Posts in category Seat Buying and Installation

Racing Seats for Big Guys

June 29, 2016 24 Comments Written by RSU University Administrator

In our business, one of the most common questions we hear is, “Do you have racing seats for big guys?” Let me assure you that we do! Here are some tips to find the right racing seat for our big (and tall) brothers and sisters.

Tall Driver Challenges

Let’s break down “big guy racing seat” challenges into two categories: tall and broad. You may be either, or you may be both. At any rate, each of these has their own challenges. Tall drivers often have head clearance issues. A tall driver who wears a helmet in his car is GUARANTEED to have head room clearance issues.

Count on this: aftermarket seat/bracket combinations almost always sit a bit HIGHER than the factory seats–especially if the factory seats are old and worn. To your benefit, Corbeau specifies the vertical height between the bottom of the seat and the bottom of the driver for each seat. Additionally, they offer a seat-shaving service on many of their seats that lowers this height by about an inch. This puts the seat very close to the height of your factory seat.

For very tall drivers using racing harnesses, you have another issue. If your shoulders are inches above the harness slots then you could be severely injured by the harnesses. The top of the harness must be roughly at the top of your shoulder as it passes back to the fixing point. If they are lower then they pull down on your shoulders as they work to stop your body’s forward momentum. Add a broken collar bone to what might have otherwise been more minor injuries.

Broad Driver Challenges

Corbeau also provides some suggested maximum waist sizes for their seats. If your waist size is at or below 36 inches, you are a go in nearly any seat we sell. If you are over 38 inches, pay attention.

Recognize that waist size is not a hard-and-fast rule for selecting racing seats. A lot depends on where you carry your weight. If you have a 40-inch waist but carry your weight right up front then you can likely push the suggested limits just a bit. But if you are more broad in the thighs and midsection, better stick to what is suggested.

Likewise, the seat time duration has an impact as well. If you are putting these seats in a drag car that is never driven on the street, you can probably suffer a little bit of tightness the time you will be in the car. But if this is your daily driver, leave yourself some room.

And remember that “broad” drivers also includes the athletic. That amazing set of lats you have been building in the gym will not be happy when packed into a racing seat built for a less impressive physique. Select a racing seat with less side bolstering.

Small Car Challenges

Getting a seat that fits you is only half the requirement. The seat must also fit the car. And, for some reason, big guys and small cars go together like peanut butter and jelly. The links for every seat you see listed below provide dimension information and it is vital that you carefully compare that to the available space in the car before you purchase.

Top Picks: Big Guy Racing Seats

I’m going to lead off with my top pick for for big/tall/broad drivers. After that I will list other excellent choices, categorized by the driver they best fit.

Sparco EVO Racing Seat

Sparco EVO Racing Seat

If you’re a big guy or gal looking for a true racing seat (with composite fiberglass shell, sidemount capability, and FIA homologation) then there is only one solution: The Sparco EVO Racing Seat. This seat is available in four different sizes. We can overlook the standard EVO (suitable for smaller drivers) but the EVO II is suited to thin/tall drivers, the EVO II-US is suited to wider drivers who are not especially tall, and the EVO III is for the broader/taller or big, athletic driver who needs a professional racing seat. These seats come HANS-device ready and are accepted at almost every level of automotive racing. (Note: The EVO III is a physically huge seat. Take care when ordering to ensure you have adequate room for this seat.)

More Racing Seats for Big (Broad) Guys

Corbeau FX1 Racing Seat (Wide Version)

Corbeu FX1 (Wide) Racing Seat

The Corbeau FX1 racing seat (wide version) is another fixed-back racing seat that is specifically targeted at the large driver. This seat suits drivers up to 44 inches in waist size and is a great choice when FIA homologation is not required. The wide version is a full inch wider at all locations than the standard FX1, so this is a physically large seat that will not fit in many applications. Use care when measuring. The harness slots in the wide version are not higher than the standard version so especially tall drivers needing a fixed-back racing seat may opt for the Sparco EVO III.

Corbeau Baja XRS Racing Seat

Corbeau XRS Racing Seat

I’m not even going to hide my bias–the Corbeau Baja XRS is my favorite racing seat. It is also our number one racing seat in the street category. This seat is specified for drivers up to 42 inches in waist size. It is extremely comfortable and looks great in anything from a truck to a classic muscle car or even a more traditional sports car. This is not a narrow seat (21+ inches) and won’t fit in every car. And it is not a candidate for Corbeau’s seat-shaving option, so taller drivers will not find any head room with this seat.

Corbeau Baja RS Racing Seat

Corbeau Baja RS Seat

Like the XRS, The Corbeau Baja RS is specified for drivers up to 42″. Its design lends itself to truck, SUV, and offroad applications. Suspension-style support makes this an incredibly comfortable seat. Corbeau does not allow a shaved version of this seat for taller drivers. The seat is 22-inches wide and not generally a good choice for smaller vehicles.

