? Re: Drivers Seat Options

[JonV]

Is it just me, or do others find the seats in the Camaro horrible and painfull?

I recognize that the seats don't hold an occupant well when said occupant is engaged in vigorous driving, but heck I got in my car Sat and took a drive outbound for 1.5 hours and inbound for the same length of time. When I got in the car first thing my lower back was a bit sore. When I got home my back was a whole bunch sore. Today it is awful sore. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/sad.gif) Are there others who have the same experience? Is there something about the design of these seats that causes back pain? Heck, I can drive my wife's Honda for hours without trouble, why? Do I need a new seat? What should I get? Or is it just my 47 year old back going to rat sh*&.

[94bird]

I absolutely loved the power seats in my Firebird. If I got uncomfortable on long trips I'd just press a button and adjust them. Worked every time. I did many a 10-12 hour road trip in that car with just 1-2 gas stops.

[John_D.]

I've always heard the Camaro seats are less comfortable than the Firebird seats.

The thing I didn't like about mine, is the top of the seat is just about in the middle of my shoulders, and the seat curves forward. So I had to sit hunch-back, or leave a gap at my lower back.

I put a set of Corbeau seats in it, and although it's harder to get in and out of, the riding comfort is much better. The seat back is straight, and the support is a lot better. I did have to get the seat bottom shaved, so I would still fit under the t-top with a helmet on.

[Rob Hood]

The Camaro seats are very bad on long trips, at least for me. The best way for me to sit is to use the cruise and bend my right leg up with the foot at the front of the seat base. I've played with the seatback angle as well, and that has slightly decreased some lower back pain, but not totally eliminated it. And since I can't always use the cruise, it gets painful and ultimately sets off my sciatic nerve. Laying the seat back a little (but not like the "homies" do) helps some.

I'm not sure if switching to a T/A seat is worth it. Some aftermarket seats can cost equal to or less than a used T/A seat; however, most T/A seats that I've seen for sale are sold in pairs. The T/A seat does give you a real headrest, compared to the Camaro's significant lack of one. And most schools that I've seen have required that the same level of safety equipment be available to the instructor as the student (i.e., if you have a harness for you, you need to have a harness for the instructor).

I'm really not looking forward to another road trip to AZ with these seats... (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

[JonV]

Thanks for the info guys. I think I am going to have to get a different seat, becaue my back is KILLING me today! This will take weeks to get over and will probably require numerous trips to a chiropractor (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

[trackbird]

Jon,

I'm with you, I hate the Camaro seats (they are not any better in my 2002). I bought Corbeau TRS wide seats and hated how they sat in the car. They were too high and the seat bottom was "flat" with no support for your legs at all (every time I hit the brakes, I'd have slid off the seat except for my seatbelt). Those were only in my car for about 3 days and I sold them (that was a $250 lesson). I'm considering mounting a dedicated (but comfortable) track seat in the car. I'm not sure that is the answer either and I am very open to suggestions.

[sgarnett]

Personally, I find the Camaro seats very comfortable.

They're not great for competition due to the lack of lateral support, but for daily driving they are about the most comfortable car I know of (getting in and out is a different matter).

I have a bad back (broke it when I was 16) and bad knees. When I was shopping for a replacement for my 96, the only thing I found that was close on comfort was the Grand Prix (GT/GTP). The Grand Prix has great leg room, but I hated the headrests. Then I found a deal on a 2001 (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

FWIW, I keep the seat all the way back with the back all the way up and the bottom all the way down.

[JonV]

I somehow feel like I a sitting in a bucket with my bum down lower than my legs. I think this may be what bugs me, but I'm not sure. I typically set cruise, take my shoes off and constantly move my legs around to try to stay comfortable. Often, I'll bend my legs fully so that I can put my foot right up into the crotch area. I just don't know what I gotta do to be able to sit in this car for more than a half hour, and like I said I find it unusual that I can sit in my wife's honda for hours without pain. I've been damn sore for going on four days now. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[LT4Firehawk]

The most comfortable and best supportive seats I ever found were in my 92 Vette (sport seats). You actually sit with your butt lower than your feet (when they are on the pedals), but it was a very comfortable driving position. I could easily do a three hour highway stint and get out without feeling tired/sore/worn out. The seats/seating position in the Z06 I had was probably the worst I've ever experienced in a sports car as far as support, but again was very comfortable for long drives. Runners up for best support & comfort were my 86 Porsche 944 Turbo (w/ 911 sport seats) and my wife's current Acura RSX-S. The RSX-S seats look very similar to leather Corbeau TRS seats, and the only complaint I have about them is the bottom is completely flat. If I drove it everyday, I'd solve that with a few washers on the front mounts. The Firehawk seats are okay for comfort, but lacking in side support. The 2000 TA I had was a little better on the side support, but not a whole lot.

Personally, I'm probably going with some Corbeau CR1s to put in the Firehawk. Hopefully, I'll be able to fab up a way to use the existing driver's power seat rack so I can adjust the tilt as needed.

[shortbus]

JonV - Can you put the Honda seat in you Camaro? J/K

I really like the TA seats, I like the support on the side and the envelope feel. They are expensive though, aren't they. Dang.
I'd put an aftermarket seat in my Z28 but I love leather ($$) and I love the power seats (more $$), not to mention I need full seat travel because my wife is a foot shorter then I. (Yeah she dated me for the car.... That and I wrecked 'her' SS and she insists on driving my car every now and again. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/dry.gif) )

I do find the ghetto riding position the best on long trips with my feet up by the seat... Until my knee knocks the radio volume knob off after turning the radio all the way up! (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

[Cal]

We have both a 4th gen T/A and SS, and I must agree the T/A seats are much more comfortable! The problem is a lack of lumbar support in the Camaro seats. I've thought about taking the seat apart and stuffing some more padding in the lower back area until I can afford some nice race seats.

