Suspension seats....Safe or not?

[litespeed]

I have an awsome debate on another board about whether suspension seats are safe or not and the debate of slack in the belt. While I do believe there is a chance to get slack in a belt I don't believe it's a life or death situation. I think they absorb a lot of jolts and save our backs. Some think they are dangerous compared to a stock medium/hard foam pilot or odyssey seat. Just to point out this is not refering to the need for a skid plate or firewall just slack from belts and injurys from said slack in a roll, crash, flip, endo or what have you.

Not to say there are not any but I have never read of a slack in seatbelt whilst sitting in a suspension seat injury. Are there any? I know of one broken back in a pilot on a stock seat that I believe could have been avoided with a suspension seat. "I believe" I said!

I won't discredit "shit happens" but just don't believe I'm putting others in harms way by endorsing suspension seats. I personally have been using one in my pilot since 01 and the Drak since 03 or 04 I forget. I have thousands of hard miles and nothing but smiles from the added comfort and both are used with Teamtech 5 point harnesses. I did flip the Drak doing a pretty good clip (50 somthing maybe?) in the sand and all was comfy!

I would like to hear facts and opinions.

Tom

[masterfabr]

Opinion: suspension seats for offroading are the only way to go.Adjust the belts SNUGLY and use the springs on the adjusters so no slack develops.

[Bugpac]

I like suspension seats as well....Litespeed, what seat are you using in the drak, I was debating that as well...

[Hoodlum]

I will say this....First ride in the Pilot with stock seat at Durhamtown,which is FILLED with nice size jumps,(sometimes seems like too many),I was sore from head to foot for about a week....When I got home, I ordered a Racecraft seat...I can now ride without fatigue of any kind...Very comfortable....Much better on my back and neck....
As for the belts coming loose,I did notice them loosening a little when the seat was new, due to the chords stretching a little,but after a few rides when the seat had time to form to my backside and had gotten broken in,the problem went away....
I can see where they might loosen up for a fraction of a second on a hard landing due to flex in the seat, but I haven't noticed that occuring....
Just for thought,when the seat flexes,that means you have landed on your wheels,and your weight is being forced straight down in the seat...In this instance IMO, tight belts are not important...If we could land like that all the time,we wouldn't even need belts other than just to hold us in place and keeping air from getting between our butts and the seat during jumping........Belts do their job when we are on our top, side, or front impact...In these instances,seat flex will not be an issue because there is no extreme down force on the seat when you are upside down on on your side........
I think the movement in a seat is so minimal after it is broken in,it would be no different than riding in coveralls in the winter....Anything we put between the body and the belts will cushion and cause free movement when put under load....Just think about it...Your stomach will give in an impact, the muscles above the collar bone will give quite a bit when put in stress from a rollover, etc....That's why you get belt bruises from an impact....
Just curious, but how loose would the belts need to be before you come out of them? With a 5 or 6 point,wrist restraints, and a sternum strap,there's no way in heck you could fly out unless it is EXTREMELY loose or you're EXTREMELY small...I would think it would have to break a strap or rip an arm off before you would come out....
Hoodlum

[Bugpac]

Its not about coming out of the belts, its about a loose belt letting your body get some momentum up than stopping hard against the belt....

[arrowhead]

I think you will find that the problem with susp seats is the lack of firm lumbar support in a severe bottoming of the suspension such as entering the bottom of a bowl or witch's eye at speed.

I have 4 friends who have crushed vertebrae and extensive medical bill from these seats.

Andrew Buck from Buckshot Sand Cars is lucky he's walking cause they said he would never walk again(another susp seat)

[s__i__v]

well shit... what if you have an existing back injury? eh?! then what? go hard or with a suspension seat?


seriously i want to know... because i shouldnt be walking either

[litespeed]

Originally Posted by Bugpac

I like suspension seats as well....Litespeed, what seat are you using in the drak, I was debating that as well...

Corbeau SS

[masterfabr]

Originally Posted by arrowhead

I think you will find that the problem with susp seats is the lack of firm lumbar support in a severe bottoming of the suspension such as entering the bottom of a bowl or witch's eye at speed.

I have 4 friends who have crushed vertebrae and extensive medical bill from these seats.

Andrew Buck from Buckshot Sand Cars is lucky he's walking cause they said he would never walk again(another susp seat)

Were the seats in an upright seating position or were they installed in a semi reclining fashion that IMO is just plain bad for offroad cars.

[Bugpac]

Originally Posted by arrowhead

I think you will find that the problem with susp seats is the lack of firm lumbar support in a severe bottoming of the suspension such as entering the bottom of a bowl or witch's eye at speed.

I have 4 friends who have crushed vertebrae and extensive medical bill from these seats.

Andrew Buck from Buckshot Sand Cars is lucky he's walking cause they said he would never walk again(another susp seat)

How hard did the chassis spank the ground? I see no way to crush vertibrates before the tires blow off the car, If it is properly setup to bottom on the shocks and not the frame...