[performerrpm]

anyone know if i can use my 65 seats with a 12pt cage i want to cert to 8.5s? car came with a roll bar and factory seats when i bought it but 8ts gettin some changes

[Dave Polichena]

Not Sure of the ruling but if your going 140 mph, would the 5 way harness hold you IN your factory seat in the event of a crash?

[mysticmissle]

seats should be fine, however you need to have some sort of head rest coming off the roll bar to keep you head from coming back. if cage is done right should cert no problem with factory seat and 5 point harnesses

[performerrpm]

thats how the car came was with factory seats and 5pt harnes but no headrest. but it was just a roll bar i dont think it movin out too fast

[ErikW]

Something like this is what you would need. And you would need to support the back of the seat from the cage also.

[GTOGEORGE]

I’m not sure factory seat would be safe at those speeds with a 5 point harness.....safety would be a key factor!


GTO George

[Sirrotica]

Just a FWIW, in the event of a crash involving the front of the car hitting a immovable object, you want the lightest seat possible. I had used a olds swivel type seat in my dirt track car and hit the front straightaway wall coming out of turn 4. The seat broke and hit me from behind pushing me into the harness. If the seat hadn't of broken I would have been fine, but I was hurting for a week after being sandwiched between the stock seat and the harness.

Speaking from experience, you want the lightest seat possible in event of this type of crash. The decision is yours, but I know I wouldn't want to re-enact that crash again.

[Dave Polichena]

Originally Posted by GTOGEORGE

I’m not sure factory seat would be safe at those speeds with a 5 point harness.....safety would be a key factor!


GTO George

Even the cheap plastic seats are are not safe. Seen what can happen from a "slow" 135 mph bump. Need your body in a seat not just on it, especially if your going for an 8.50 cert.

[GTOGEORGE]

Factory seats have slot of cushion in them.....racing seats don’t, hence the belts should hold you in place better..... I would think.



GTO George

[Bill Eveland]

I would want a light high back racing seat simply because the shoulder harness goes thru the seat and to the main hoop regardless of what any rule says.... same for the crotch belt. My main hoop also has a bracket to bolt up the seat .

[johnta1]

From NHRA Rule Book:

SEATS
Properly braced, framed, and supported seats constructed of aluminum, fiberglass, carbon fiber, or double-layer poly (automotive accessory seats) permitted.
See General Regulations 6:2

6:1 DRIVER COMPARTMENT
Both doors must be functional from inside and outside on all full-bodied cars. All interior panels (firewalls, floors, wheel tubs, doors, etc.) within the driver compartment of enclosed-cockpit cars where the driver is located behind the engine must be constructed of materials other than magnesium. Driver compartment of any enclosed or full-bodied car must be totally sealed from engine and transmission. Openings around all linkages, lines, wires, hoses, etc. must be minimized.

6:2 UPHOLSTERY, SEATS
The driver’s seat of any car in competition must be constructed, braced, mounted, and upholstered to provide full back and shoulder support. The driver’s seat must be supported on the bottom and back by the frame or crossmember. Except as noted in SFI Specifications, seats must be bolted with four bolts (and nuts and washers) on the bottom and one bolt in the rear into crossbar; all bolts must go into frame or cross braces. Ball-lock pins for seat attachment prohibited in all classes. All seats must be upholstered, or as noted under Class or SFI Requirements.

All front-engine, open-bodied, supercharged or urbocharged (gasoline or methanol) cars running 7.49 seconds and quicker must have a flame-retardant-material-upholstered seat. Properly braced, framed, supported, and constructed seats of aluminum, fiberglass, carbon fiber, or double-layer poly (accessory seats) permitted. Single-layer fiberglass seats must have steel tube framework, 1/2-inch-minimum O.D., for support. Aftermarket aluminum seats must have reinforced head rest. Magnesium seats prohibited.

And here is what it says about seat belts with it:

10:5 DRIVER RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
A quick-release driver restraint system meeting SFI Spec 16.1 or SFI Spec 16.5 is mandatory in all cars in competition required by the rules to have a roll bar or a roll cage. (Permitted in all other classes.) Driver restraint system must be clearly labeled as meeting SFI Spec 16.1 or SFI Spec 16.5 and be dated by manufacturer. SFI 16.1 or 16.5 3-inch-wide shoulder harness straps folded over and sewn to be 2 inches wide by the original manufacturer in order to fit into head and neck restraint lips/channels are acceptable. See Class Requirements for additional requirements for Top Fuel and Funny Car. SFI Spec 16.1 or 16.5 Y-type belts prohibited. (In cases where the class does not require an SFI 16.1 or 16.5 driver restraint system, the two-year recertification does not apply.) System must be updated at two-year intervals from date of manufacture. All seat-belt and shoulder harness hardware must be originally designed to be used with each other and produced by the same manufacturer. For harness installation, see illustration. Cars using OEM or OEM-type seat may route crotch strap in front of seat instead of through seat; otherwise, install according to manufacturer’s instructions. Mandatory that units must release all attachment points (five, six or seven, if applicable) in one action. When arm restraints are worn with a restraint system that utilizes a "latch lever," a protective cover must be installed to prevent arm restraint from accidentally releasing the latch lever. Protective cover not required if system utilizes "duck-bill" latch hardware. All harness sections must be mounted to the frame, crossmember, or reinforced mounting, and installed to limit driver’s body travel both upward and forward. Seat belts may not be wrapped around lower framerails. Under no circumstances are bolts inserted through belt webbing permitted for mounting.

[jimmy daniel]

Imagine a violent end over end crash then pick your seat and belts.

[performerrpm]

i was really hoping to keep the factory seats, b7t reading for hours on end on different forums....it looks like i may just have to give those up.

[Probird]

I believe the seat has to be attached to the roll bar.