Gear Talk: Getting a new custom seat insert poured

[Rosso]

How many of you guys use a custom molded seat insert?

Did you have to supply the materials to make the insert or does SBR keep a supply of the bags, beads and foam on hand?

About how much did it cost?

[cdh]

the single most important piece of equip aside from the stuff you wear, must get one. Can buy foam at race supply stores, mechanic can pour, $100 & up depending on how deluxe it is (check out Rob Slonaker's sometime)

MUST HAVE ONE

[Slowhands]

Rosso--

If you are serious at all about your racing performance, you have to get one. My story is better than most:

During my first race weekend at Laguna Dec '05, I was running nineteen sec slower than the leader in Sportsman (yes you read that right--Revere could probably beat my time on his bike ). 2:00 vs 1:41. Abhi Ghatak told me I needed to get a poured seat to be able to feel the car, said that it would drop my time significantly. The very next day I had the seat poured before my first session of the day. The seat took 8 sec off my lap time that next session-- from 2:00 to 1:52. Even the pros use them, but especially for those of us on the early part of the learning curve, cdh is right-- MUST HAVE. Only way to stay ahead of the car is to feel what it's wanting to do right away.

I guess you can buy your own fixin's, but the mechanics usually have them. I think I paid $100 for mine, goes to the mechanics' fund. Talk to the crew chief when you get to the track. He'll set you up.

Speaking of pros, Rob you've got to post pics of your suede leather/carbon fibre easy chair. And just for comparison, JP needs to post pics of his.

[WatertownNewbie]

Being able to feel what the car is doing is the most important reason for a seat insert, but another benefit is simply reducing the amount of effort used to stay in position while driving. Many people notice that their backs are not sore and their elbows are not as banged up when the side-to-side sliding in the seat is eliminated (or at least greatly reduced).

My guess is that every driver would protest mightily if there were a rule that prohibited seat inserts (and I'm not suggesting that there should be -- I'm illustrating the point). Be sure that the portion that will be behind your lower back is reinforced with some corrugated cardboard. That part of the foam tends to be a little thin. Your friendly Skippy mechanic (Armando did my insert) will usually take care of these details as well as starting the taping procedure and giving you a roll of racer tape in the color of your choice (as long as your favorite color is blue, white, red, or black).

[Rosso]

OK, so I HAVE TO HAVE a seat insert. Thanks much for the input! Did all of you guys use the same type of two-part expanding urethane foam-in-a-bag? Looking at the Pegasus Racing Supply website it looks like they sell the two-part stuff plus a vacuum bag and urethane system. Anyone have a recomendation between the two types? Did all of you guys supply all of your own materials?

[WatertownNewbie]

Originally Posted by Rosso

OK, so I HAVE TO HAVE a seat insert. ... Did all of you guys supply all of your own materials?

The Skippy mechanic will have everything. All that you have to supply is your carcass and a donation to the mechanics (plus a tip to your mechanic who makes the insert is always appreciated).

[Slowhands]

Originally Posted by Rosso

Anyone have a recomendation between the two types? Did all of you guys supply all of your own materials?

I personally had NO idea about what it took to pour a seat-- I just showed up and they made one for me. The mechanics supplied everything, except, of course, the bad driving. They mix 2 ingredients and pour it into a trash bag that they tape into place behind you over the seat. You sit in the seat leaning forward and as you feel the goop expanding in the bag behind your back, you are instructed to slowly lean back into the position you want to sit in. The one suggestion I have is to make sure you are in the exact position you want to be in, ie if you have back issues or there is a particular way your spine is more comfortable, make sure you get into that position and the stuff will expand to conform to you. after about 5 minutes the stuff starts to harden and further modification becomes difficult. Also if the ambient temperature is too high or low, it can affect how the stuff sets, but you should be ok in the early morning at Road America.

[sydude]

merged with prior 'custom seat insert' thread.

[dalyduo]

Unless you're looking to learn how to do it to make a business of it or you really like to "do it yourself", I'd pay the hundred bucks and never look back. It's a process you could spend a whole weekend on and probably more than $100 trying to get it right or you could show up and pay the same $100 to guys who do it all the time and have worked out the glitches. Next to everything else you've spent to go racing this will probably be the least expensive investment for the most dramatic improvement.

[cdh]

Originally Posted by dalyduo

....I'd pay the hundred bucks and never look back.

Absolutely DD....it's funny, I forgot that earlier DIY post, LOL, I would never do it myself now.....def work with a mechanic on this, well worth the few $$$$ and it helps them out.

[John Greist]

Revere and I drove our entire Formula Dodge careers without seat inserts (Many real men did that back then - only JP does now). No inserts the first year or two of RT-2000s, until I crashed big at RA turn 14, probably breaking ribs when they reached the side tubing. Seat inserts since about '98 and mine is still going a decade later.

Seat inserts plant you in the car, reduce stress of holding yourself in place, and increase relaxation. Revere locked his in his road car, had to drive one race with foam and was bruised and worn out at race's end. Even more bruised by his mom when she had to drive to Fon du Lac to bring his back up car keys