Guest Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 Anyone removed the adjuster rails and bolted their Tillets directly to the floor? The reason I ask is that with my aero, I am sitting to high, and yes I know I can lower the floor, but as the car is just for me, the adjusters are unnecessary, and I gain an inch or so. Just a thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted May 27, 2014 Member Share Posted May 27, 2014 There's lots on this and related solutions in the archives. And there are warnings about getting the loads right on both the seat frame and the floor if you do, eg here and here. Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revilla Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 Was told by my MOT tester that as of this year the regulations require the driver's seat to move fore and aft and be able to be locked in two or three different positions - and that they were having to fail Caterhams and similar that had seats mounted rigidly and which would previously have passed. I haven't looked up the full scope of the regulations so no idea whether they do in fact apply but thought I should mention it for you to check. Or maybe Jonathan can help us out? 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 Hmm, if the MOT comments are correct, then that stuffs my other idea of having either a 2 pack foam or bead seat made...bugger. Looks like I'll be seeing Bruce and having a lowered floor fitted after all. Hope we can get the MOT issue confirmed one way or the other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted May 27, 2014 Member Share Posted May 27, 2014 Yes, it's marked as a change in Section 6.2 of the Inspection Manual. 6.2 A 3Check that the driver’s seat position can be adjusted forwards and backwards and secured in the selected positions.Reason for Rejection:Check that the driver’s seat position can be adjusted forwards and backwards and secured in the selected positions.Jonathan AMENDED: This is wrong, see below. Edited by - Jonathan Kay on 27 May 2014 13:11:52 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revilla Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 Jonathan - You beat me to it but I think you misquoted the "Reason for Rejection" which is given as The driver’s seat fore and aft adjustment mechanism not functioning as intended. which seems to leave a grey area. Where a seat is bolted to the floor, everything IS working as intended. I don't know how liberally this will be interpreted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted May 27, 2014 Member Share Posted May 27, 2014 You're right: my error in copy and pasting, but mostly in not checking! I think it would be an unusual tester who failed a 7 on this. How about cars with adjustable pedal boxes... I think there used to be a Marcos that had that? Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revilla Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 It appears that these changes actually came in 2012. I would have thought that if they were creating an issue for Caterhams, it would have been discussed at length on here already. I can't see anything coming up after a quick search. I may have been ringing alarm bells unnecessarily, but thought it best to mention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 Unlikely to be a retrospective change, surely? I think my Caterham is still on adjustable runners (no idea if they work anymore - why would I as the only driver). My Westie BEC definitely has the seat bolted direct to the floor. What are they going to ask for next? Height-adjustable wheel? ...and what of old bench-seat classics? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonpa Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 I don't think you will gain as much as an inch, as Tilletts have a bulge in the bottom that stops the will limit how close to the floor you can get the mounting points at the corners of the seat. If you have pletnty of legroom, you may find that tilting the seat back Ii.e. raising the front with washers) helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mankee Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 MOT issues aside (yet another dumb-ass rule!), you will need a couple of these or these and some of these. The spacers differ in that one sort has notches cut out to clear chassis rails. I'm sure I've got a couple of strengthening bars kicking around somewhere that someone gave me years ago when I converted my passenger seat from runners to fixed. They aren't as pretty as the Caterham ones, as they are simply two strips of metal, but they have done the job so far and I've not had a repeat of my floor rivets being ripped out when carrying passengers and clattering around the circuits. Can slap them in the post if you want them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Jonathan Kay Posted May 27, 2014 Member Share Posted May 27, 2014 I'm not sure the rule is wrong, it just needs appropriate interpretation for a 7. We don't approve cars as suitable for use on public roads when driven by a specific driver. For the car to be safely driven by drivers of different sizes the seats (or pedals) need to be adjustable. The rule simply supports that. That doesn't take away any responsibility on the individual driver to ensure a position for safe control. And of course there are extreme sizes of people and parts of people for which there won't be safe solutions without modifications. Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 Thanks for all the comments. As an update. I've popped over to Mcmillan Motorsport, and they were kind enough to indulge me and allowed me to sit in a few. The best position for me was a Tillet in a lowered floor chassis but with spacers fitted to the front to recline the seat, an ideal height for me. Job done I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grim Reaper Posted May 27, 2014 Share Posted May 27, 2014 There is always the option of making your own... http://www.flickr.com/photos/95548186@N04/12075029666/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/95548186@N04/12074397985/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/95548186@N04/12074713303/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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