Anyone used/use these seats?

[d1 mule]

i recently had a pretty descent crash (130kph into wall) with1 KW seat and 1 random seat and both came out mint, reasonably comfortable too. for the money cant go wrong

Pics/Video/Proof?

hit wall side on mid 4th gear into mid air 360, seat is sweet

[B1NZ]

That does not look like a 130kmph impact into a wall to me? Tyre wall maybe and maybe you were doing 130 before a gravel trap or something? Have you checked the actual seat mounts where the seat is connected to the car?

IMO you are better off paying extra to get a seat which has been tested to certain specs, I think anyone that has been involved in motorsport for long enough and has seen what can happen would agree

[touge_ae101]

its pretty simple. as an alternative, $600 for a racetech 1000 is not a lot of money considering the definitive factor on whether you live or die in a decent crash (nose into wall at decent speed etc) comes down to the quality of your seats and harnesses.

twice the price of NZKW but they are FIA certified and you know they will stand up to a decent crash. NZKW not being FIA certified must mean something....

[d1 mule]

4th gear, too wide, hit1 row of tires then dirt bank. obviously not a full side on impact,
hard to explain. turning left off the straight at ruapuna hit the far wall.

yeah seat is fine.

dont get me wrong im sure you do get what you pay for, but in my experience it has been fine.

[postfach]

thats not a rail, thats a mount/bracket

I know, used the wrong word, thanks for the correction.

[pc]

4th gear, too wide, hit1 row of tires then dirt bank. obviously not a full side on impact,
hard to explain. turning left off the straight at ruapuna hit the far wall.

yeah seat is fine.

dont get me wrong im sure you do get what you pay for, but in my experience it has been fine.

There doesn't appear to be any sign of any real impact in that photo, it looks more like a car park scrape.

Good seats shine in real impacts.

[Bling]

I bet you wish you didn't say anything now d1 mule?

Watch those trolleys in the future

[wde_bdy]

I looked at the NZKW seats when they first came on the market and (incorrectly) claimed FIA approved status, apparently they were still in testing and I heard later (after salesman assured me they would easily pass) they failed very very badly. It's your life but I'm glad I didn't waste my $$$ on them.

Callum

[d1 mule]

na im sweet aye, i was driving the car with a passenger in the NZKW seat, i know how fast we were going and what we hit.

[Leon]

Get a good seat, and good seat mountings.

FIA rating means a good seat (unless it's something like an autosport that had their FIA approval removed after they failed re-testing, but kept the FIA labels on the seats for several years afterwards).

We've had a few guys with spinal injuries when either their seat, or their seat mountings have failed in motorsport impacts. If either your seat or mounting point fail, then that effectively renders your harness useless as you're going to be floating around the car at that point.

Not all non FIA seats are "bad". But you can be reasonably confident that FIA seats are good.

[tsoob]

*momo dealer*

[Mr Ree]

It would be a good thing for the consumer to know exactly what crash tests non FIA approved seats have gone through before we risk our lifes using them. I imagine they would have had to pass some form of NZ standard to be allowed to be sold here but stranger things have happened.

As much as I would never try and save money where safety is concerned, alot of younger guys will always choose the cheaper option if it "looks" like it does the same job. The delusional belief that accidents always happen to others is all one needs to apply that logic.

If you dont want to spend the money, I would suggest you would most likely be better off in a good quality, second hand, Recaro from a road car rather than a cheap fixed back bucket seat.

P.S SIC, the nzkw seat brackets will be ok, just be sure to visually check the welds before fitting them. Also one inherent design flaw with them is the seatbelt mounting bracket doesnt slide with the seat, so this might be a problem for you depending on your seating position. Luckily where I have my seat positioned is exactly where the clasp sits.

[Leon]

It would be a good thing for the consumer to know exactly what crash tests non FIA approved seats have gone through before we risk our lifes using them. I imagine they would have had to pass some form of NZ standard to be allowed to be sold here but stranger things have happened.

Nope you can sell absolutely anything you want. There are no standards required or tests.

[Mr Ree]

It would be a good thing for the consumer to know exactly what crash tests non FIA approved seats have gone through before we risk our lifes using them. I imagine they would have had to pass some form of NZ standard to be allowed to be sold here but stranger things have happened.

Nope you can sell absolutely anything you want. There are no standards required or tests.

Yep, not surprised at all. The govt spends so much time with offices full of people coming up with rules about how cars need to be safely modified, yet let things like this slip through the net.

I realise nzkw are apparantly legal for use in NZ provided all other related rules are adhered to but the LVV certifier might still knock someone back on installing some other brand of fixed back bucket seats of dubious decent, based on the fact they believe they wouldnt hold up in an accident.

Just because something can be sold does not automatically mean it can be used for the purpose it was bought for is what I guess Im trying to say

[Leon]

Just because something can be sold does not automatically mean it can be used for the purpose it was bought for is what I guess Im trying to say

I agree. Like Nankang / Triangle / Darkhorse tyres etc.

Really they're not tyres, because that would imply they have actual grip etc. They're more like "Rim Extenders" rather than tyres

[Mr Ree]

Just because something can be sold does not automatically mean it can be used for the purpose it was bought for is what I guess Im trying to say

I agree. Like Nankang / Triangle / Darkhorse tyres etc.

Really they're not tyres, because that would imply they have actual grip etc. They're more like "Rim Extenders" rather than tyres

Haha I like it... shock absorbing rim extenders with the properties of teflon

Just as the cheap seats are not really seats, they are spinal clinic delivery vessels.

[Leon]

if it goes badly enough wrong in a crash, yup

[tsoob]

I personally think that triangle tyres should be banned from our country.. they are horrible. Loud, and poor grip quality...

[l SIC l]

Hey Reith, how tall are you mate - that might give me an idea of seating position heh - I'm 6'0 to the millimeter

[Mr Ree]

Hey Reith, how tall are you mate - that might give me an idea of seating position heh - I'm 6'0 to the millimeter

Im 6ft exactly too funnily enough.

The seating height and side bolster design are different on your seats compared to the Racetechs. I sit a bit higher than I would ideally like (hit helmet on roof when head checking etc) but the seats are using their lowest bolt hole already.

The only thing I could do is remove the sliders from the equation to give me another 20mm or so of headroom.