Safety of eBay non-reclining seats

[eclipsh]

Anyone heard anything on the non-reclining eBay seats?

I'm looking at getting a set of Corbeau rigid-back seats but if the eBay ones are safe it'd save a few hundred bucks. I'm loathe to try them after my ebay "Netami" reclining seats broke twice ( the recline mechanisms are very soft metal and the teeth rubbed off.)

I know you get what you pay for but how many ways can you screw up a rigid seat? (well, materials I'm sure but anyone know specifics?)

 

[1gdsmraider]

i wouldn't go with anything Not DOT approved.

 

[splattj]

DOT or better yet, FIA certified seats should be a minimum.

 

[Flash]

You already answered your own question in your thread title. If you question the safety of a product, then you only produce an answer.
Name brand seats are name brand, why? They are proven because of their superior quality and in terms of what they have to offer. With a name brand seat you know that you will buy the seat ONCE. With 'eBay/ cheap' seats you already mentioned that they have proven unreliable and built with inferior quality. And most likely if you stick with 'cheap' seats to replace the broken 'cheap' seats, you will end up paying the same price of a Corbeau seat you want.
So get the Corbeau's you talked about and rest easier at night.

 

[DSMJim]

Momo Sparco and Corbeau all make a cheap non-reclining seat. They are all horibly uncomfortable for daily driving however.

I have a momo seat with a bracket I used for racing only, and only the drivers and I dumped the rest of the interior for my gas and tools and stuff. I couldn't stand the drive to and from the track in it cause you sit at such a hard angle. I like to lay back and gangsta out my ride on the way to and from. Sitting like that is ok when racing but 2 hours there and back is tough espically at 11pm at night after racing all day and your tired. Just looking at that seat as I pack up my stuff was torture.

If you must have one use it for purpose then put your comfy seats back in the car for normal driving.

 

[eclipsh]

I think I'm actually going to hold off on buying any new seats until I can get some good recliners from Corbeau etc. For now I think I'll be welding my office chair recline mechanism rigid so I can use that again.

I decided to spend my money on a 4 point harness, good tires and maybe some heim joints and urethane bushings if I have anything left after that. I'll worry about seats after I fab up my widebody kit and maybe make a few bucks for more parts

I did take a look at some OEM bucket seats out of other cars. Newer model Celica and RX-8 seats both looked promising. The RX-8 seats even come in red/black leather that looks friggin' sweet and they're heated to help sooth a sore butt and back after a long day.


On a side note; the openings for a harness-style seat belt are about four inches below my shoulders on the "office chair" seat. Is that a safety hazard if I use a 4-point for auto-X? I'm just wondering if it will force me down in the seat when I pull at them. Otherwise I guess I'll just run them over the top. Its a royal PITA being tall and into sports cars.

 

[Anne]

On a side note; the openings for a harness-style seat belt are about four inches below my shoulders on the "office chair" seat. Is that a safety hazard if I use a 4-point for auto-X? I'm just wondering if it will force me down in the seat when I pull at them. Otherwise I guess I'll just run them over the top. Its a royal PITA being tall and into sports cars.

I'm a certified child passenger safety tech through the NHTSA, which basically means that I took 100+ hours of classes to learn how to correctly install children in to car seats and car seats in to cars (about 90% are incorrect), and when putting a child in a forward facing seat with a 5 point harness the straps must be AT OR ABOVE their shoulders for safety reasons... I would assume it's the same way with adults.

 

[eclipsh]

So the fact that the belts will come through the seat below my shoulders, go up over them and then down is actually a good thing?

 

[1stGenRocks]

So the fact that the belts will come through the seat below my shoulders, go up over them and then down is actually a good thing?

no thats a BAD thing.

the belts should come through the seat level with or higher then your shoulders

 

[eclipsh]

Oops, brain fry from studying. It is making much more sense now. I'll have to run the strap up above the shoulder bolsters and down over me. That'll take a special b or c pillar bar for mounting them to.