I have to put my feet up by the seat on long trips also. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/mad.gif)

[JonV]

I like leather and I like power but heck I'd much rather be able to sit for an hour. Hey that rhymes. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/ohmy.gif) Anyways, maybe I'll rip all the leather seats out, sell them and get myself a pair of something else; it's not like I ever have passengers in the rear seat and the car sure as heck isn't even near original anymore.

I might try the Honda seats from my wife's car, but I would prefer to keep those lower dangling appendages that I so fondly refer to as the family jewels. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Tony99SS]

I recently instaled a pair of leather Corbeau TRS in the 99 SS. I considered Trackbird's helmet clearance issue with the Corbeaus, so installed the passenger seat first in order to get a feel for the riding position. The Corbeau brackets raise the seat off the floor by a good 2+ inches in back, in order to provide clearance for the attachment bolts. The brackets aren't the same, driver's side to passenger side, but a half hour of eyeballing led me to believe I could mod at least the drivers side to improve my seating position. If anyone is interested, I can give more detail off-list, but the bottom of the TRS now sits less than an inch off the floor. Corbeau stand-offs were removed, one chevy seat stud was cut off, two holes were drilled in the bracket and one in the car, a little Krylon "Hammered Finish" semi-gloss black applied to the bracket was all it took. Then came about an hour of juggling a 13mm gear wrench and various combinations of the twelve bolts (seat to track, track to bracket, and bracket to floor.) The end result is no mere compromise, the seat bottom couldn't be angled better for me if I had shoehorned the electrics under there; down about an inch and a half in back from the previous orientation, and tow inches or so total. The only drawback is that it is now an ordeal to retrieve any item that you drop under the seat! The fact that I have optional crotch belt slots installed makes this an altogether to frequent ordeal for me.

[Rob Hood]

Tony, can you post pictures?

[Tony99SS]

I should have taken a few when I did the install. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/mad.gif) I'm not inclined to remove these seats just for photos, since it took almost as much time to mount the driver's seat as it did to change the passenger side spark plugs the first time! If you've seen the {edit(Corbeau)...}brackets on F-bodies, there is about a 3/4 inch step bent into the bracket for the front bolts, and the rears bolt to a bracket raised about two inches off the mounting bosses that are built into the floorboards. I flattened the front bent bracket with a sledge hammer and cut the rear brackets off. I drilled a new hole for the rear outer stud and cut off the rear inner stud. To replace it I drilled a hole throught the support beam and floorboard, found a matching bolt that was long enough and bolted it down to the beam from the bottom, both emulating a stud and pproviding the 3/16" space needed to level the rear of the frame. I drilled the bracket about an inch over from the previous hole (this is the only stud that would have interfered with the slider or seat) to match the new stud. I'll let you juggle one seat, two sliders and a bracket yourself, trying to start two nuts where you can't see and can barely touch the studs.



Was this too wordy? I guess I should just post pics...

[94bird]

I also had helmet clearance problems when installing my Corbeau Forza. To fix it, I cut off the metal raised section that the 2 studs are welded to, both front and back of the seat (total 4 studs). I then had my cage fabricator weld these studs to some plates he made that went straight to the floor with supports welded underneath the floor. That gained me almost an inch of head room I would say. My seat sits so low now I can't adjust my side mirrors to see correctly behind me, but some $2 Murrays stick on mirrors helped out with that. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif) As it is my helmet will hit my rollcage bar that goes over my door if I'm not sitting right. I just adjust myself in the seat and go out on track. Also got the thinner, higher density padding to help out with both clearance and safety if my head does try to hit that bar in a wreck.

[JonV]

Well, I got some really interesting info today re the seat.

A new chiropractor came to town bought a house through my wife, and so I'm obliged to do my business with him now, or so says my wife. Well new chiro does house calls; comes to my place. I suggest that I think my problem is the car seat. Will you take a look. He goes to look. He sits in the seat. He gets out of the car. He says your problem is your seat. Simply put the seat pan is too short by 3 inches. Result is that my leg muscle is extended and at the same time under load. This is a no no. This causes back muscles to compensate to to try to carry load that leg muscles can't because they are extended. Extended periods of time with back muscle loaded causes accute back pain.

Solution. Get a seat with a larger seat pan, or get shorter legs, or quit driving the car. Options two and three aren't going to happen.

[LT4Firehawk]

How tall are you?

[JonV]

I'm 5'10" but I've got pretty long legs. He looked at me sitting in the seat and suggested I needed something with 3 inches more seat pan length.

i guess this helps explain why some foks find the seats comfortable while others don't anyway.

[Rob Hood]

Interesting theory from the chiropractor...however, my wife (who is 5'2") had leg problems in her MB 450SL because the OE seat base was too long and caused her to have circulation problems. Could be an extreme difference in that case due to her short legs.

But I'm 6'2" and even in my 01 2500HD, I still have my right leg slightly rotated outward (kneecap is at 2 o'clock) and eventually that leg will start to hurt as well, but not for quite a while.

I think (for me at least) that I need a seat that is wide enough in the base, but has high enough thigh bolsters to moderately force the right leg to remain straight in line towards the pedals.