Corbeau Sport Seat

If you are looking for a big-guy seat with a more traditional seat design, the Corbeau sport seat is a perfect choice. Very mild bolstering means that this seat will not tend to rub in the thigh, waist, or lats like a more highly-bolstered seat. At 22-inches wide, this seat is wider than it looks and is not going to fit into a tiny sports car. No seat shaving option.

Corbeau LG1 Racing Seat (Wide Version)

Corbeau LG1 (Wide) Racing Seat

The Corbeau LG1 racing seat is available in a wide version that suits drivers up to 42 inches in waist size. The wide version is limited to black cloth, black microsuede, or black/gray microsuede materials. It does have much more aggressive thigh and lat bolstering than some of the other seats listed here. That means that those with broad, athletic builds may find it restricting. It is 22 inches wide (too big for very small cars) and does not offer the seat shaving option for taller drivers.

Corbeau Moab Racing Seat

The Corbeau Moab racing seat has almost no bolstering. This makes it a good choice for broader drivers (up to about 40-inch waist size) without being excessively large (although still a bit big for small vehicles.) This seat looks great in nearly any application and has really found a following in the Jeep ® market. Seat shaving is not available on this seat.

More Racing Seats for Big (Tall) Guys

Corbeau CR1 Racing Seat (Wide Version)

Corbeau CR1 (Wide) Racing Seat

The Corbeau CR1 racing seat shares many similarities to the LG1. In addition to similar styling, a wide version is available (for drivers up to about 40 inches waist size.) The wide version is only available in black cloth, black microsuede, and black/gray microsuede. Corbeau does offer seat shaving on this seat, so if you need head room this seat might work better for you. At 21.5 inches wide it is a bit narrower than some of the big guy racing seats listed here but still too tight for many small cars.

Racing Seats for Big Guys with Small Cars

Corbeau A4 Racing Seat

This is a “big guy racing seat” only because big guys seem to be drawn to small cars (as we mentioned earlier.) The standard size A4 is, in fact, NOT a very good seat for big guys but is tends to be the best big-guy racing seat that will fit in cars like the Mazda Miata and Chevrolet Corvette. Seats I might otherwise suggest for these cars are simply going to be too painful for broad drivers. But be aware: the standard A4 (the one that will fit in smaller cars) is only specified for drivers up to 34 inches in waist size. The A4 wide version (available in black only) is suitable for drivers up to 40 inches in waist size, but is too wide to fit in the Miata, Corvette, or other similarly small cars. Corbeau does offer seat shaving for this seat, giving a bit of head room clearance to taller drivers.

A4, baja rs, baja xrs, big guy racing seats, corbeau, cr1, evo, fx1, moab, sparco, Sport Seat, VX2000

Vintage Racing Seats

April 15, 2016 2 Comments Written by Chris Myer

1970 Dodge Charger R/T

Thanks for joining us for this review of vintage racing seats. Here are Racing Seats USA we pride ourselves on offering the very latest in racing seat technology. But just because offer the $11,000 OMP HTE ONE Racing Seat doesn’t mean we’ve forgotten our racing roots. In fact, fully half the cars in our racing stable now qualify for Historic Race Car qualification based on production year and we’re proud to be carrying on that tradition.

You see, who we are as racers today was defined by racers who have gone on before us. And because we have lost many of those racers we respect the efforts of those who keep their memory alive by restoring, maintaining, and yes, racing vintage race cars. We’re proud of all of the seats we sell and are especially honored when we are able to meet the needs of vintage race cars with the perfect vintage racing seat from OMP and Corbeau.

There isn’t a specific definition or profile for a vintage racing seat but they certainly did not have many of the features of modern racing seats. Things like halos and broad shoulder bolsters were right out. Heck, back in the day, many of these cars had no support even for the head, which is made a bit less surprising when you realize that the use of seat belts is a concept that only came into vogue about 50 years ago. So without any more adieu, let’s consider the seats that are available today to those who would restore a vintage race car.

Open Cockpit Cars

Who can’t appreciate the look of a classic open cockpit car, nimbly pressing its way through a challenging set of turns on some English countryside? These seats can work in other cars just as well, but are particularly suited to cars like the Triumph TR6, the Porsche 356, the MGA or the Austin-Healey “Bug-Eyed” Sprite, to name just a few. If you have one of these cars and are in the market for seats, we suggest the following:

OMP Silverstone Vintage Racing Seat

OMP Silverstone Vintage Racing Seat

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or below for
OMP Silverstone Pricing

The OMP Silverstone Vintage Racing Seat is an excellent place to start our journey. The Silverstone takes its design cues from the classic Porsche 356 GT seat, but is able to do so in more refined, genteel way. It resembles the early Recaro sport seat but without the Recaro’s head rest. This seat has absolutely no head support and, as such should never be used on the street and only in very controlled situations where the risks are limited and understood. However, for those vintage race cars that use a similar styling it is the ideal seat to recreate that look in a seat that is thoroughly modern in construction and is comfortable to both the wallet and the backside. Note: There is limited U.S. stock of this Italian-made vintage OMP seat. Lead times may vary.

