When choosing a seat for your kart there are many factors that need to be taken into consideration. To say that there are set in stone answers in picking the perfect seat may be a myth. In the karting realm, tuners, drivers and team owners need to take into consideration all factors when choosing the proper seat. Karting has transformed into a complex sport where adjustments are made according to the driver’s given feedback. Understanding your kart, track conditions, and a driver’s characteristic and build are a few factors that need to be considered when picking a seat.
1. Know Your Kart
Karting has a multitude of different chassis manufacturers from around the world. Depending on the type of kart that a driver is utilizing, each given kart is composed of soft or stiff material and different tubing wall thicknesses. The stiffness of a kart is a key indicator of which type of seat to be used.
A soft kart should choose a stiff seat while a stiffer kart pairs well with a soft seat. It is all about finding the balance with the chassis, and a seat does just that. There are situations where a soft material kart goes in hand with a soft seat, but once again track conditions will sort out which position to take.
Greyhound Seats USA hosts the RS series of seats in addition to their very popular Silver and Viper models. The RS model seats are composed of a fine textile material with a different level of flexibility between each model. The RS1 model is the stiffest model followed by the RS2 being a step softer and the RS3 being softest. Our Silver and Viper seats have a finish similar to the IMAF seats with the Silver being a step softer than the Viper.
2.Track Conditions
From a “Green” track to a rubbered up track these conditions drastically change the handling of the kart. As a track rubbers-up it is not uncommon to see teams changing axles, camber/caster settings, rear hubs, etc. in order to keep up with the grip being laid down on a karting circuit. Based on the makeup of the pavement, location of the the facility, and tire compound being used will change how a track will react throughout the weekend.
The chassis is always seen to be fine tuned to find the “optimum setup”, but an additional tuning option to consider are the softness and stiffness of a seat. As a track rubbers up significantly, the softness and stiffness of a seat are variables that should not be overlooked. Picking a direction will vary depending on the chassis that a driver is utilizing. It is common to pick a stiffer seat to alleviate a high-level of grip on track. Greyhound offers 8 different model seats to satisfy track conditions that racers and teams are faced with.
3. Driver Comfort/Characteristics
Having confidence and being comfortable in your kart provides a night and day difference of your performance on track. We have seen kart seats such as NEK Seats and Ribtec, to name a few, who focus on the comfort of drivers. Picking the proper size seat and understanding how the seat should fit are key features that all drivers need to wrap their heads around.
Unlike race cars which have harnesses, a karting seat is our way of becoming held down and in the seat. Seats are made to be snugged around the hips as that’s where the main tension points are in addition to the ribs. Greyhound Seats USA currently stocks 9 different sizes, but has capabilities of 19 different sizes in order to fit drivers of all sizes.
Tailoring to the taller drivers, the angle of the seat will change how the kart will rotate and change directions in a corner. Greyhound now offers seats in limited sizes that provides a wider angle without having to tilt the seat back. By providing a wider angle this allows the drivers to lie farther back in the seat without having to tilt the seat back. This feature can be used with any model in the Greyhound Seats USA range of seats.
Conclusion:
Choosing your seat can feel very complex, but sometimes simplifying the process down to key factors and stressing certain variables can make the process easier.
Greyhound Seats USA has a wide range of products that has a proven track record of success, from driver accessories to the seat itself. Contact your local dealer or Robert Bujdoso for additional information.
