From PM: Tube was CDS ie seamless, 38mm, 12 guage, 13.50+VAT, from Merlin Motorsport, Combe. Can someone translate 12 guage into mm? Alien to me... Just to pick up on the crotch strap mounting mentioned in the thread, this was a decent Mk4 Golf DTM car - captive threads for crotch strap just visible on rear seat rail:
Chris, you dont usually put spreader plates on the tunnel side of the seat tubes. The theory is that when you have a "visitor" coming into your door at a fair rate of knots the tubes intentionally punch thier way into the tunnel so the driver moves with the shunt away from the incident. Nice job though...did you do your own welding?
Ah, interesting point. I'd broadly copied what I'd seen around the VW paddock and WRC/S1600 cars, but I must check whether the inner rails were backplated. The BBT R32 was one I looked at a lot. I've just had a look at the SBG/Schmidt Golf over on here and I think it has plates on the tunnel (p. 31), but maybe as with the cage design, that the thinking has moved on over the years? I guess the flipside is whether a rail is as well tied into the tunnel on a roll, without the backplate? My welding done in the run up to the '06 'Ring trip. Finally got to grips (I think!) with just 'spotting' a MIG, after much studying of the appearance of welds on the S1600 Fiesta at Autosport '06.
If you look at the Mk2 Grp.A picture on page 135....they have spreaders on the sill side but not on the tunnel.
Yep, indeed There must be some difference of views on this (I wasn't aware!) since here's the Wood-Scott Mk4 Golf GT car, which presumably was done by ART? Anyway, seems we've unearthed a bigger reason to get those OE seat rails out, which is why this forum melting pot is so good Edit: Neuhoff Diesel Mk4 Golf just checked and, yep it has them
16 gauge = 1.6129mm 14 gauge = 1.9939mm 12 gauge = 2.7534mm 10 gauge =3.5103mm 8 gauge = 4.2697mm Hope that helps. Cheers Yoof
Spreader plates on seat rails are actually required here in Denmark according to the national motorsports association. The idea of letting the seat rail punch through the sill and/or tunnel doesn't really appeal to me, because that'll mean that the seat is loose inside the cockpit, and you harness is in no shape to do what it is supposed to do. It really requires your seat to be stationary to keep you tight against it as to avoid back injury and such.
Great thread, a very interesting read, The seat rails I made in the Jetta were a bolted down box type, but a botch compared to that tubular set up I think I'll use the tubular set up from now on.
just started to do this on my mk1 . but slightly diffrent . gona to be using 2by1" box section with nuts welded inside the to allow the seats to be bolted down . also im gona put a hole in the raer of the front section and the front of the rear section so if the nuts come lose i can fit new ones . i have removed the 2 side runners today but im leaving the front as i dont need it moved as im long legged , plus it will give it more strength (and less work ) gona do a bit more next week as im on lates this week but i hope to have some plates and the box section in by this time next week . put the seat in and played hanger pilot for 5 mins too which boosted my moral in the car lol
did abit more yesterday . stripped back the sound proofing and removed the passenger side and made up so plates to cover up where the rails were . quick question tho . what is the disc that is on the floor ? mine is covered in some white sealent and is a pig to get off (the sealent) i will get some pics up soon
Leave the discs in imo - they're only from where access holes were put whilst the shells are welded/assembled together (I assume). You'll only have to bond / tag them back in.
all the rails are out and the bars are cut to length im just waiting to weld in the new plates and bars (plates not shown )