1960’s Vintage Cars

One of the biggest changes moving into the 1960’s was the introduction of Japanese-made sports cars. Japan had moved through it’s initial post-war period and in the late 50’s auto manufacturers were at a point where they could introduce true sports cars to what had been a fairly utilitarian offering. Styling cues came from the classic European sports cars but Japanese designers added their own twist. Headrests were becoming more common as drivers realized the apparent need for head support. Builders looking for a period-correct seat for their 60’s Nissan Skyline, AC Cobra, Alfa Romeo Spider, Ford Mustang, or Dodge Challenger might consider these seats.

Corbeau Classic II Vintage Racing Seat

Corbeau Classic II Vintage Racing Seat

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or below for
Corbeau Classic II Pricing

The Corbeau Classic II Vintage Racing Seat is resembles most of the racing seats of this era. Shorter than today’s seats but with an added adjustable headrest that will provide head support for all but very tall drivers. The design, too, is reflective of that era, with a bottom that very nearly mirrors the back. Although this is a fixed-back seat (as were so many of this era) this is a very inviting, comfortable seat. It features the Corbeau bottom-mount bracket fixing so any of the Corbeau brackets will work great for this seat.

OMP Brands Hatch Vintage Racing Seat

OMP Brands Hatch Vintage Racing Seat

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OMP Brands Hatch Pricing

Younger (or less international) racing fans may think that “Brands Hatch” is a strange name for a racing seat. But fans of Grand Prix racing of the 60’s and 70’s will immediately recognize this name. Brands Hatch Motor Racing Circuit outside of Kent, England is one of the world’s great classic race tracks. The British Grand Prix was held there for 12 consecutive years starting in 1964, and continues to be a fan favorite for it’s spectacular vistas. Similarly, the Brands Hatch vintage racing seat is a beautiful head-turner, with much to like. Quilted-look faux leather outer with a grippy black velvet inner is an immediate attention grabber. Deep bucketing and adjustable headrest are valued driver ammenities as well. This vintage racing seat looks fantastic in a broad range of cars and will be the ideal complement to an otherwise perfect 60’s muscle or sports car. Note: There is limited U.S. stock of this Italian-made vintage OMP seat. Lead times may vary.

1970’s Vintage Cars

Continuing a trend that started in the 1960’s, vehicles built in the 1970’s were heavier, more powerful, and faster than their earlier counterparts. Because of this, the seats had to do a better job of protecting the driver. Even deeper “bucketing” became the norm.

Corbeau Classic Bucket Seat

Corbeau Classic Bucket Seat

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Corbeau Classic Bucket Pricing

Just look at the Corbeau Classic Bucket Seat. All by itself, even without a car in sight, this seat has you thinking of that amazing 70’s muscle car that you or one of your friends had. You can almost hear the break in the song in your head as the 8-track player searches for the next track (or consumes your best Three Dog Night tape, whichever came first.) Fortunately, you can relive the 70’s without the old-technology blues because this seat by US seat maker Corbeau features absolutely state-of-the-art construction. 70’s in appearance, this seat has a strong steel tube-frame design. With sides the wrap you into the seat and an adjustable headrest, it’s not difficult to get comfortable in this seat. Like the Classic, II, the Corbeau Classic Bucket has the Corbeau bottom fixing points, which means that adapters are available to fit this into literally hundreds of different year/make/model combinations.

OMP Classic Vintage Racing Seat

OMP Classic Vintage Racing Seat

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or below for
OMP Classic Pricing

We will conclude this review of vintage racing seats the way we started: one final seat from Italian seat maker OMP. The OMP Classic Vintage Racing Seat draws it’s inspiration from the early Recaro Sports Seat. In the day, these were the seats that only the elite or wealthy drivers could afford but now they are available at a price that is within just about anyone’s reach. With it’s long, lean design, this is a much taller seat than any of the others on this page therefore better suited to taller drivers. Like the other OMP vintage racing seats, this seat features a faux leather vinyl outer with a sturdy black velvet inner. It has bottom mounting points that work well with Planted Technology brackets. Note: There is limited U.S. stock of this Italian-made vintage OMP seat. Lead times may vary.

brands hatch, classic, classic II, corbeau, fixed back seats, omp, silverstone, street seats, vintage racing seats

Leather Seats

February 26, 2016 Leave a Comment Written by Chris Myer

Read about our great selection of leather seats below or
click here to shop leather seats now!

Corbeau A4 Black Leather Seats

Having been the Internet’s leading resource for high quality car seats for nearly 15 years, there are a few things we can say without reservation. One is this: When it comes to seat materials there is nothing that beats leather. The look, the feel, the ability to resist wear and spills, even the smell when you get in a car with leather seats make it the best. Unfortunately, some buyers do not consider leather seats because of price concerns. Racing-Seats-USA offers a broad selection of seats available in leather and there are leather seat models for every taste and budget. Thank you for joining me on this quick tour of leather seats that you can find on Racing-Seats-USA.

