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Can someone clarify what I need to run in my SPB in PCA for a seatback brace? Reading the rules it looks like it's required unless you are tall and run the seat all the way back against the firewall?
I have a 1.75" roll bar and a Recaro Pro Racer SPG XL seat, manufactured in 2019. Looks like I need 30 square inch pad against the back of the composite seat connecting back to the roll bar? Then it also says if my seat is FIA spec'd and I have certain sliders and fasteners then a seatback brace is not required?
Any clarification from those more experienced would be great.
I ran recaro sliders and a block of the approved foam block velcro'd to the back of my seat. I believe it had to be 3" or less from the firewall....still allowed those inches as adjustability.
Can someone clarify what I need to run in my SPB in PCA for a seatback brace? Reading the rules it looks like it's required unless you are tall and run the seat all the way back against the firewall?
I have a 1.75" roll bar and a Recaro Pro Racer SPG XL seat, manufactured in 2019. Looks like I need 30 square inch pad against the back of the composite seat connecting back to the roll bar? Then it also says if my seat is FIA spec'd and I have certain sliders and fasteners then a seatback brace is not required?
Any clarification from those more experienced would be great.
You don’t need a brace if your seat is within 3” of the firewall or you meet all the conditions of Appendix I in the PCA Rule Book. If your seat and sliders and mounting hardware meet all those requirements, (check your seat certification label) you do not need a back brace. If you are within 3” (most SPB folks are) then just Velcro some high density foam on the back of your seat.
You don’t need a brace if your seat is within 3” of the firewall or you meet all the conditions of Appendix I in the PCA Rule Book. If your seat and sliders and mounting hardware meet all those requirements, (check your seat certification label) you do not need a back brace. If you are within 3” (most SPB folks are) then just Velcro some high density foam on the back of your seat.
Thanks. So my Recaro seat date of mfg is 2019 and the seat meets the FIA requirement stated in the rule book. I am on Porsche manual rails with steel side plates (unsure of brand) that meet the thickness requirement stated in the rule book.
I measured it last night....I have short legs...and in my seated position the back of the seat is about 6" from the firewall, maybe even 7" depending on where you measure.
The way my cage is designed the nearest crossbar I could mount a back brace on is 20-22" from the seat back when in my seated position, and I don't see any available back brace that appears to be that long, I think I would have to have another crossbar welded in closer to the back of the seat, or fabricate a long brace/contact pad setup.
Based on reading the rules (as you indicated above) it appears that I still do not need a back brace as my seat and rails meet the requirements, regardless of the distance from the firewall. I suppose I could install some foam, but that does not appear to be required?
I had these same questions about seat back brace. If your seat is not expired, you will not need any additional seat support. If you are expired, that's when tech inspectors will look for additional measures. It wasn't made clear to me by the PCA inspectors exactly what is needed to pass. They gave me 1 event pass. I will need to show some sort of modification for the next PCA event (High Plains btw). The seat back brace I bought will not be easy to make work. I'll return it. I am going to attach foam between my seat and the cage horizontal bar (harness bar). It's just not practical to mount a real seat back brace with the shape and location of my seat (expired 12/2019). I'll likely bring extra foam for any modifications they might request. Like I said earlier, they did not know what was required exactly. Just said make modifications before next race..
If your seat isn't expired, you don't have to do anything that I'm aware of. Only if your seat is expired. None of the other SPB guys got any flags for their seats. None had braces or foam (that I recall). This was at a west coast regional PCA event at UMC.
I have an expired seat, so I made a brace a few years ago, really simple to fabricate. Pics tell the story. At the NOLA race two scruts came over and did a safety check on my friends car as well as my SPB. First scrut tells me that my seat is out of date. I tell her that's why I have a seat back brace. She calls over the other scrut, and he examined it and all was good.
I have an expired seat, so I made a brace a few years ago, really simple to fabricate. Pics tell the story. At the NOLA race two scruts came over and did a safety check on my friends car as well as my SPB. First scrut tells me that my seat is out of date. I tell her that's why I have a seat back brace. She calls over the other scrut, and he examined it and all was good.
How is it attached to the seat? Or, is just butted up against the foam?
How is it attached to the seat? Or, is just butted up against the foam?
Rules state if you have a composite seat then the brace should be a metal plate with foam against the back of the seat with a surface area of 30 square inches minimum. Only attached if it's a metal seat or the composite seat mfgr has OK'd drilling the seat (which none do).
I had these same questions about seat back brace. If your seat is not expired, you will not need any additional seat support. If you are expired, that's when tech inspectors will look for additional measures. It wasn't made clear to me by the PCA inspectors exactly what is needed to pass. They gave me 1 event pass. I will need to show some sort of modification for the next PCA event (High Plains btw). The seat back brace I bought will not be easy to make work. I'll return it. I am going to attach foam between my seat and the cage horizontal bar (harness bar). It's just not practical to mount a real seat back brace with the shape and location of my seat (expired 12/2019). I'll likely bring extra foam for any modifications they might request. Like I said earlier, they did not know what was required exactly. Just said make modifications before next race..
If your seat isn't expired, you don't have to do anything that I'm aware of. Only if your seat is expired. None of the other SPB guys got any flags for their seats. None had braces or foam (that I recall). This was at a west coast regional PCA event at UMC.
Thank you that makes it clear. My seat is good until 2024 so I won't worry about a brace.
I have a Racetech 4119 seat which is pre-drilled for a brace. The bar behind my seat is too far away for the stock Racetech brace, so I had an aluminum brace made to attach ithe seat to the bar. Works great, and really adds some rigidity to the setup. I used the Racetech bar clamps to attach it to the bar.
I have the stock Racetech brace for sale if anyone wants it. $50 + shipping to the first buyer.
Here is my seat positioned on the sliders where it would be when I am driving. My cage is a copy of the 996 Cup car cage done by Chris Cervelli, so the distance from the crossbar where the harnesses attach up to the back of the seat is 20-22". If I did need to run a brace I'd guess I would need to weld in a new crossbar near the back of the seat, or custom fabricate a really long seatback brace. Also you can see the angle is a problem too.
Thanks. So my Recaro seat date of mfg is 2019 and the seat meets the FIA requirement stated in the rule book. I am on Porsche manual rails with steel side plates (unsure of brand) that meet the thickness requirement stated in the rule book.
06-28-2021, 02:45 PM
Seatback Brace SPB
