S2000 STR prep resource
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Yes, people take the rules too far. Now the rule is that I have to have a seat that weights 25lb? I can bolt a baby seat and some flat weights under the seat.
I see people in ST classes running carbon fiber seats that probably weight 11lb and no ballasts…The S2000 seats weight about 35lbs so the maximum weight savings is only about 20lb. but your knees will thank you
I see people in ST classes running carbon fiber seats that probably weight 11lb and no ballasts…The S2000 seats weight about 35lbs so the maximum weight savings is only about 20lb. but your knees will thank you
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From: San Diego
Originally Posted by glagola1,Dec 23 2009, 10:46 AM
You are absolutely correct but if you look at the rule outside of the context of the case where people were installing tiny plastic seats, it's easy to see that the rule was ill-formed.
To approach safety issues, you approach safety issues, not weight issues. Duh. If you are going to approach it from a weight vantage then you better do some homework and pick a weight that commonly available seats and brackets more realistically approach. Some might say that since it's so difficult to get a seat to weigh 25lbs that the seats are less safe since they will have ballast attached in some manner that the seat manufacturer nor the rail manufacturer intended.
For example, how about a rule like this:
Seats must extend to at least the middle of the driver's helmet, must be covered on all seating surfaces, must be bolted to the floor using the stock mounting holes and must use sufficient mounting hardware as to resist deflection of over 1.5" (measured at the top of the seat head rest) in any direction.
To approach safety issues, you approach safety issues, not weight issues. Duh. If you are going to approach it from a weight vantage then you better do some homework and pick a weight that commonly available seats and brackets more realistically approach. Some might say that since it's so difficult to get a seat to weigh 25lbs that the seats are less safe since they will have ballast attached in some manner that the seat manufacturer nor the rail manufacturer intended.
For example, how about a rule like this:
Seats must extend to at least the middle of the driver's helmet, must be covered on all seating surfaces, must be bolted to the floor using the stock mounting holes and must use sufficient mounting hardware as to resist deflection of over 1.5" (measured at the top of the seat head rest) in any direction.
Matt, re: your suggestion, what level of force would be used? What device and technique will you use to test that will work on all seats? The STAC looked at a ton of different options including ones similar to yours, but the plain reality is there doesn't exist a means of reliably measuring the "safety level" of the seat within the Solo toolset. So safety was abandoned, performance was addressed. A weight was chosen that would eliminate the possibility of any competitive advantage from an undernourished seat mounting mechanism. The net result is that if you've chosen seats of reasonable weight and mounted them reasonably well, you are now no longer at any competitive disadvantage to someone who installed their aluminum Kirkey passenger seat in their car with two bolts through the seat bottom and floorboard.
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From: AZ
Originally Posted by glagola1,Dec 23 2009, 12:21 PM
I have a Recaro SPG but I don't have any rails yet. I've ordered a Titec rail but I think I will have to ballast the seat some to get it to 25lbs.
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Originally Posted by an2ny,Dec 23 2009, 10:14 AM
In another note…I am looking for brake pads should we stick to stock since we are using street tires or what are you guys using. What about seats, what are the ST.. guys running since they have to be 25bl with seat mounts/ brackets.
I could be way off here, but this was my experience with both my s2000s.
-Marc
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Originally Posted by PedalFaster,Dec 23 2009, 11:45 AM
You're missing the point. Now that the weight minimum is 25 pounds, you don't have to customize a baby-sized seat; you can just buy a cheap 25 lb. seat off of eBay. You no longer have to jump through hoops to gain the maximum advantage allowed by the rules.
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From: Atlanta
Originally Posted by PedalFaster,Dec 23 2009, 02:45 PM
I agree, but your argument is that his rule is not effective in mandating safer seats, whereas my understanding is still that this rule wasn't intended as a safety measure -- that's all.
I just wish they had settled on 20lbs instead of 25lbs. I hate having to ballast quality seats and seat mounting.
I'm glad to hear that the SPG which is pretty freaking light combined with the Taitec (I haven't received my order yet) slider is around 26lbs... It's cutting it close though.
EDIT: OK, after learning that the Taitec doesn't work with an '06, I've ordered a buddy club. I bet it'll be heavy enough. The Buddy Club looks super duty.
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Originally Posted by glagola1,Dec 23 2009, 03:41 PM
So what might the advantage of a 1.5 diff be?
Its another tuning aid. The biggest difference being how power gets put down. It could possibly allow for more aggressive throttle application - earlier in the corner.