Entry-Level Price With Race Styling

The Corbeau A4 in black leather (shown above) has a lot to like in what is a very reasonably-priced leather seat. The cloth version of this seat is hugely popular among customers who are looking for an aggressively sporty profile with passages for a multi-point harness and bolstering in the thigh and lower back region. But when you add leather, the A4 takes on an entirely different dimension. Suddenly a car that looked at home trackside or at a local enthusiast meet now gains comfort in a more refined concours setting. And at a price that is incredibly reasonable. Similar to the CR1 in styling and pricing but with a slightly wider stance is the Corbeau CR1 Black Leather Seat.

Leather Seats With Traditional Styling

Corbeau Sport Seat Black Leather

Maybe a racing seat isn’t what you are looking for–certainly, not everyone is. And that is why the Corbeau Sport Seat is also a big seller. The Sport Seat is perfect for those individuals who are not looking to add a set of racing harnesses to their car, truck, or SUV. Fully reclining and with adjustable headrest, this seat offers all of the features you expect in a top quality automotive seat. But, as with the A4, when you add leather, it takes on a whole new personality. As soon as you slide into the Sport Seat’s comfortable yet solid grip and smell the fragrance of tanned leather, you know you’ve arrived. If you like this seat but desire a bit more bolstering, consider the Corbeau GTS II Black Leather Seat.

Leather Seats For Bigger Drivers

Corbeau VX2000 Black Leather Seat

Ok, let’s face it: Not everyone who wants a leather seat is this svelte 20-year-old who doesn’t mind sitting hours at a time in a highly-bolstered, confining racing seat. Sometimes you just need a seat you can be yourself in. And the Corbeau VX2000 Black Leather Seat is just that seat. Comfortable for drivers of any size, this seat suits drivers up to 42-44 inches in waist size.

But you’re not giving up a single thing by going to the VX2000. This full-reclining seat has head-turning styling and features harness-belt pass-throughs in the event you need those. In fact, this seat is unique among the many excellent tube-frame reclining seats that we offer in that is has an injection-molded composite back. If you are looking for a leather racing seat but don’t want to be restricted by dimensions that don’t fit, give the VX2000 a look.

Leather Seats from Sparco

Sparco R600 Black Leather Seat

When you are going for top-of-the-line, when budget takes a back seat to European styling, when the biggest brand name matters, then go for Sparco. The Sparco R600 Black Leather Seat is handcrafted in Italy and features a modern design that is bold yet understated, sleek yet subtle, and without peer in its class. Sparco has replaced the notchy lever-style reclining mechanism with a smooth, continuously adjustable knob that sets you exactly where you want. It is an engineering masterpiece. Whether you are building a show-quality European touring car or if you simply demand something more from your seat, the Sparco R600 in Black Leather will not disappoint.

Shopping for Leather Seats

Leather seat Filter Selection If you’ve ever tried to shop for leather seats on any other website then you know what a challenge that can be. Because leather is such a big part of our business, we sought to make this process a lot less challenging. That is why we added seat material as a filter for our seat offerings. This means you can view all reclining seats and then narrow the selection to just those seats that are available in leather. So, by making the box check shown at right, you can produce the results shown below:

Reclining leather seats available at Racing-Seats-USA.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this review of leather seats on Racing-Seats-USA. Please drop me a note below and let me know what you think.

A4, corbeau, leather seats, R600, reclining seats, sparco, Sport Seat, street seats, VX2000

Upgraded Side-By-Side UTV Seats? You Bet!

January 6, 2016 Leave a Comment Written by Chris Myer

Side-by-side UTV’s are becoming the “must-have” toy of the decade. I don’t know about where you live it seems that they are everywhere around here. And, naturally, as soon as everyone has one the customization starts–mine has to be better than yours!

When you’re making something uniquely yours it only makes sense to take a practical approach. A set of shiny wheels look good but they are limited in what they can actually do for you. Corbeau must have known that and so they came out with an upgrade that couldn’t be more useful in a sport that has you spending extended amounts of time riding over rough terrain: side-by-side UTV Seats for the Rhino, RZR, and Wildcat!

Corbeau SXS Pro Seat for Polaris RZR, Arctic Cat Wildcat

Polaris RZR with Corbeau SXS Pro Seats

Corbeau SXS Pro Seat Black Vinyl for Polaris RZR

Okay–I admit it. I’m sold on the SXS Pro. But once you put a set of these in your RZR or Wildcat you are going to feel the same way. While the original RXP seat for the Rhino is fantastic, this seat just goes beyond in both styling and technology. Corbeau put all of their considerable talent into designing what is probably the ultimate side-by-side seat.

