Driver seat height

mane

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I bought Recaro LS-C seats for my E9. As the car is on rust repairs and stripped down, I have possibility to create the perfect height for the seats, as I'm doing new rails too. Of course I did not measure the original seat height before removing seats etc. Now the question is, what would be good height for the seat. I'm 183cm/6ft tall.

Upholsterer who's doing the seat and rails, asked the height from floor to the front base of the seat. Picture attached to show the spot.

Could someone recommend what height would be good?

Thanks!
 

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eriknetherlands

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Hi,

I am same height, and never have had any issues with the seat/driving height using standard seats.
I currently have the seat frames just welded back in, so I can measure the distance from the floor to the mounting surface of the rails, and the rail thickness. If you want, let me know and i'll measure. (it is difficult to install the seat in my car)

Be aware that the rails also have a backward pitch.
That means that "measuring the bottom of the seat" will give different readings when the seat is further forward, or further backward.
Erik.
 
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Bmachine

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The seat framing area on the e9 is very strange. First, as Erik mentioned, the rails are pitched backwards. Second, the floor is raised right under the seats. I am guessing this was done to add structural rigidity. Anyway, the available height is 5.5 cm at the rear and 6.3 at the front.

(EDIT Ooops. Sorry, I misread your question. I thought you were talking about the height of the seat framing.)
 

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Markos

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Where might I get one of those flexible measuring tapes?


The seat framing area on the e9 is very strange. First, as Erik mentioned, the rails are pitched backwards. Second, the floor is raised right under the seats. I am guessing this was done to add structural rigidity. Anyway, the available height is 5.5 cm at the rear and 6.3 at the front.

(EDIT Ooops. Sorry, I misread your question. I thought you were talking about the height of the seat framing.)
 

mane

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Hey thanks for the replies, but unfortunately nobody replied to the actual question :)

So the question is, how big is the stock gap between floor and seat top edge?

Secondary question: Is that stock height ok, or should the seat be lower by default? I've only driven my car for 10 minutes, before it overheated. So I don't really recall was the stock height good or bad :) Usually I like to put seat low as possible..
 

Bmachine

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The general rule with the seats is... There is NO rule!

Everyone's anatomy is slightly different and the exact same seat may be wonderful for one person and horrible for the next person. Even if they are of similar height and build!

One obvious problem with car seats of that era is that they have zero adjustments options except for fore / aft and back angle. The advantage of more recent seats is that they offer more adjustments, thereby increasing the odds of finding a setting that works for you.

I am 6'2" / 1.88m and I find the stock seat too high. But Chris Macha who is 6'5" is perfectly happy with them.

Bottom line, it's a very personal thing and the only way to know for sure is to try it for yourself.
 
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HB Chris

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As Bo said I’m 6’5” with 36” inseam so height is in my legs. I raised the front of the seat 1/2” by putting shims between the seat rail and the seat itself, it gives more thigh support which I find comfortable. You can’t lower the rear of the seat but raising the front helps in my case.
 

Belgiumbarry

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Hi Mane, nobody answered your question indeed :D

Here it is :

on my stock coupe this is 29.5 cm

Rally car is 26 cm. I wanted to be seated lower but not more than that , otherwise the steering wheel is "high" . ( I have washers on the 2 front bolts column support , so the steering column also lowers a bit )
 

Honolulu

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The answer will depend on how bagged out your seat padding is. Mine is pretty far gone, and I'm 6'6"; I feel I fit okay in the car and have never considered changing the seat height. Probably mostly because I can't... without putting in a seat from another bimmer.

Been messing about with seat twist in my e34, and a seat that rises only in front, not in back (now how it's supposed to be). Guess I'll have that seat out again.. probably only didn't connect a pair of wires when it went back in. But that seat won't fit the coupe, as-is.
 

rsporsche

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i'm 6'3" ... but unlike Chris, i am tall from the waist up. i have no issues in the car ... head doesn't hit and don't have to recline the seat too far to sit in the seat. i switched to scheel sport seats and i sit a little lower and the seat bottom is more supportive.
 

Stevehose

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Ditto

As Bo said I’m 6’5” with 36” inseam so height is in my legs. I raised the front of the seat 1/2” by putting shims between the seat rail and the seat itself, it gives more thigh support which I find comfortable. You can’t lower the rear of the seat but raising the front helps in my case.
 

mane

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Hi Mane, nobody answered your question indeed :D

Here it is :

on my stock coupe this is 29.5 cm

Rally car is 26 cm. I wanted to be seated lower but not more than that , otherwise the steering wheel is "high" . ( I have washers on the 2 front bolts column support , so the steering column also lowers a bit )

Hey thanks! :) This helps a lot!

How tall are you btw?
 

Belgiumbarry

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i am 1.8 m .
PS the oem 29.5 cm is measured above carpet , so sure 30 cm above steel floor.
In the rally car we had to go lower because roll bar and helmet , but as i said , sitting lower you quickly have the feeling the steering wheel is "high" .
 
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