Making your own seat brackets?

[infernosg]

End results attached below. Pictures show the 3/4" square tubing I initially used but that resulting in a seating position that was too high. I ended up using some 1/4"x1" flat stock (needed to be thickn enough to clear some features on the stock brackets) and everything is good. The end result is essentially the same (only seating height changed).

[RETed]

Is that aluminum?
If so, for safety sake, please change it to mild steel.
Aluminum work hardens very quickly and can fail with very little warning.


-Ted

[infernosg]

Originally Posted by RETed

Is that aluminum?
If so, for safety sake, please change it to mild steel.
Aluminum work hardens very quickly and can fail with very little warning.


-Ted

Unfortunately it is aluminum. Not my first choice but given the resources I have it was really my only option (can't drill steel/weld). Fortunately the aluminum really isn't serving too much of a structural purpose. I understand the holes in the aluminum are kt's (stress multipliers) and therefore may tear under significant loads, but they're really just serving as a means to join the brackets to the seats. The stock seat brackets (mild steel, I assume) and the grade 8 bolts are really what is carrying the loads. I suppose I could always do a FEM analysis in ANSYS to make sure everything is okay, LOL!

I will be removing these again in a few weeks to see how they're holding up. If I see signs of distress I will likely go buy some mild steel bits and take them to a machine shop to be put together (i.e. welded) in a manner similar to the current configuration.

[infernosg]

Ugh, so even after swapping out the 3/4" square tubing for 1/4" flat stock the driver's seat is still too high. With my helmet on my head hits the roof and I'm not a very tall person (5'-10" at best). Even though I dislike them I am seriously considering the Wedge brackets and Sparco sliders, but I don't know if that setup would be any lower.

Does anyone know if side-mounted seats are any higher/lower than the reclineables? Lately I've been considering selling the Torino II's and picking up something FIA approved like the Evo. Anyone have the Evo's or something similar in an FC?