Corbeau SXS Pro Seat Black Vinyl for Arctic Cat Wildcat

The SXS Pro seat comes with all hardware required to make this a direct bolt-in to the Polaris RZR. It is also available with a special bracket that will allow this fantastic seat to be bolted directly into the Wildcat with only common handtools. Installations into other Side-By-Side vehicles are probable but will require some level of engineering.

The support in the SXS Pro seat comes from injection-molded foam. While this doesn’t provide quite the damage control of the RXP Suspension Seat, it more than makes up for it in aggressive styling. Injection molding means that this seat will give years of use under harsh conditions where a seat made from cut foam would normally fail.

And look at those harness slots. Rather than just a hole through which the harness belts pass, these heavily reinforced slots both protect the seat and provide additional support of the harness belts during aggressive driving.

Corbeau thought of everything, even including a drain hold that allows water to drain from the seat rather than pooling in the bottom. Since Corbeau uses a waterproof seat cover, that means no more soggy bottom syndrome when your UTV is caught in a sudden downpour.

And, maybe most importantly, look at that lateral bolstering in the thigh, lumbar, and shoulder region. These seats really hold you in place. You know what work it is to keep yourself upright when driving aggressively. This seat lets your energy and focus remain on driving–where it should be.

Read more about the Corbeau SXS Pro RZR/Wildcat Seat

Corbeau Apex Seat for Polaris RZR, Arctic Cat Wildcat

Corbeau Apex Side-by-Side UTV Seat for Polaris RZR and Arctic Cat Wildcat

Polaris Ranger with Corbeau Apex Seats

I can give you plenty of reasons for deep, aggressive seat bolsters. If you’re driving on the edge, beating over harsh terrain, and generally doing everything that the manual tells you not to do in your UTV, you’d better get all of the bolstering you can.

But if you are driving your side-by-side more sanely, deep bolsters can be a pain in the bottom (as well as other parts of your anatomy.) First they can be a challenge to the basic entry and exit of the seat if you are, shall I say, athletically challenged. There there is the simple fact that because bolsters stick out more, they tend to be the recipient of the sort of brushes and scrapes that can damage not only the cover but also the injection-molded foam underneath.

Corbeau Apex UTV Seat with Orange Accents

So, it was with you in mind that Corbeau designed their Apex UTV seat. This seat features a silhouette very similar to the factory seat but with just enough bolstering to keep you firmly planted in the seat in the event that you do get in the mix of things. Like the SXS Pro, it is available in all black or with white, orange, or silver accents that match the factory RZR colors. The material is the attractive carbon fiber vinyl that Corbeau has incorporated in all of their most recent seat designs.

But my real interest in the Apex is even far more practical. You see, I’m sort of a clean freak when it comes to my toys. I’m that guy that actually cleans his grill after each use so that it is all ready to go the next time I’m ready to cook. And the Apex makes it easy. Corbeau has incorporated a quick-release tab to the back of the seat that promises to let you remove and re-install the seat with no tools whatsoever. So, rather than trying to carefully wash under the Apex, just pull it out, blast your ride with a hose, give the seat a complete once-over, and re-install. Man, I love it!

Read more about the Corbeau Apex RZR/Wildcat Seat

Corbeau Bench Seats

Corbeau Baja Bench Seat for Side-By-Side UTV

Corbeau didn’t have to invent a good bench seat to suit the side-by-side UTV. For years they are known as the source for the worlds finest suspension bench seats. Countless thousands of these are already in the outback in Jeeps, mud buggies, rock crawlers, and more.

Corbeau’s Baja Bench Seats are available in 36-, 40- and 42-inch wide versions. Not all seats will fit all side-by-sides, so if you are interested in adding one of these it is important to measure. Brackets are available to mount these to any flat floor pan, but Corbeau offers a bracket for their 36-inch Bench that will allow the seat to be directly mounted into the Yamaha Rhino or Kawasaki Teryx. A broad assortment of colors and materials are available. Find out for information here: Corbeau Baja Bench Seats

Corbeau Harness Belts for Side-By-Side UTV Seats

Corbeau Harness Belts for Side-By-Side UTV

When you are ready to get serious in your UTV, you’d better first get serious about your safety. While all of the brands offer some nominal safety features, for the hard-core offroader there are the Corbeau Harness Belts for UTVs.

This isn’t some warmed-over harness built for street tuners. It features not only an aggressive 3-inch design with proven latch-and-link securing technology, but also an additional securing strap mid-chest. While this normally isn’t necessary in a street vehicle, this chest strap provides an extra level of security when down, up, and sideways are all swapping places at high speed.

Corbeau didn’t sacrifice comfort here though. These belts have built-in harness pads (try finding that on most street harnesses) and a reduced-size anti-submarine strap to prevent chafing of the more sensitive areas.

