BEJAY1

iTrader: (19)

Finally got around to installing my Corbeau Forza seat today. Anybody have these or other Corbeau seats installed? The brackets put the seat like 2" farther back then I'd like.

I'm 5'10" 195lbs and 35" waist. With the seat fully forward my fingers just barely touch the dash and it's actually a stretch reaching the pedals. Racing position is supposed to be way up and vertical - I feel like I'm ready for weekend cruisin in this thing. Here I've slid the passenger seat as far forward as it goes with the Corbeau up & back to compare it's range.

Mishap

Shadow has Corbeau A4's in his car and they work fine. We're both 5'10" 180 and it fits pretty well. It doesn't go as far forward as the stock seats but it's never been a problem. I think his wife has even driven the car on a rare occasion and she's 5' 1".

Here's a picture:


And the bracket itself:


Your bracket looks a little different than Shadow's but it shouldn't be that bad of a reach. See if there's another way to mount the seat to the sliders or maybe modify it to mount it further forward.

$tillenmax2k

I'm 6'2", and i have to drive with my Corbeau seat as far forward as it goes. Many shorter people have a hard time driving my car because of this issue.
See if you can modify the bracket to have the seat a few inches forward. I've been meaning to do it, but haven't gotten around to it.

BEJAY1

iTrader: (19)

Even if I could modify it would require drilling many more tab holes in the rails for the latch to hook into. Looks like pretty tough steel to work through. Besides if I slide it that much then like 40%-50% of the rail is no longer supporting the seat.

I'll call Corbeau Tues and ask what other rails they have that are longer. It might be simple enough to swap out these for another app.

P.S. Hiding my Schroth3 detachable harness will no longer be an option as you have to run the bolted belts through too many holes (the way it should be).

Y2KSESteve

iTrader: (22)

Anybody have CR-1s with the Corbeau brackets installed in a 4g? Pics? I have a set waiting to go in, but I'm worried I'll be too short..

Matt93SE

iTrader: (44)

looks like you 4 gen guys have some problems with them..
I have the CR-1 in my 3 gen and it's okay. I usually run at the track with it all the way forward, or 1 click back. on the street, I'll go back 1 or 2 more, depending on whether I'm in traffic or highway..

the big problem I see is the ergonomics of the car just aren't well integrated to my funky shaped body..
long torso, short arms, short legs.. I'm almost eating the steering wheel, but 5th gear (and I use it a TWS with my tiny sidewall slicks on the car) has my arm completely extended, and pushing against the shoulder harness belts to make it go all the way. and I've got an STS as well. stock shifter and I wouldn't be able to reach it!

(I guess I just need to pull my shifter out and bend the shaft a bit more so it leans farther back.)

here's a few of the pics I've got in my 3 gen, but they don't really show much..
http://mattblehm.com/pics/car/interior/seats/

I have some more pics somewhere on my website, but I'm not in the mood to try and hunt them down.

Sounbwoy

iTrader: (2)

If you're careful you might try adding some shims to the rear of the seat brackets? The brackets aren't level in our cars, so if you can raise the rear of teh seat some, that MAY help. I used to have a Forza in my old CRX when I was racing and I was just a little short of vertical. Also, did you get the right rake(seatback angle)? I THINK the Forzas come in TWO different rakes...

BEJAY1

iTrader: (19)

Talked to Corbeau yesterday. They're sending me some 4" extender rails that should do the trick. I never saw an option for different rake on the Forza seat - just the 72deg. Once the seat is closer I probably can live with the angle and shouldn't need shims. Did shave 15lbs over the OEM cloth power seat even with the bracket.

Sounbwoy

iTrader: (2)

15 lbs is significant. If you get really crazy, you can probably get 100 to 200 pounds out of the car...that insulation stuff underneath the carpet is pretty heavy by itself...You do have 5 point harnesses, don't you?

BEJAY1

iTrader: (19)

Classing rules limit what weight I can shave. I'm down around 2900ish now. LTB, RSB, braces, etc. all added maybe +40. Schroth harness I have is only a 4pt but it has an anti-sub feature to make it act like a 5pt.

Spaniard

iTrader: (1)

Wow, I learned something. Its not the seat weight alone, the brackets can weigh in at an appreciable figure. (10lbs?)

I could well be in the same boat, 6 feet with short arms.

BEJAY1

iTrader: (19)

Yes 10lbs for mine. Another 4.5lbs for the extender brackets too.

$tillenmax2k

It would be great if you could post pics of the "extender brackets." Don't know why they don't make the seat bracket properly in the first place.
I mean, almost nobody shorter than me can drive my car. With the seat all the way back it would probably be too far even for Shaq. IMO, Corbeau sucks at designing seats and brackets, but at least they're manufacturing is high quality.

