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Which suspension seats in a truck cab?


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Hey there - how's everyone doing!


Been busy finding a doner truck (1983 110 HCPU) , registering/insuring it, and starting with the core parts of my new challenge truck (Croatia 2014 should be the debut)...almost everything is accounted for albeit for some small items...


Once of which is the seats: with the crammed seating area, I want to have a safe suspension seat that doesn't take up too much space...it will be mounted on some "sub-frame" on the seat box that extends to the chassis/rock-sliders/exo-cage, so that's not the issue...


So who's installed suspension seats in a D90 (truck cab pick up or SW/ST with the rear bulkhead)? What would you recommend (brand/model)? What size are you (I'm 6'2" 250lbs...)?


Thanks in advance!

Nadim
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Yeah! I might even make it to Croatia and meet you there, who knows!
I'd like to go sooner or later...

As to "suspension seats", do you mean like those air-cushioned used on lorries?

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Yeah! I might even make it to Croatia and meet you there, who knows!

I'd like to go sooner or later...

As to "suspension seats", do you mean like those air-cushioned used on lorries?

Would be great to meet you there! You competing? I'm hoping to do Croatia and Breslau in '14, adding KOH, KOV in 2015...Lagoda seems at a different commitment level :)

www.racing-seats-usa.com describe suspension seats as:

"Some of you have heard the term "suspension seat" but what is it, 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."

I'm looking at PRPs, Corbeaus, etc...

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I think the reason your not getting many replys is that suspension seats would allow you to move away from your race harness and potentially break free from restraints in a turnover etc. I imagine they are NOT msa legal. Thus being basically unheard of in this country!

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Would be great to meet you there! You competing? I'm hoping to do Croatia and Breslau in '14, adding KOH, KOV in 2015...Lagoda seems at a different commitment level :) (...)it suspends the driver in a web of bungy-type suspension chords (...)

I'm looking at PRPs, Corbeaus, etc...

Competing? What's competing? :blink:

I'll be lucky enough to afford some cheap plane ticket and hitch a ride to the camp if everything works out :ph34r:

then I'd love to take photos and can check oil/water in your rig if you need help ^_^

Ladoga is still in my book as visitor...one day...

I got what you mean then, re suspension seats, I think you're already looking at the right brands.

suspension seats would allow you to move away from your race harness

Uhm, once properly strapped down in the harness you can't go anywhere I think.

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On a 2nd thought...

I have a couple of OMP racing "bucket" style seats I got for cheap, planning to put them in the Cube or the 109" at time.

I tried one in the Cube (truck cab since a long time) and I could barely drag the stock seatbelt between the edge of the cab and the side "ears" of the seat.

Which also made me wondering about a proper installation of racing harness there! Are you keeping the stock seatbox?

The sliding base (I did use Equipe adapters at time) was all the way back, and I guess I could've barely slipped in (I'm 1.81 mt. x 80Kg.).

While wheeling in Colorado and Utah with Keith and the gang, back in 2007 and 2008, he had installed a set of very nice PRPs (in camo ^_^ );

although I liked them a lot, I was a little puzzled as it seems all the American made sport seats are waaaaay raked backwards.

I'm used to sit with my back almost vertical in the factory Defender seat (which has a very comfortable and smart design IMHO);

with such a Space Shuttle thing, I'd tend to pull my head forward most of the time, which would take its toll on my poor neck which is in bad shape already.
I guess the cockpit/cab design has a lot to do with that, and I don't have any experience, but I can't see how I could drive for a day in such a position...

I assume you'll go with a D44 seatbelt mounts kit for the LR truck cab?

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Should you ever consider an alternative, as Daan suggested, check out the OMP Style and/or Raid...adjustable and comfortable.

And they fit a Defender truck cab well.

post-76-0-62790700-1370869815_thumb.jpg

Edited by Michele
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Should you ever consider an alternative, as Daan suggested, check out the OMP Style and/or Raid...adjustable and comfortable.