Recently Discontinued Corbeau RXP Seat for Yamaha Rhino

Sadly, shortly after we originally published this article, Corbeau suddenly discontinued the production of all products for the Yamaha Rhino. No reason was given for this change in policy, but one can only imagine it might have been some sort of licensing disagreement. Having dealt with Corbeau as long as we have, we can assure you that whatever happened that Corbeau took the high road in the situation and did the right thing. Here is a look at those discontinued seats:

Conclusion

Corbeau has everything you need to not only dress-up of your Side-by-Side UTV, but make it a serious competitor. Go for it!

apex, arctic cat wildcat, corbeau, polaris rzr, side-by-side, sxs pro, utv

Suspension Seats Buyer’s Guide

November 14, 2015 Leave a Comment Written by Chris Myer

By Chris Myer

Some of you have heard the term “suspension seat” but what are suspension seats, exactly? A suspension seat is an absolute necessity when conducting serious off-road maneuvers in your truck, suspension, SUV, or rock-buggy. As the name implies, it suspends the driver in a web of bungy-type suspension chords, attractively and comfortable overlaid in top-of-the-line seating material. The effect of this suspension is to reduce the g-force of the impacts that your body absorbs by an order of magnitude or more.

For serious offroaders, a suspension seat is not an option–it is absolutely mandatory. Just as road-race driver would never dream of competing in a stock automotive seat, an off-road driver needs a high-quality suspension seat such as these manufactured by Corbeau to maximize their driving experience. Besides being drastically more comfortable, the suspension seat make the experience safer by translating the the attitude of the vehicle to his body while allowing him or her to focus on piloting the vehicle–rather than trying to hold themselves upright.

When selecting a suspension seat, we only recommend Corbeau. Corbeau makes the finest suspension seats available. The phrase “truck racing seat” doesn’t have to be an oxymoron. Consider these:

Corbeau Suspension Seats

	Baja XRS Suspension Seat: Looking for Corbeau’s newest and most advanced suspension seat? The Baja XRS Suspension Seat is it! Reclining, suspension technology, plus injection molding make this the new rage of the suspension seat market! Fits drivers up to 42″ waist.

	Baja RS Suspension Seat: The Baja RS is the new champion of Corbeau suspension seats. It is the first suspension seat from Corbeau to offer a reclining option! It fits waist sizes up to 44″, meaning is is comfortable for nearly everyone. This seat is available in black vinyl w/ black cloth center section.

	Baja JP Suspension Seat: This great seat features the suspension seat protection of the Baja SS. A great looking, great performing seat that will fit any offroad vehicle with a Corbeau custom bracket and is a direct bolt-in to CJ5, CJ7, and YJ Jeeps. Low side bolsters make this perfect for highly lifted vehicles or large drivers/passengers.

	Baja XP Suspension Seat: Suspension Seats simply don’t get any more extreme than this. The new Baja XP Suspension Seat is designed for enthusiasts who require the maximum seat for their vehicle. Radical bolstering, full-on suspension, and incredible looks. Are you ready for this seat?

	Baja SS Suspension Seat: The Baja SS is a perfect place to start when you’re looking for an economically-priced Suspension Seat. It will support drivers and passengers with up to 36″-38″ waist. This seat is available in nine different color/material combinations, including Black Vinyl, Black Vinyl w/ Black, Yellow, Blue and Red Cloth, Grey Vinyl, Grey Vinyl/Cloth, Tan Vinyl, and Tan Vinyl/Cloth.

	Ultra SS Suspension Seat: The Ultra SS is the big-brother to the Baja SS Suspension Seat. In addition to being 4″ taller for additional head-and-neck support, the Ultra SS is available in a wide version that is a better fit for drivers up to 40″-42″. The Ultra SS is available in Black Vinyl w/ Black Cloth and Grey Vinyl w/ Grey Cloth.

	Baja SS Bench-Style Suspension Seat: The Baja SS Bench is a perfect complement to Corbeau bucket suspension seats. Don’t make your passengers absorb all the bumps, let them experience the same comfortable ride as you. 36″ wide and available in Black Vinyl, Black Vinyl/Cloth, Grey Vinyl, and Grey Vinyl/Cloth.

8 Things to look for in a suspension seat:

Suspension design
Top Quality Material and Construction
Wide selection of colors and materials
Powder-coated steel frame
Reinforced nylon inner liner
Military grade suspension cords
Integrated full body support
5-point harness capability

Does the suspension seat the you’re considering include all of these features? Why cut corners on that part of the off road vehicle that means the very most to your body? Install a Corbeau-brand seat in your off road vehicle!

buyers guide, corbeau, offroad seats, suspension seats

Sidemount Bracket Installation Guide

November 13, 2015 Leave a Comment Written by Chris Myer

By Chris Myer

Folks occasionally ask us, “How do you do sidemount bracket installation?” Well, there is a good bit of flexibility in how to do the installation of seats with side mount brackets. I just finised putting a FX1 Pro and side mounts into our race car (see above). I can assure you that it takes several careful iterations of guessing, checking, and trying before you get it just the way you want it. How you do it really depends on how much room you’re dealing with too. As you can guess, in a Miata it’s pretty tight.