Spaniard

iTrader: (1)

What I find upsetting (too) is that the brackets (and extenders) wind up weighing 15 lbs...

It kind of defeats the purpose of buying a light seat, cuts the weight savings in half.

Would anyone be selling titanium brackets? Would anyone be able to make 'em?

$tillenmax2k

Generally, the purpose of buying aftermarket seats is for much better bolstering and racing safety. Weight reduction is a by-product of that.

Also, I don't think you would want to pay for $500 titanium brackets to hold a $200 seat.

Spaniard

iTrader: (1)

Wow if its $500 to get something like that then not.
Though the seat I was considering was 13.5 pounds and actually more like $500. Is there a good lightweight option for $200? I havent been able to find one.
And do you know of a source to get titanium brackets? Heck, mebbe I'll fabricate them myself.

Matt93SE

iTrader: (44)

you don't want titanium brackets. it's too brittle.

remember, that bracket is what holds your body (and the seat) in the car if you get in a wreck. that is NOT the place I would be skimping on materials. go on a diet, remove some sound deadening, yank out other stuff you're not using, but consider the weight of the brackets necessary for safety.

Spaniard

iTrader: (1)

I see your point. In the case of a side collision the seat will respond as if it has 200 lbs attached to it (because of the wrap-around support)

In a head on (knock wood, wont happen) it would not be a big deal to the brackets tho, right? The seat belt / airbag would take the force of my lardass and the brackets would probably feel the weight of the (hopefully <20 lb) seat. Thoughts?

EDIT: a big hit from behind might cause trouble, eh? Pushing the seat and all the driver weight backwards w/no help from seat belt support.

BEJAY1

iTrader: (19)

Matt's right. You never want to skimp on seats, cages, brakes, etc. Also, the Corbeau's (and most other less $$ seats) are bolted from the bottom they're not meant for heavy duty track competition. Track days and HPDE's are fine.

Here's a shot of the bracket with the 4" extender at the very bottom. It took a couple attempts at installation because the extender needs to be spaced above the bracket by line 3/4" using supplied washers to clear the adjusting arm. One could adjust the number/thickness front & back to create more/less rake but I left it even for now.



I have both 4pt harness and regular belts installed and both work well. Even with the extender and washers, the vertical ride height is still lower than the stock seat providing that extra helmet room that's really needed.

Getting in & out of the car is much harder now. The side thigh supports don't leave much room between the seat and steering wheel.

Spaniard

iTrader: (1)

Hey Brian, can you help me out with a question. Im hesitant to buy a seat thats got the following dimensions... Im 210 lbs 35 waist 6' 1"



Based on your setup, whats your opinion?
Im thinking the seat above will not work, unfortunately.

Thanks-

$tillenmax2k

That seat will definitely be too small for you. Seems a bit too narrow in the seating, shoulder, and back area.

BEJAY1

iTrader: (19)

Agreed. It seems tight down low. So important to sit in a seat and try em out before buying. Heck even doing that I had no feel for the angle in the car, front/back position, or getting & out.

Matt93SE

iTrader: (44)

Spaniard, I'm about your same size.. 5-9, 200lb. 36" waist..
I found the Corbeau CR-1 (carerra) to be about as tight a fit as I'd put myself into. my pass side seat that doesn't have a lot of miles on it it kidney-bruising tight now. (when I installed the seats, I weighed 175, so I've obviously broken in my side)..... the measurements for their seats are on their website, so you can use that as a reference for what a person our size can fit into.



also, the lap belts on my 4 pt harness bolt into the seat brackets.. so in ANY wreck, I'm relying on that seat bracket to hold me in the car.
in a side or rear impact, you're the same way even when the harness is mounted to the car. Front impact still has the seat becoming a projectile if the bracket fails- but it shouldn't when it's only holding 25lb instead of 225.

anyway, be sure to take those things into account when you're looking at stuff like this.

$tillenmax2k

I would think that out of everyone, you would be the first to know not to bolt the harness to anything but the chassis! You are running a major risk. Trust me on this one, I have already had a minor collision, and it twisted my Corbeau seat bracket so bad the seat would no longer move and ended up slanted backwards and to the side.
It's crucial that the harness bolt down to a strong part of the chassis (stock seatbelt mounting points are great), and/or to the roll cage.

BEJAY1

iTrader: (19)

Agreed. All my belts go to stock mounting holes and and those beefy bolts. I also don't use my harness for daily driving for fear of rollover.