shaocaholica

I came across a guide online that showed how to raise the stock Recaro's using washers and longer bolts and I might do the exact same thing but I would want to raise the seats a good 1.1-1.3 inches which is much higher than in that guide.

Does anyone know if I'll run into problems going that high or if it will be unsafe?

Has anyone else gone this high? Thoughts?

Vivid Racing

iTrader: (98)

How short are you?

tkromer

iTrader: (6)

Get a booster seat

shaocaholica

5'6" and my torso is on the longer side. I just don't like the visibility sitting so low. I figure the seats were designed to fit people way taller than 5'6" anyway.

I mean, I can drive OK but its not as comfortable as I'm used to which is about 1 inch higher.

linjy2

iTrader: (4)

this is probably safer. haha

I wouldn't trust raising the bolt that long and it holding on impact.

mitsubsushi

Even a nice seat cushion should do the trick?

sxng9

I'm 5'2", so you can tell I'm a short guy and I can clearly see fine sitting in the Recaro's. Since the Evolution X was first released in Japan before hitting overseas, most of the Asian guys over there are pretty short and I doubt they complained about the seat height. If they can see through the windshield, there's no reason people taller than those little guys will have an issue.

Even if you use a longer bolt and stack up a few washers, your Recaro's will be a little wobbly. Use a pillow cushion or adult booster chair. I'd imagine your head must be pretty close to the ceiling. Imagine running through a pothole or speed bump at 50+ MPH and your head will be pounding the ceiling more times than Super Mario.

AFD

iTrader: (1)

The HKS/Kansai seat rails might be a safer option.. #KIM008-B allows for 0 to +15mm of adjustment in the front and +20 to +35mm in the rear.

Little pricier than washers though.. just a single driver's side rail runs around $350

07outty

iTrader: (5)

remove the seat.

bolt two sections of steel channel to the floor using the factory bolts.

install the seat rails to the new channel steel.

spdracerut

iTrader: (2)

Most things are designed to fit the average size person. For Americans, guys are around 5'8". If designed for Japanese guys, knock off a few inches. So really, it's designed just about perfectly for you.

The seats are low because this is a performance vehicle. Lower seats = lower center of gravity = better handling.

DVDee

iTrader: (4)

I understand where the OP is coming from, I like to see the entire hood of the car. It helps me calculate the width of the car quicker, useful when you got a bunch of people double parked in NY. I'm 5'10" and although I can see fine I wouldn't mind an extra inch of height on the seat just to see the entire hood, this inch is not going to make any difference in the way the car handles.

Yoo Shin

iTrader: (2)

This is a decent option. I did this to a set of Recaro Speeds on my old WRX, but still ended up having a shop specializing in pro stock cars, wield some 1" raisers rails, but they even said that it'd be a compromise in the seat's integrity.

Did you not test drive the car? I'm 6'2 and find it perfect, but wouldn't want to be much shorter for this car. I'm used to Subarus which have you sitting up bolt-up-right, and high, where as in the Evo 10, you're sitting in a tub.

Only car(s) that I've ever been able to get that absolute perfect seating position, and desired visability are BMWs especially the last two gen 5 series, and the current E90 3.

SniperwolF

any chance maybe just getting a aftermarket seats?

xRoguex

iTrader: (15)

David made lowering brackets for the evo8/9, perhaps he can help you out with something.

migs647

iTrader: (19)

Going from an Evo 8 to an Evo X, I completely understand where the OP is coming from.

I'm 6'1", i have a shorter torso, and feel like I can't really see much of the front of the car. I understand the lower center of gravity, etc, but I almost would like another inch higher to see a bit more.

I've made adjustments, put the back of the seat almost vertical, don't slouch, basically in attack position the whole time I drive the car. It definitely wears me out, but I feel I can see a bit better.