If the floor has a flat floor pan everything is too easy. We’ll start by making this assumption and will then make some suggestions for addressing situations where it is not.

Sidemount Bracket Installation Step One: Find a Landing Spot

First, bolt the side pieces to the seat. Don’t worry too much about the angle at this point. Set the seat in the car and mark where they touch the floorpan. Keep in mind that it doesn’t really matter if you face both rails in, both rails out, or one in one direction and one in the other. At this point the goal is to try and figure out about where the side rails will bolt to the floor rails. Make some marks with a Sharpie, chalk, or soap stone and remove everything from the car.

Now, completely assemble the brackets to the seat. Adjust the position until it you sit comfortably on the floor. Don’t get too wrapped up about which holes you use–as long as the seat is firmly attached with grade 8 hardware at all 4 corners, you should be set. Don’t try to tighten it too much until you get it where you think it is right. You will probably spend several iterations getting it just right.

When you have it where you think it is going to work, put the seat back in the car. Does it fit? Does it sit firmly or does it rock? If it rocks, is it a lot or something where you can slip a washer underneath one of the floor rails and fix it? Based on what you find here you may need to take the seat out of the car and make some changes. If you do not have a flat floor pan, this might get pretty tricky. We were able to simplify our problem by welding some plate steel into the floor pan to smooth things out a bit. That’s not something that most folks would want to do but it’s worth considering if you have access or if the task seems like it will be too difficult without it.

Sidemount Bracket Installation Step Two: Drilling

When the seat sits comfortably without rocking you can mark where you want to drill. Again, you have multiple options at this point, but as long as you use good hardware in at least 4 locations you should be good. Use a good, thick steel washer underneath the head of the bolt and on the other end as well. Keep in mind that this bracket is what holds you in place in the event of a serious accident. If you are unsure then get some professional assistance before driving the car.

Here is a picture of our installed seat bracket. To orient you, this is looking back under the seat from the area of the pedals. The blue at the top is the lower edge of the front of the seat.

As you see, the left-hand side and the right-hand side are not even, yet the seat itself is level. You do not have to get the two long front-to-rear pieces level. It’s not even mandatory that they be parallel. You have many vertical mounting holes to choose from and you can likely find one that fits even if they aren’t level and parallel. This Mazda Miata example is a really tough installation. Most cars won’t be this bad. If you look closely, you’ll see that we even had to put a slight s-bend in the vertical brackets on the left side of the picture. If you want to see more pictures of our race car, visit EPMiata.Com. (Not now, after you check out!)

I think you’ll have no problems once you get started, but it will probably be more interations of “install, check, mark, remove, change, repeat” thn you might expect. Let us know how your sidemount bracket installation works out for you.

installation guide, sidemount brackets, sidemount seats

Racing Seats Buyer’s Guide

November 13, 2015 4 Comments Written by Chris Myer

By Chris Myer

There are essentially four easy steps in the seat buying process:

•Step 1: Select a Racing Seat Style That Suits Your Needs
•Step 2: Pick a Racing Seat That Fits Your Car
•Step 3: Pick a Seat That Fits You
•Step 4: Buy a Seat Bracket

Step 1: Select a Racing Seat Style That Suits Your Needs

For purposes of this discussion, let’s break racing seat styles down as follows:

Shop Reclining Seats	Shop Fixed-Back Seats	Shop Suspension Seats	Shop Bench Seats

These are ideal for the street car that wants to make a powerful statement without compromising comfort.	Doing some serious racing? These are your choice. Look here too if you are restoring a historic car or completing a kit that needs a classic bucket seat.	Including Jeep seats and offroad seats. Nobody knows more about them than Corbeau. Find the performance and comfort you demand for your offroad adventure.	Hey, why not? Sometimes a bench seat is exactly what is required. And nobody has a finer selection of bench seats than Corbeau.

Racing Seats USA makes it easy to select the right style of seat. Simply go to Shop By Style and select the style you prefer. If you are looking for a specific brand or use then you can also Shop By Brand or Shop By Use.

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Step 2: Pick a Racing Seat That Fits Your Car

Read below or check out this handy video post on vehicle fitment

This is generally only a big deal if you have a small car, but if you get a seat that won’t fit you will not be happy. So, unless you’re putting your racing Seats into a very large car or truck, you should do a few quick measurements. Corbeau seats have 5 measurements, as shown in the image at left. Other brands provide similar measurements. Take a tape measure, jump in your car and get an idea of the available space. The most important measurements are the bottom width and the shoulder width.

Measuring Available Shoulder Width

First, find the very center of your stock seat at shoulder height. Do this by measuring the width of the stock seat at the shoulders and then finding the spot half-way across the seat. This is your starting point. Now, with the door fully closed and the window up, measure from this point out to the window. That is half, so double that number. This is the maximum available shoulder width. We recommend you find a seat that is at least 1-2 inches more narrow. This is important since the location of the shoulder on different seats is at different heights, and you may not have as much room with the aftermarket racing seat.

