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      12-04-2012, 05:11 PM   #13
dex37
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Drives: E92 M3
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Germany

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Quote:
Originally Posted by STi_traitor View Post
SORRY ITS A LONG ONE!

I am no pro but I have learned and seen a few things in my time. Great choice in upgrading the brakes and camber first. If you decide to do coilovers, I have been told that a corner balance is the best bet with coilovers to max their potential and keep the proper amount of tire patch on the ground for all four tires. Not corner balancing coilovers leads to uneven suspension settings leading to uneven tire patches for each tire. A good driving school helps severly as well. I have learned my lessons from crashing my own STi on the track due to lack of knowledge and possibly not having a proper corner balance on my STi coilovers.

Saftey: I would go with it for this reason alone. I have witnessed personally at the Nurburgring a guy who flipped his personal STi. The guy had his window open and when I went to help him his left side of the body was covered in mud with streak marks because he made contact with the ground. Now with that being said he did have a Recaro race seat installed into the car that covered his entire body on the left side. I honestly think that if it wasnt for that seat and the harnesses he would have been ejected from the seat. The seat played a big role in saving his life by keeping him in the car due to its bucket design. Crashing a car on the track is not a matter of if but when without the proper training and equipment.

Feel: If you were to get one maybe go for one with a lumbar support if possible. Most seats are made to sit you properly upright and at the proper distance to the wheel. IMO overtime this may get uncomfortable for someone. As for feeling the car, I personally can say that it helps. The seat really hold you in and reduces the amount of movement your body makes with the motion of the car. This not only helps you to better control the car with ease of controlling the steering wheel but you will most certainly feel the car more because you are more stationary.

I hope this helps you in your desicion to purchase. I have seen a seat recaro makes that is not only functional but stylish to our cars. There are much more functional seats with less style made by Recaro, the choice is yours to make. The racing seats link is for drifting but it explains more.

Proper seating positions:
http://www.turnfast.com/tech_driving/driving_seating

Benefits to racing seats:
http://legendaryracer.blogspot.com/2...cing-seat.html
Thank you for your reply!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Car54 View Post
Start with a CG Lock and report back.

Try to recline your seat a little more, not just lowering the bottom.
Thanks, but what is CG?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Porschefile View Post
I don't think you're going to be ejected from a standard M3 seat with seatbelt on, as far as the potential safety claim above.

But it is much easier to control a car with race seats, less sliding around and gripping the wheel to stay in place. And it is safer if you also add a roll bar. It is a tradeoff between street comfort and track comfort, like most track mods.
So true. Brakes or Suspension decision is the same issue.

Quote:
Originally Posted by bigjae1976 View Post
Fixed seats are an excellent track upgrade with some significant compromises. First, long road trips can become brutal and painful. Second, your back seats are only really accessible from the trunk. Third, more of a PIA to get in and out of. Gets old pretty quickly when DDing the car.

I tried some Recaro Profi SPG replicas as a test and they were awesome at the track, brutal for daily driving. I now have some Sabelt Steel Tube frame seats which are better and tolerable but need more lower padding...easily fixed. Still, its barely tolerable for a 3hr road trip. Again, awesome on the track. Its much easier to stay ahead of the car and feeling what is going on.

If your concern is being belted in, I'd just get the Schroth Ralleye 4 harnesses and be done with it. Seats take quite a bit more commitment and won't be worth it for everyone. The min I would recommend are the Ralleye 4 harneses...I've had the OEM belt lose its tension midcorner...made for an interesting moment.
Thank you for your input. That is my biggest concern. I travel very often on longer distances. The Autobahn here is quite good, but still. And as you said gettin in and out of the car might get annoying too.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dellort_M3 View Post
Link?
It is from Wiechers The page is unfortunately only in German I think. But if you need any information, let me know. Here is a pic, which a friend of mine made.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Car54 View Post
Another bonus for the E90!
That's true. I still like my E92 though
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