Topic: Custom Molded Seat Inserts

We recently put a new Kirkey containment seat in the Dart for a little added protection, and we went with the biggest we could find (18.5" wide) to accommodate a 300+ lb. driver. My comparatively skinny 6'4" 215 lb. frame is sliding around in the seat, and trying to keep myself upright in the corners ain't doing my lower back any favors. I'm looking at these custom seat insert kits and would love some opinions from anyone who might've used them. The intent would be to make one for every driver that needs it and swap them during driver changes.

Is it feasible to mold one of these over the standard seat cover, so it can be left in place when the custom cushions are swapped out? How do the custom cushions hold up if you install and remove them a couple times every race?

1. $345 Pegasus Creafoam kit (for the size I'd probably need). Would need to buy the fabric cover material (~$100), doesn't include the knife or required vacuum pump (maybe I could make an A/C vacuum pump work?). Looks like a more complicated process. Instructional video isn't great, but Pegasus is apparently pretty responsive to questions.
https://www.pegasusautoracing.com/produ … oduct=4525

2. $254 Kirkey kit. Includes everything you need including electric knife to trim the edges, uses solid foam sheet for butt padding. Not entirely sure it'll be big enough for the side bolsters and lumber support I need, but it looks like I could buy more of the foam sheet ($45) and add it to areas that need it before pouring the mix. Great instructional video.
https://www.jegs.com/i/Kirkey/570/99300/10002/-1

3. Cheap Lemony solution with garbage bags and two-part foam that won't melt to my skin in a fire? Anyone done this successfully?

2 (edited by DirtyDuc 2019-02-10 11:50 AM)

Re: Custom Molded Seat Inserts

I'll only comment on the electric knife... I bought a regular electric carving knife for foam projects*. It works pretty well.

*Motorcycle seat customization.

That guy

Re: Custom Molded Seat Inserts

Need to follow this because we are thinking of a new seat and I am more three dimensional than the average man and we have skinny people on the team.

Skip "Mongo" L.
Team DadBod

Re: Custom Molded Seat Inserts

DirtyDuc wrote:

[snip] regular electric carving knife for foam projects*. [snip]

YES.

Re: Custom Molded Seat Inserts

I used 2 part foam shipping bags to make an insert  wrapped it in zip tape.  If there fire and it melts whats under your ass through your firesuit to you skin you are already dead imo

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Re: Custom Molded Seat Inserts

If you are worried about making it flameproof, you could sew a cover out of an old racing or military surplus flight suit.  We did that with a memory foam pillow and an old flight suit to make a comfy but fireproof seat cushion (we used 2 layers of Nomex).

Re: Custom Molded Seat Inserts

SpaceFrank wrote:

3. Cheap Lemony solution with garbage bags and two-part foam that won't melt to my skin in a fire? Anyone done this successfully?

Just a suggestion but they sell fireblock spray foam at the hardware store. With a can of that stuff, some trash bags, creative taping and a buddy to spray it around you while you sit in the seat, you could probably make some nice custom space taker pads. Oh and you need to have the patience to sit there while it dries.

Just a Noob trying to take the long approach to doing it right.

Re: Custom Molded Seat Inserts

jethrojet wrote:
SpaceFrank wrote:

3. Cheap Lemony solution with garbage bags and two-part foam that won't melt to my skin in a fire? Anyone done this successfully?

Just a suggestion but they sell fireblock spray foam at the hardware store. With a can of that stuff, some trash bags, creative taping and a buddy to spray it around you while you sit in the seat, you could probably make some nice custom space taker pads. Oh and you need to have the patience to sit there while it dries.

Or better yet partially fill a trash bag wiith spray foam, put it in the seat and strap in until it drys. Might want to coat the inside of the trash bag with PAM or similar to act as a releasing agent tho.

Just a Noob trying to take the long approach to doing it right.

Re: Custom Molded Seat Inserts

^ Something to be aware of is that some of those foam sprays put out a lot of heat as they expand.  I'd test first.

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10 (edited by Spank 2019-02-12 10:30 AM)

Re: Custom Molded Seat Inserts

Lots of competing videos testing flammability of spray foams.

Here's just a couple. (I watch them on 2x speed)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djB4dmfHhQk


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYor83AQEG0

Re: Custom Molded Seat Inserts

Spank wrote:

Lots of competing videos testing flammability of spray foams.

Here's just a couple. (I watch them on 2x speed)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djB4dmfHhQk


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYor83AQEG0


Great videos. I was waiting for one of the cans to blow on the first video!!

Just a Noob trying to take the long approach to doing it right.

Re: Custom Molded Seat Inserts

I'm not saying that fireblock spray foam is a bad idea. Just don't think it is flameproof. And choose wisely.


I've been leaving the interior in cars on occasion and at tech when I'm asked to remove it I resist and share with them that I welded the cage inside the car with the interior still in it. The materials used in the (modern) interiors are self-extinguishing, to various degrees. But they are NOT flame proof.

I've actually found the sound deadening and seam sealer that is exposed when a car is gutted is more flammable than the carpet that covers it.

Re: Custom Molded Seat Inserts

Point taken about the fireblock. It reminds me that many of the items one might consider fireproof or even fire resistant are not always so and that there are additional considerations to make in addition to a material's flammability, such as will it melt into your skin? I used to work in refineries for a while and at first thought Nomex was a magic shield against fire. Turns out the intent behind the wearing of Nomex was to protect us from a 5 second flash fire at a specific temperature. They also told us that the nomex wouldn't melt into our skin but that did little good if a person was wearing melt-able clothing like rayon underneath their nomex. Another point they stressed is that Nomex would burn like a candle wick if it became soaked with flammable liquid and that we needed to clean the Nomex on a regular basis using the instructions on the tag.

It makes sense that the auto industry would put some effort into making low flammability interiors.

Just a Noob trying to take the long approach to doing it right.

Re: Custom Molded Seat Inserts

+1 for tashbag and fire block spray foam

Owner/Captain of The 27 Club E46. Phoenix, AZ
and now the #95 Thunderbird