaro Sportster CS and when test fitting it looked like it may have been able to drop the seating position a much needed 2". Well with custom welded minimal brackets and the thin Recaro sliders it dropped it less than 1/2" from stock.... and that is mostly because of the bottom seat cushion...so yeah. I wanted to solid mount it, but the the position of the bracket mounting holes and seat mounting holes were basically very much the same...racked my brain and finally just gave up and switched to sliders with the associated height penality. Custom side mounts would be the only way to drop it an appreciable amount more than stock and keep it fully adjustable. I'm 6'2" and with the slightly lowered Recaro I still have less than 1" clearance for my head...can just slide my hand between the headliner and my head.

The stock seat was the one thing I absolutely hated about the FR-S - I bought the car in spite of the bad ergonomic stock seats. Recaro Sportster CS is the seat you absolutely want...so comfortable compared to stock (most comfortable seat I've ever had, which includes a Recaro Ergonomic seat and a custom mounted Kirkey race seat in the absolutely most perfect driving position I've ever had in a vehicle) and also way more secure feeling - stock seat allows you to flop around a whole bunch more than the Sportster CS. The stock seat you sit ON, the Recaro Sportster CS you sit IN and become more a part of the chassis...driving experience very much like that of a fixed mount racing seat, yet it reclines and is adjustable with a Recaro rail. It's even a factory option in Japan (Subaru BRZ tS).

[Drambeenie]

Originally Posted by Vracer111

There is no extra room under the stock seats to be had unless you solid mount them somehow. I bought a Recaro Sportster CS and when test fitting it looked like it may have been able to drop the seating position a much needed 2". Well with custom welded minimal brackets and the thin Recaro sliders it dropped it less than 1/2" from stock.... and that is mostly because of the bottom seat cushion...so yeah. I wanted to solid mount it, but the the position of the bracket mounting holes and seat mounting holes were basically very much the same...racked my brain and finally just gave up and switched to sliders with the associated height penality. Custom side mounts would be the only way to drop it an appreciable amount more than stock and keep it fully adjustable. I'm 6'2" and with the slightly lowered Recaro I still have less than 1" clearance for my head...can just slide my hand between the headliner and my head.

The stock seat was the one thing I absolutely hated about the FR-S - I bought the car in spite of the bad ergonomic stock seats. Recaro Sportster CS is the seat you absolutely want...so comfortable compared to stock (most comfortable seat I've ever had, which includes a Recaro Ergonomic seat and a custom mounted Kirkey race seat in the absolutely most perfect driving position I've ever had in a vehicle) and also way more secure feeling - stock seat allows you to flop around a whole bunch more than the Sportster CS. The stock seat you sit ON, the Recaro Sportster CS you sit IN and become more a part of the chassis...driving experience very much like that of a fixed mount racing seat, yet it reclines and is adjustable with a Recaro rail. It's even a factory option in Japan (Subaru BRZ tS).

This is a great review. How is the seating position? For example, in my stock car i do feel like I'm sitting on the seat. My knees seem like they're bent at a 90 degree angle.

My dad had a GT2, and my legs felt like they were more or less parallel to the floor. It was like my butt was lower than my legs.

How would you describe the seating position with the Sportster CS? Lowered is one thing, but position is another

[Vracer111]

Originally Posted by Drambeenie

This is a great review. How is the seating position? For example, in my stock car i do feel like I'm sitting on the seat. My knees seem like they're bent at a 90 degree angle.

My dad had a GT2, and my legs felt like they were more or less parallel to the floor. It was like my butt was lower than my legs.

How would you describe the seating position with the Sportster CS? Lowered is one thing, but position is another

It's less than halfway of where I'd really like it, a little more rake and layback than stock, but not near enough, like I know it could be. More thigh support than the stock seats, but still not optimum because I know the seat can be positioned much better in the car....it was absolutely perfect just test fitting the seat on the floorboard with no mount brackets, could get into a very good position I loved.

The hard part is making bracketry to mount the seat that will get it as close to that ideal as possible. Bracketry + slider on a bottom mount seat in this car means compromises must be made. But even with the compromises, it is much better feeling and more comfortable than stock. Would never go back to the miserable stock seat! The connection you feel with the chassis is one of the best things with the Sportster CS, very different feeling from stock. I would guesstimate my thigh to lower leg angle at somewhere close to 110 degrees, and I like to sit very close to the pedals and steering wheel.

I'm going to be taking the Sportster CS out of the FR-S soon though, reason being I will be putting in a proper side mount racing seats and 4-point rollbar for track use... just cannot get the needed helmet clearance with Sportster CS. The Sportster CS will be put into the truck I just bought, provided no fitment issues - amazing how much less room there seems to be for a drivers seat in a midsize truck compared to the FR-S...because King Cab Nissan Frontier.

[z28pwr]

I'm in the same dilemma and I'm only 6' tall but most of my height comes from my torso as my inseam is 31. I had the same issue with my NC Miata and had to bolt the seat 1/2 an inch from the ground to get enough clearance when wearing a helmet. Who makes the lowest bracket, Sparco, Planted, Buddy or?


Thanks

[alphasaur]

wow this is crazy as my bud is 6'4 and fits great, he does have long legs/arms though. Why not just do some fabricating and side mount or bolt straight to floor? I'd assume that and some cushion removal will get the needed 1 or 2", but you will lose the ability to adjust seat.