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Awesome, thank you! I assume you think the improvement was worth it?
Yes, I set the seat to the mid slot in the front and the low slot in the rear so that the seat tilts back slightly. This gave me more space for a HNR (HANS). I didn't put the brackets on the pass side and some riding right seat have complained that the seat is too upright.
Also suggest check Brey Krause, BK Auto. I had their brackets on a set of 996 gen buckets. not sure if they have anything for 987/997 though.
Just found this thread searching on this topic. Just started to put some miles on my new-to-me Spyder with the buckets and they seem really high. With the (massive) steering wheel set where I like it (low) I can't see half the tach. Not the end of the world, but surprised how high the seats sit off the floor as it slightly defeats the point.
Has anyone found a workable solution to lower the seats?
I have experience with neither, the four sets of 997 buckets I've sat in have always been too high and I'm not willing to take a $10k risk and not have the seats work out even with brackets. I have considered going with a combination of thinner foam (the stock foam inserts velcro into the seat) and the lowering brackets, which I assume would give me around 2" of additional room which would probably be perfect. But until I can try this combination, I'm not going to risk it. I've reached out to Kim at P1Designs and it sounded like they could make the inserts .75" thinner. I guess if I can find someone somewhat local to me in Ohio that has at least the Cantell brackets, I could then judge if the thinner foam would be enough. The stock buckets cause my knees to touch the steering wheel and my head is typically touching the roof in a sunroof 997 with buckets. Stock manual sport seats you have considerably more room.
I have experience with neither, the four sets of 997 buckets I've sat in have always been too high and I'm not willing to take a $10k risk and not have the seats work out even with brackets. I have considered going with a combination of thinner foam (the stock foam inserts velcro into the seat) and the lowering brackets, which I assume would give me around 2" of additional room which would probably be perfect. But until I can try this combination, I'm not going to risk it. I've reached out to Kim at P1Designs and it sounded like they could make the inserts .75" thinner. I guess if I can find someone somewhat local to me in Ohio that has at least the Cantell brackets, I could then judge if the thinner foam would be enough. The stock buckets cause my knees to touch the steering wheel and my head is typically touching the roof in a sunroof 997 with buckets. Stock manual sport seats you have considerably more room.
Great looking seats, but as you and the OP have found out, all too often they're just too high for some of us (5ft 11.5" short legs, long torso)
I'm in the UK and my 987 Cayman R came with the "legendary" folding carbon bucket seats. I had a pair of Tarett's seat lowering brackets shipped across the pond. They were a complete waste of time and had little or no affect on the seat position.
I ended up removing the seat base cushion, and that with the Tarett brackets just about made the driving position acceptable. But a quick look under the seatbase cushion reveals the seat base shell is far from flat, so you couldn't sit comfortably on it.
I endured this for about six weeks, at which point the driving position I was forced to adopt led to a reoccurrence of a lower back problem that caused agonising sciatica that was so bad, I couldn't drive the car for more than 45 minutes without having to stop, get and and walk for 30 minutes.
End result ? I sold the car.
The optional Sports seats go far, far lower, (I estimate nearly 3" lower) and enable you to sit "in" the car, rather than "on" it. The folding carbon buckets are an epic fail and from my perspective a triumph of form over function. Porsche aren't the only culprits however, as BMW are guilty of similar poor seat design/lack of height adjustment.
I'm not sure which height person the carbon folding buckets were designed for, but they fit me perfectly. I'm 5'9" with a fairly short torso when compared to my legs. My wife has to use a pillow or cushion as she sits far too low in them. My only quibble with them is that when the Spyder top is installed, you cannot fully fold them forward without brushing the top, as you get close to where the top attaches to the windshield. Far from a dealbreaker, though.
For shorter drivers or ones with shorter legs, I'm also 5 foot 8 inches and find that the bucket effect is a bit much for me. The outcome is that my knees point too high in the air and circulation to my legs and feet are cut off. I pulled up the bottom cushion and put an inch of carpet pad there that I cut to exactly fit the space. It prevents me from sinking too deep into the seat. It solved my circulation problem without making the cushion less comfortable and of course the fix can't be seen either.
Last edited by john weires; 10-09-2021 at 03:16 PM.
So people near 6' say the buckets are too high, and people about 5' 6" say too low... people in the 5' 8-10" range say they fit perfect. Conclusion: Porsche designed them for average height and they work great.
