Gti Seats Uncomfortable- Foamectomy?

[Takentoxs 1]

I am finding the seats on my git very uncomfortable and I get a pain from my arse down the back of my left leg when I drive for any time. It is common in the mx5 world for taller drivers to perform a foamectomy which is to reduce the amount of foam in the lower back and seat base area of the seat. I have done this on my Mazda. Has anyone performed a similar job on a 205 with success? Or can anyone suggest other ways to lower the seat which I think will help my problems? Another thought I have had is to drop some mx5 seats in but I am reluctant to do that if there is an easier solution.

[Anthony 1,003]

You can lower the seat a few millimetres by removing the black spacers or a little more by using 5dr subframes (losing the tilt function).

 

I don't know anyone that's tried the MX-5 "foamectomy" trick on a 205 seat.

[steve@cornwall 100]

I would suggest fitting a new clutch cable and adjusting properly. I can have similar difficulties with too much travel / hard pedal.

[Takentoxs 1]

I would suggest fitting a new clutch cable and adjusting properly. I can have similar difficulties with too much travel / hard pedal.

Sorry right leg! Not left!!!

[steve@cornwall 100]

Ah......maybe to do with suspending your leg so to speak on light throttle? Perhaps tilting the seat to give support to the thigh would be effective?

[allye 530 3 Cars]

It's sort of how far do you want to go?! At just shy of 6'6' I've modified a few of my 205/309's to lower and move the seat further back than a standard seat allows.

 

My current 205 has 405 seats which are wider and have large firm bolsters, sat on 5dr sub frames and moved further back than standard with a spaced out steering wheel to Take the wheel off my knees and closer to my chest.

 

It's a fantastic position and the seat is central!

[Grim.Badger 15]

Is the foam still "straight"? Mine slopes to one side because of how I sit, and it's getting worse with age. This hurts my lower back quite a bit.

 

I also have a factory fitted sunroof, and the thicker/lower headliner makes a real difference, making it difficult to sit up straight without hitting my head (and I'm only 6'2").

 

TBH, I was surprised recently to find my basemodel 106 seats are far comfier and firmer than my 205 seats, I don't think 205 seats age very well at all.....

[ATK 140 1 Cars]

I find my GTi seats much more comfortable than modern cars I have, even on long distances!

[dobboy 231 2 Cars]

Sounds like Sciatica or the seat is causing your spine to annoy your sciatic nerve. Think it is most common for the third vertebrae to do it.

 

Why not try lowering the back by removing the spacers as Anthony says, and adding them to the front to lift the seat up a touch.

 

Come back in three weeks

 

Dr Dobboy

[JamPug 22]

I'm 6'3", I have no problems and I'm always comfortable. I don't think I'd be able to wear a helmet or any type of head gear for that matter. Also I find the cloth seats so much more comfortable than the half leathers.

[Takentoxs 1]

I tried a quick fix on the way into work. I packed the right hand booster with a piece of high density road about 3cm thick. My leg is much better supported and the pain greatly reduced. I might strip the seat and remake the left hand bolster in high density poly styrene ( the stuff you can carve) with a 5mm foam over it. I am also going to try playing with spacers because I can feel that my back is not supported well and was beginning to ache slightly. I sound like a hypochondriac !

[steve@cornwall 100]

Following this with interest as I get various back, neck, leg, knee aches although not much more pronounced when driving. Especially after their accident last year with the dreaded tree...... I'm trying to avoid my doctor's method as a long term solution which is a cocktail of daily painkillers and nerve blockers. Effective but literally mind numbing!

[Anthony 1,003]

I find my GTi seats much more comfortable than modern cars I have, even on long distances!

This for me also - I find 205 GTi seats extremely comfortable and I can happily drive for hours without getting aches or pains (beaten only by 405 seats).

 

Indeed, it was quite telling a couple of years ago when I hurt my back - the only car that I could drive without severe discomfort was my 205, despite having the stiffest suspension, whereas my missus softly sprung A-class rendered me in agony within about 5 minutes.

 

That said though, something that Grim.Badger touched on is that not all 205 seats are equal these days and I've seen a couple that have had broken/distorted frames which made them very uncomfortable to drive any distance in.

[Hheppy 9 1 Cars]

I'm the opposite, I have wooden blocks on the pedals and the seat as far forward as possible!!

[toolie72 67 1 Cars]

I just look like a sad, old, fat f@@ker when I try to clamber out of the gti-sigh

[steve@cornwall 100]

I just look like a sad, old, fat f@@ker when I try tto clamber out of the gti-sigh

+1

[harryskid 193]

Goodness me i thought ever body knew 205s were a pain in the arse!

[Adamstanford 3]

On 7/7/2016 at 2:19 PM, allye said:

It's sort of how far do you want to go?! At just shy of 6'6' I've modified a few of my 205/309's to lower and move the seat further back than a standard seat allows.

 

My current 205 has 405 seats which are wider and have large firm bolsters, sat on 5dr sub frames and moved further back than standard with a spaced out steering wheel to Take the wheel off my knees and closer to my chest.

 

It's a fantastic position and the seat is central!

Can you just directly swap a 405 seat into a 205?? Thanks

[steve@cornwall 100]

Short answer, no. the 405 is something like 50mm wider across the rails. You need to make up brackets to bolt the 205 subframe to the 405 seat and be careful that you dont have too narrow a gap for the handbrake. 

Comfy though

[Adamstanford 3]

9 hours ago, steve@cornwall said:

Short answer, no. the 405 is something like 50mm wider across the rails. You need to make up brackets to bolt the 205 subframe to the 405 seat and be careful that you dont have too narrow a gap for the handbrake. 

Comfy though

Ah great thank you