Measuring Available Bottom Width

With the door closed, measure the narrowest width from the door panel to the center console. This measurement represents the widest seat bottom that will fit in your car. Select a seat that is at least 1 inch more narrow than this to be safe.

You will notice that we provide a diagram similar to the one above for every racing seat we sell. Now that you have the measurements you can compare the seats you like to your available space. Also, each section page provides a filter to reduce the seats shown to those that are wider, typical, or more narrow than the rest. Here are a few more pointers:

Aftermarket racing seats are usually taller than stock seats – Most high quality aftermarket seats are thicker in the bottom than the stock seat, so you’ll sit a little bit taller. If you already have head clearance issues you may need to consider the custom seat shaving service that Corbeau provides. They can remove, shave approximately 1 inch and replace the padding in the bottom of the seat. When you are ready to order your seat call and mention this when ordering.
Fixed Back Seats are not usually a good match for standard-cab pickup trucks – Fixed back seats come with a pre-set layback angle. Often, the rear window and cab wall require these seats to be installed too close to the steering wheel for most drivers. We recommend a reclining seat for standard-cab pickup trucks.

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Step 3: Pick a Seat That Fits You

Is your midsection diameter 34″ or smaller? Great–you can skip to the next section. If you are over 34″ you will need to read on. With most racing seat descriptions on this website we offer guidelines for how big a driver will be comfortable in that seat. For other brands, the guidance is limited to suggesting that the seat is a better fit for a small, medium, or large drivers. Even the waist size suggestions can’t strictly be compared to your pant size. Man men, in particular, are able to fit into one size pant and then carry far more weight just above that point. Don’t kid yourself here, it is your comfort that is at stake. Measure yourself at the broadest part of your midsection. If you enjoy a snug fit and are not spending hours at a time in the car then a slightly smaller seat may work. But we recommend that you get as much seat as the manufacturer recommends for your size. Other tips:

Consider the bolsters – Bolsters are the padding at the thigh and back that keep the driver securely centered in the car during high G-Force maneuvers. A tall bolster is going to be more limiting for bigger passengers. It can also be challenging for handicapped drivers when entering and exiting the seat. This is especially true on a tall vehicle like a 4WD truck.
Don’t forget your passenger’s needs – If you are small and it is at all likely that you will have some not-so-small passengers riding with you, you may want to consider a larger seat. This is particularly true if that person will be riding with you frequently or over longer distances.

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Step 4: Buy a Seat Bracket

Aftermarket seats come with either bottom mounting points, side mounting points, or both. Seat brackets are available to allow bottom-mounted seats to bolt directly into most year/make/model combinations. This is definitely the way to go. Unbolt your old seats, bolt the bottom-moun racing seat to the bracket and the entire assembly directly into your car. Too easy!

Racing Seats with side mounting points present additional benefits and challenges. By placing the mounting points on the side of the seat, it allows the seat to be positioned as low as possible, physically touching the surface on which it is being mounted. And it is possible to use a sidemount seat with a bottom-mount bracket by attaching the seat to the bottom-mount brackets with a set of sidemount brackets. This allows you to take advantage of the ease of installation even on sidemount-style seats. View the entire list of Racing Seat Brackets here!

While the paragraph above covers 90% of our customers, there are a few points to keep in mind:

Mounting Baja SS, Ultra SS, Baja Low-Back and Baja XP Seats – These seats are unique in that Corbeau designed them with four vertical mounting tabs. This makes them especially well-suited to custom applications like a sand rail or rock crawler. However, this is one of our best-selling seats for ALL applications. A special adapter is an available option when ordering that allows these seats to be used with the entire range of Corbeau custom brackets.
Mounting Corbeau Seats in Jeeps® – Corbeau obviously has a special spot in their hearts for Jeep owners. While any Corbeau seat can be mounted into Jeep applications using a custom bracket, some of the Corbeau line are manufactured so they can be mounted directly into the Jeep CJ and YJ without the purchase of a bracket, including the Baja JP, the Baja RS, the Moab, and the Safari Bench Seat. They also offer direct fit adapters for the Baja SS, Ultra SS, and the Baja Bench Seats.

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Any Other Questions? Call Us!

We love to get phone calls! You’ll find our toll-free phone number at the top of every page on this website. We always have someone here between 9:00 AM and 7:00 PM Eastern. It is our priviledge to take your phone call!

bench seats, buyers guide, fixed back seats, racing seats, reclining seats, street seats, suspension seats

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Corbeau Suspension Seats

8 Things to look for in a suspension seat:

Sidemount Bracket Installation Step One: Find a Landing Spot

Sidemount Bracket Installation Step Two: Drilling

Step 1: Select a Racing Seat Style That Suits Your Needs

Step 2: Pick a Racing Seat That Fits Your Car

Measuring Available Shoulder Width

Measuring Available Bottom Width

Step 3: Pick a Seat That Fits You

Step 4: Buy a Seat Bracket

Any Other Questions? Call Us!

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