I'm 5' 7" and they are perfect IMO. 3+ hour road trips and my wife and I both think they're are superb - comfortable and supportive. And we do have occasionaly aching backs - but not with these seats! I personally find the 981/991 height-adjustable buckets too wide - made for fat people. No thanks.
So people near 6' say the buckets are too high, and people about 5' 6" say too low... people in the 5' 8-10" range say they fit perfect. Conclusion: Porsche designed them for average height and they work great.
I'm 5' 7" and they are perfect IMO. 3+ hour road trips and my wife and I both think they're are superb - comfortable and supportive. And we do have occasionaly aching backs - but not with these seats! I personally find the 981/991 height-adjustable buckets too wide - made for fat people. No thanks.
I’m 6 foot four inches. I spent a life making do with driving cars until I drove Porsches. That said, driving them with a helmet has been challenging. One of the reasons I prefer PDK in the 987.2 Spyder is the lack of leg room to operate the clutch. I can just fit with a helmet but I’m hoping some height and rake adjustment will make life just a little bit easier. I will soon see when the seat fittings arrive.
Seat rails have arrived from Cantrell. My car is RHD so I ordered what is a LHD passenger side set. I just have to check the seat removal process. I recall it involves disconnecting the battery and waiting to make sure air bags don’t go off.
I have yet to install mine. My intention is to mount them in the lowest holes - I just want the seat lower, I don't want to adjust the rake. However, after taking some quick measurements, I'm going to need to modify the brackets so that they don't rub against the seat and damage the carbon - the seat flares out slightly and the top of the brackets will rub. If you look carefully in the video I linked to above, the poster had to do the same - he looks to have cut the top of the bracket off just above the lowest holes. I'm still trying to figure out how I'm going to do this so that it doesn't look like a DIY job... Any suggestions are welcome.
I have yet to install mine. My intention is to mount them in the lowest holes - I just want the seat lower, I don't want to adjust the rake. However, after taking some quick measurements, I'm going to need to modify the brackets so that they don't rub against the seat and damage the carbon - the seat flares out slightly and the top of the brackets will rub. If you look carefully in the video I linked to above, the poster had to do the same - he looks to have cut the top of the bracket off just above the lowest holes. I'm still trying to figure out how I'm going to do this so that it doesn't look like a DIY job... Any suggestions are welcome.
Thanks for sharing the link. I took the seat out and took the rails off it, only to discover there was an error in the parts (both same side). Colin immediately agreed to sort it. I have no problem with that. These things happen. It looks like I would have come up against your problem. I will likely choose a lower rear hole to get rake. I hopefully won’t have to cut the bracket.
Addendum. Colin sorted out the issue very quickly, sending a new rail to me in New Zealand.
So people near 6' say the buckets are too high, and people about 5' 6" say too low... people in the 5' 8-10" range say they fit perfect. Conclusion: Porsche designed them for average height and they work great.
I'm 5' 7" and they are perfect IMO. 3+ hour road trips and my wife and I both think they're are superb - comfortable and supportive. And we do have occasionaly aching backs - but not with these seats! I personally find the 981/991 height-adjustable buckets too wide - made for fat people. No thanks.
You're making the assumption that everybody who is "average" height has the same leg to torso ratio. They don't. I'm as near as dammit to 6ft, but I have short legs and a long torso.
996 GT3 fixed bucket seats and 964 RS bucket seats fit me perfectly. They're are to quote your words, superb - comfortable and supportive. But that's me. I know others who can't get comfortable in the 996 GT3 fixed bucket seats.
997 GT3 CGT seats are the most painful seats I've ever had the misfortune to sit in, others love them. I removed them and fitted a pair of carbon folding buckets to my 997 GT3, they were better, but still far from perfect.
The carbon folding buckets in my Cayman R were almost as bad as the CGT seats in my 997 GT3. Others like yourself, think they're wonderful. We're all different.
It'll be interesting to see how John McM gets on with the Cantrell brackets.
Update. New Zealand is in Covid Lockdown so I decided to fit the Cantrell Motorsport rails. While I appear to be two spacers and bolts short, I can give some feedback.
The OE rails have a bend in them so they sit flush with the seat whereas the Cantrell rails are a simple right angle. The Cantrell rails have two spacers and longer bolts on each side. There is NO need to cut them as they can’t foul the seat.
Correction. I have been in contact with Colin Cantrell. The spacer is fitted to the rear end. The front is fitted flush. They have beveled the inner side of the upper front edge so it doesn’t interfere with the seat when set at the lowest level.
06-24-2021, 04:43 PM
