Van

Let's talk a little bit about proper seating position. I've got a new car, and I need to get a new seat.

For DEs, it's OK to go with the "fully push in pedals and wrists on the top of the steering wheel when your shoulders are back in the seat."

But what about with a full cage and racing gear? What's too close to the cage? Too close to the windshield? Too close to the ceiling?

Are there some guidelines for really doing it right? I know people use steering wheel extensions - what about pedal extensions?

BostonDMD

If you are using the same car for DE and race, does it really make a difference?

Waiting to hear from the experts.....

Veloce Raptor

IMO it is all about personal preference. I like to be relatively close to the wheel, but a moderate distance form the pedals. How do I quantify that? I know it when I get it.

The cage is another story. Gottta have head clearance IMO.

J richard

as low as you can go...

winders

How high should your eyes be above the dash?

Scott

J richard

As long as you can see traffic, getting your butt down low in the car works wonders for seat of the pants feel for what the car is doing. Also moves your head away from immoveable objects and gets the CG as low as possible. Pedal position and wheel distance are all personal fit and preference. Just for giggles take a look at the seating position in a DTM sedan. They drive from the back seat...

DM993tt

You still want a little bend in your knees when pedals are fully depressed.

Bill Verburg

Van, what did you end up getting?

M758

You should the cage placed as far away from you as possible. Mostly that means as close to the body as possible. Foot pedal, steering, seat and shifter should be optimized for their operation. If you are talking about the pumpkin car we all do fine without moving things around too much. In my car I have my seat as low as it will go and have pulled the seat pad bottom. This ensures proper position of my harness with respect my HANS. This also gives me lots of room to my cage.

M758

Enough to see... Really I sit so low in my 944 that with windshield wiper in place I cannot see out the car. So I run without it and install it only when wet. I have manual switch to park it up along my A-pillar.

Carrera51

Like others have said, get your self as low as possible so you head is a far away from the cage as possible. I pull out the seat cushion like Joe mentions. I like it when clutch fully depressed, my left knee still has a slight bend. I have long legs so I also have a dished steering wheel. Like raptor I like the wheel fairly close, though not NASCAR close. You are the primary driver of your car I figure, so make it comfortable for you.

Van

Good info, thanks guys. The driver's seat is fixed right now... it's too far back - I can't reach the pedals, although the steering wheel is good. My head also almost reaches the roof. And the seat is too tight... Anyone need a used Sparco Circuit seat?

Here's the car:

Lemming

Since I am vertically challenged (5'8"), I do have issues with the 944 a-piller angle. My seat is fairly far forward and with a head containment sea, getting in and out of the car is not an easy thing. This is especially true if the door cannot be opened. I have been wondering about options as well and have considered extensions for the pedals and steering wheel or going to a seat without head containment (at least not on the window side).

M758

Sounds like you have a long torso and short legs. I am 5' 7" and fit just fine. I don't run a containment seat however and one reason I don't is for getting out of the car easier.

If the seat is too tight then you probalby should change it out. However too tight by how much. It should snug, but not uncomfortable.

You can lower yourself in the car by removing seat bottom. That will increase head room. The other things you can do are to move the seat closer to the wheel and then angle it back slightly. This will move your feet closer, but move your arms back. The slight layback will also increase head room. Or you can just live with a little closer arm position.

Move the seat close by unbolting and rebolting it down even if it means new holes in the floor. Seating position always takes tweaking as almost always what the previous owner had is not going to work for the new owner.

When I ever I sit any other 944 I feel out of place. Nothing is where I really want it as I hav done in my car. If I am doing a session or few laps I just deal with it, but I expect that I would need to completely redo the seating if I changed cars for good.

J richard

Yea 44's are a bit difficult with the halo seats and the rake of the windshield. As you lower the seat you can rake the seat back, it brings your legs up and forward for better pedal placement, and slides your head and shoulders back from the wheel and headder bar and makes the effective window opening bigger. You then can play with the wheel distance with spacers or dish, and if needed pedal mods. An old 911 trick for the pedals is to cut the pedal off the arm, weld a threaded rod on the pedal stub and a threaded coupler (like a 2" long nut) on the arm, jamb nut the pedal rod into the insert on the arm. Plenty of adjustability. An inch is a lot otherwise the geometry gets weird and you will want to shorten the arm. Just use high grade hardware and good welds! The accell can be moved forward with a longer rod. Always preferred the 911 position over the 44, I feel like my feet are floating. The clutch action on mine is all at the top of the pedal adjusting the clutch stop (or adding one) to take out the extra travel will help.

Have you driven the car with a tight seat? Ever since karting I prefer a tighter seat. Despite what everyone thinks it's not your hands but your butt that communicates the most about what the chassis is doing...just my .02...