1970 sport seats

[denson]

I had a pair of recaro sport seats re-done several years ago. They came out great, but are hard and when you sit in them you are really sitting on them. There is no sinking into the seat and having the bolsters support you as you ar on top of the seat.

Does anyone know how to correct this problem?

Happy Holiday.

John

[Kris Clewell]

eat more cheesecake?

[blucille]

I replaced the canvas straps with a set of elastic straps, made my seats far more comfortable without adding any weight

[kentf14]

As others will surely mention, there are a couple of factors working against you (butt-width aside).

1. The new cushion is likely much firmer that the old likely broken down one.
2. The other BIG thing that can help is to replace (or remove a few) of the "suspension" straps holding the cushion up. If you've got straps in there that don't give enough, the seat bottom cant sink down at all.

Take the seat out and look at the straps on the bottom. Some upholsterers use a pretty firm strap.
You should have something like the attached photo. (stolen from another thread)

ALSO, FWIW some people cut the straps to let the seat bottom sink way down.

[Frank Beck]

I agree with kentf14 but would add that old big boy suspenders work well for straps. Maybe kill two birds with this one?

[blucille]

I believe I have a set of 4 elastic straps kicking around over here, John, happy to pass them along to your cause.

L

[NorthernThrux]

If you loosen or reduce the straps, you will have more "static sag" as we call it in the suspension tuning world, but you will also have more "boing-boing" as my younger niece calls it, because there is no damping. What you really want is a softer seat foam, which will not boing-boing, but allow the seat to conform to your butt a bit better.

Ravi

[blucille]

Boing boing all you want, if the foam is the shock absorber, and the elastic strap is the spring, I see no harm in giving it a shot.....especially if the price is right

[NorthernThrux]

No matter how soft the straps, if the foam is hard, you will always sit on it. But if you can get some sag by loosening the straps, it might help mold the foam to one's butt in time, as it allows for more curvature of the foam. Certainly the cheapest thing to try.

My brother-in-law designs seats for Lear seating, and your shock absorber/spring analogy is exactly how he describes it. He helped me redo my motorcycle seat to match my suspension characteristics, but no straps of course. Ideally you take the whole system into account and car seats are matched to the suspension characteristics, including the OEM tires. Overkill for a 40 year old car of course.

[Kris Clewell]

If you loosen or reduce the straps, you will have more "static sag" as we call it in the suspension tuning world, but you will also have more "boing-boing" as my younger niece calls it, because there is no damping. What you really want is a softer seat foam, which will not boing-boing, but allow the seat to conform to your butt a bit better.

Ravi

No matter how soft the straps, if the foam is hard, you will always sit on it. But if you can get some sag by loosening the straps, it might help mold the foam to one's butt in time, as it allows for more curvature of the foam. Certainly the cheapest thing to try.

This is basically it. Just replacing the straps might make you feel like you are sitting lower, but generally you are going to have a seat that feels more like you are sitting in a cereal bowl, and less of a seat that fits your bum like it is supposed to.