Manual seat position preference

Gholdwayne · Post by **Gholdwayne** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 10:10 am

Hey guys, i dont know what i want yet but how do you prefer your seating position in manual driving ? and what about the steering wheel ? how low/high?

col2560 · Post by **col2560** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 10:13 am

whatever you feel is comfortable. there is no set position for everyone.

Post by **I8A4RE** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 10:17 am

We have a winner
:facepalm:

jonowong · Post by **jonowong** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 10:30 am

as far back as possible... as low as possible...

and wear a massive gold chain... sunnies... and grow a mullet

pulls all the chicks kuz!!!

maggsy · Post by **maggsy** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 12:48 pm

i'm short so at the moment my seat is set as high as it will go,

still doesnt seem high enough.

Gholdwayne · Post by **Gholdwayne** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 1:25 pm

yeah i know about the what feels good for you thing, but i wanna try some preferences and maybe i might say " wow this one feels good, ill use this! "

nicholas · Post by **nicholas** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 7:53 pm

Okay well yes everyone is right, it does depend on personal preference. Having said that, this is what i've found out...

I'm six foot tall, and when i first started driving fto, i used to sit real close to the steering wheel (guess i really did think it was a go-kart lol).

I found that i was getting really sore shins on long drives (like big south coast drives), so i started sitting all the way back as far as the seat would go, because this helped on long drives (had the same problem in my g/fs golf, and same solution worked there too).

When I got my second FTO, the clutch action was very different, with only the last tenth of the clutch needing to be used to shift gears. So it was really good to drive sitting all the way back.

However when I did some track day driving a little while ago, we had an instructor. The first thing he made me do was move the seat forward. He said that your arms have to be a little bent at the elbows. So even though its not quite as comfortable, i do it because i know the dude is an expert. and after a while you get used to it.

so yeah, not all the way forward, not all the way back either. as for seat height... i didn't even know you culd adjuts it lol

Post by **Bennoz** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 8:24 pm

I had some advice from instructors too, much like the above ^^

With your back aginst the back of the seat & your arms out stretched to the wheel, the wheel should come to your wrist - so as above, your arms should be bent when grabing the wheel at 10 & 2. If you think about it, its a whole lot harder to hold a ton of weight in front of you with your arms fully outstretched, than if you were to hold a ton of weight out front with your arms closer to your body.

Seat position should also enable you to brace your knees aginst the side of the door & inner console.

In summary, if you sit the seat way back & lean right down, you're an idiot & its the worst possible driving position

but it is fuly sik.

col2560 · Post by **col2560** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 10:33 pm

just look at any race driver while driving, elbows are always bent.

Storm · Post by **Storm** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 10:37 pm

Seat right back, flat as a pancake, looking out the sunroof and navigating by the stars.

Fully sik and badass man

(Although I dont actually know what that means

)

Astron_Boy · Post by **Astron_Boy** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 10:39 pm

nicholas wrote:I found that i was getting really sore shins on long drives (like big south coast drives), so i started sitting all the way back as far as the seat would go, because this helped on long drives

However when I did some track day driving a little while ago, we had an instructor. The first thing he made me do was move the seat forward. He said that your arms have to be a little bent at the elbows.

I concur

I typically have to sit slightly further back with the FTO typically due to my feet.

I find having size 12 feet that they will get stuck under the dash, so I typically drive toe ball.
Much like my drifting days, but without using my heel.

Dan25 · Post by **Dan25** » Thu Jul 02, 2009 11:18 pm

I was thinking about this today whilst driving... How far back/forward should the back of the seat be positioned (reclined)? Should it be in a position where it is holding you up vertical or should you recline it back a little further and not actually rest on it so much? I was just wondering coz i don't know if I looked like a dick in my current position...

SchumieFan · Post by **SchumieFan** » Fri Jul 03, 2009 12:07 am

i miss my toe... i gots long legs so it was poifect...

the SX4 is like driving a van.... seat just dont go low enough...
missis likes it though

payaya · Post by **payaya** » Sat Jul 04, 2009 3:58 am

Yep I'm over 6 foot and I find the roof too low. I have a sunroof, seems to have reduced the roof height by a few cms???

Delvance · Post by **Delvance** » Sat Jul 04, 2009 12:47 pm

Yep the arm out and wheel to wrist is pretty good guide (in Bennoz's post).

I am fairly short...only 170cm (male) and my seat position in my fto was

Seat as low as possible

Have chair all the way forward, and move the back of the chair all the way forward
THEN
7 clicks back on the recline, 11 clicks back on the slide adjustment.
(i'm pretty sure i got that in the right order lol, it's been awhile since i've been in a drivers seat of an fto

)

That was so perfect for me.. to the point where if i wore different shoes (thick soles for example), i'd have to adjust the slider to make up for the difference of the shoe sole lol.

Oh, steering wheel low as possible.

Post by **vipfto** » Sat Jul 04, 2009 7:34 pm

yip i would have wheel low, have chair as low as poss and back straight against seat with arms as far away as bennoz post

im 6 foot too

for longer drives i may stretch it out a little bit though

koolio1234 · Post by **koolio1234** » Sun Jul 05, 2009 3:18 am

Personally, I prefer sitting right up close so:

1. My knees can be bent and relaxed allowing my legs to get maximum travel when peddle dancing.

2. My arms are closer to the loading point and therefore have more control of the wheel.

3. Able to brace myself in case of impact.

4. Better perspective of my hood and the outside surroundings (more attentive).

Ideally you should do the same but its completely up to you. Height adjustment will vary according to the driver but the length adjustment is more detrimental to safety and efficiency.