And they fit a Defender truck cab well.

looks good, but do you fancy dunking it to bonnet level in water? Volvo 740 seats are the nuts, I dont even bother with covers, just keep washing them with a hose untill you get clean water out of the bottom.

Why make it complicated and expensive?

Daan

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looks good, but do you fancy dunking it to bonnet level in water? Volvo 740 seats are the nuts, I dont even bother with covers, just keep washing them with a hose untill you get clean water out of the bottom.

How are they? :huh:

Like LR vinyl seats?

I guess the only seats which can't get soaked up and hold moisture would be the "skeleton" type like Qt (?) sold time ago?

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Good conversation and appreciate all the input...

A fellow Defender owner over on Devon 4x4 board showed that he fit PRPs as well, so did Buck on Pirate4x4...I don't like the rake either and am thinking of how to minimize it. In fact, I'm looking at the "least" rake I can get out of a suspension seat...we'll see...need to decide in the coming 2-3 weeks.

I'm going to see the local (Dubai) SPARCO seat supplier to see if something fits the bill/arse...

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I have also replaced the seatbase for a custom one, which is flat at the top. As you say, the rake in the seatbase is a problem, because most seats already have rake in it. I needed to loose height, while maintaining the under seat tank, so the flat top seatbase is a must. I am 2m in height, or about 6 ft 7 in christian units, hence being quite specific about it, or I wouldn't fit under the roof.

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Uhm, once properly strapped down in the harness you can't go anywhere I think.

MSA spec harnesses bolt to the rollcage/firm fixing points, if you were to strap them down tight upon yourself you would be infact compressing the 'sprung' seat therefore making having such a thing pointless!

If you did not tighten down your harness, and the seat compressed your harness would surely come loose?

I know lorry and tractor sprung seats have the seat belt mounts onto the frame of the seat. Im fairly sure that isnt MSA spec!

(i refer to MSA spec, because Im not sure what other governing bodys in other countrys specs are like. But i imagine similar)

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'Off-road' suspension seats are not like lorry ones... your 'suspended' between the frame base rails on elastic webbing rather than a solid base with foam on top of of it (std Defender ones for example). They have limited movement but don't transfer as much of the bumps & knocks to the driver/passenger. With regards to approvals by other bodies outside of the UK (MSA), look at any Ultra4 buggy, rock crawler, rock bouncer or trophy truck..... you'll find most, if not all run a suspension seat and prob one from PRP.

With the limited space in a truck cab, seat rake & height to get your knee's under the steering wheel are a larger issue.... not so bad if your making a custom seat box but can be a PITA for the standard one. The OMP's posted above look a good seat esp in the wipe clean vinyl, the low side bolsters would make entry/exit easier without loosing too much lateral support.

Just my 2 c

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My points exactly :)

P.S.

Nadim, FIY Mastercraft has a seat for sale at $199 at the moment (similar to PRP, therefore with the same "issues" seen above)...

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'Off-road' suspension seats are not like lorry ones... your 'suspended' between the frame base rails on elastic webbing rather than a solid base with foam on top of of it (std Defender ones for example). They have limited movement but don't transfer as much of the bumps & knocks to the driver/passenger. With regards to approvals by other bodies outside of the UK (MSA), look at any Ultra4 buggy, rock crawler, rock bouncer or trophy truck..... you'll find most, if not all run a suspension seat and prob one from PRP.

With the limited space in a truck cab, seat rake & height to get your knee's under the steering wheel are a larger issue.... not so bad if your making a custom seat box but can be a PITA for the standard one. The OMP's posted above look a good seat esp in the wipe clean vinyl, the low side bolsters would make entry/exit easier without loosing too much lateral support.

Just my 2 c

But isn't that how any car seat is done these days?

I haven't tried this seat , it dont look to me particularly special, maybe it is if you sit on it, but I reckon the head support would miss my head by a countrymile, but that is just personal I suppose.

I think they're a pain to get out of as well, which is what you do a lot in challenge events.

http://www.prpseats.com/Products/12-premier-high-back.aspx

Daan

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