Seat Wear Problem

[Jared Siegel]

We've got a CRX-32 SV Rotax with a Tillet T8 1/4 panel M/L size in it. Mounted it per MRP baseline instructions and lined up the tabs so it wouldn't be in tension or compression (slides in and out nicely). After three weekends it's started cracking severely around the left hip area and a little bit in the upper corners of the back. Thought it was due to a raceday at Road America's Motorplex (super bumpy surface) but after fiberglass patching, it started to crack again yesterday at USAIR in Shawano. Any ideas on how to prevent this? I fit in it snug and it feels great. Chassis was a bit tight yesterday but otherwise we've managed to keep it pretty free (despite 32mm + Mojo D2's), so it doesn't feel like it'd be binding up and twisting the seat around. Would appreciate any hints as we all know these "wonders of fiberglass molding" are not cheap.

Thanks!

Jared

P.S. We switched to a Tillet this year as our Freeline seat from last year fit awkwardly and tended to be too soft...had problems with that one cracking in the middle of the back. What am I doing wrong?

[Garry Lobaugh]

Jared, I remember you from the winter seminar. I recall you are a tall driver, but too wide in the hips. Please confirm.

First off which Tillet?

2nd did you bend the seat posts at any time?

The race tech guys are on the road Monday. Tim and Mike in Beaver Run for an advanced school and Chris in Indy for a test day so please give me an update with these above questions.

Another one: We have a great series down here, can you come race with us one weekend so we can see what is actually going on?

Thanks for your posting

[Jared Siegel]

Yup, that's me. I'm only 5'10" but I'll accept tall as a compliment haha. With the Freeline seat I had to get an XL to squeeze my legs in but all the room in the ribs would beat me up.

The seat is a Tillet T8 with 1/4 padding and is size M/L.

Last year we had to bend the driver's left seat post to fit the XL in there, but for the new Tillet we ended up bending it back to the original position. Used Freeline plastic washers to make up for remaining width between Tillet and posts.

Will talk to my Dad about coming down for a weekend. Sort of hard to get off work (I in Minneapolis, he in Green Bay) but will try my best. Would an email with some pictures of the damage be of use in the meantime?

Thanks again,

Jared

[Garry Lobaugh]

Sorry, I should have read the first post better.

Send photos to the following email address... mrp@qtm.net thanks in advance. It will take a couple of days for the tech guys to return home.

[Marc Miller]

Jared- you may also post the pictures on this thread if you can host them. That way we can see the crackingand determine if it is a seat issure or from track damage.

[Jared Siegel]

Sorry for the delay, but here are some pics of the seat. You can see the main initial cracking across the lip of the seat (bottom picture). After fiberglass patching, that has worsened as well as accelerated propagation along the edge of the patch (middle shot). Couldn't get good snaps of the shoulders yet, but as opposed to these hip cracks, the shoulder cracks run along the lip of the seat (as opposed to across), so they are propagating slower and are markedly less severe. Thanks for looking!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/WW2_Historian/DSC00338.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/WW2_Historian/DSC00336.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v207/WW2_Historian/DSC00332.jpg

[Chris Lobaugh]

Hi Jared,
In the first picture it appears as though the crack may have started from contact with the bolt on top of the battery mount? Road America was ultra bumpy when we were last there three years ago and I can't imagine it has gotten any smoother. Unfortunately once a crack starts in a seat it only gets worse. I have also had problems with T8 seats breaking in exactly the same area with our cadet drivers so I know that it is not strictly a weight related problem. The only solution that I have is bolting on aluminum reinforcements to keep the seat together. I have used either 1mm brake shims or have cut strips out of an old floortray with good results. With the price of seats being what they are I would attempt to limp along with what you have and then replace the seat with a T11 or T12 as they are much stronger...yes it does change the handling characteristics of the chassis, but, not too worry as we have been using the harder seat on all of our race team karts and have a good handle on setting the kart up properly. Hope this helps and please feel free to contact me anytime if I can assist in any way.
Good Luck.