Coming from a circle track (stock car) background, I was VERY surprised when I saw how NASA and SCCA allow seats to be mounted. I was always under the mindset that in a bad crash, you want the seat mounted to the cage. That way, if you are harnessed in and the harness is attached to the cage everything moves together and you are safe. Now, if you have your seat mounted to the floor pan, harness mounted to both the floor and the cage, as most are, and you get into a bad wreck, the cage moves one way and the car/floor pan could move another. See where the issue lies? My new car is using an adjustable setup for now or else I would have a full seat mount welded to the cage along with seatbelt tabs. I still feel this is the safer way and hope moving forward, the sports car guys change the rules to reflect this.
Seat mount tied into Cage:
I’m bring this back from the dead. I’m currently building the cage in my car and would like to tie the seat mount into the cage. How can I do it legally?
The cage can only have the 8 attachment points as outlined in the CCR. You could make a frame that attaches to a bar across the bottom of the main hoop and to a low door bar. You cannot have an attachment at the transmission tunnel. You could put a foot at the front right corner of the frame that “touches” the floor or tunnel. Just can’t attach.
Fair enough. This seems like a rule that could stand to be changed… I’d hate for an injury to cause a change to the rule book.
[/quote] Fair enough. This seems like a rule that could stand to be changed… I’d hate for an injury to cause a change to the rule book.[/quote]
I agree. In the name of safety, PLEASE start allowing seats tied to cages.
I’m currently putting a cage in a car. Ed P posted a pic that coincides with what I was going to do. If the front right corner of the seat fram is bolted, not welded to the car, is that concidered an attachment point? Due to it being safer, I’m doing this regardless.
I was looking at the VAC aluminum seat mounts. I’m sure a ton of people use them. However, IMO, where the mounts attach to the car is a thinner material than the part where the mount secures to the seat. I would think that in a hard wreck, that thinner section would fail and the seat would then come loose from the car.
Ray
You guys should then talk to SCCA, because the SE30 cage rules are based off the IT rules in SCCA. Our PRO3 series did the same.
Not that it’s not a bad idea to tie in to the cage, but remember, these cars were crash tested by German’s and for use at Autobahn speeds. We have had some massive wrecks in PRO3 (including several upside down cars at Seattle) and the factory seat mounts have NEVER ripped free. Your mounting bolt would probably shear before the floor gives way in our cars… Look underneath your car, there is a reason for all those elevation changes and extra boxed sheet metal under the driver side.
I am all for safety, but there is such thing as overkill…
On the original picture posted a couple of years ago I see an inherent flaw. If the rocker is compromised the seat could/would be pushed to the center of the car tightening the shoulder belts and possible injuring the driver.
I do agree having the seat and cage tied together is a good thing but there needs to be a better way. Referring to the “NASCAR” way of mounting seats most forget that the typical CUP stock car rests on 2"x4" rails with appropriate door bar uprights and additional frame members creating a very stout seat base. Uni-body car with the “8pt” roll cage does not. The last picture posted shows tubes attached to the main hoop lower cross bar which I prefer in this situation. For this to be effective the waist and sub belts must also be attached to the tubes. This still may allow the rocker bar to push the seat in an impact but it is lessened by the size and amount of tube supporting the frame to the tube.
I have seen many cars impacted and rolled over the years and some with seats that have been broken with drivers walking away. The current safety protocol is very good but I think it could be approved on. I would hope that a NASA track tech or Shop tech would allow the seat mod seeing it for what it is and not extra frame or cage support. I know when a client comes to my shop for a “NASA” inspection I will allow it until I am told by the officials not to.