Driver Lifestyles

In The Drivers Seat

How often have you said to yourself after a few hours behind the wheel, “I just can’t find a comfortable position?” One reason might be that any one position almost always becomes uncomfortable after a while.

If you've been experiencing back pain or discomfort in your legs after even a short time period of driving, it might be time to ask yourself these questions:

Is your seat comfortable over the long haul?

Does it provide enough support for your lower back?

Can you adjust it to the right height and distance from the pedals?

Are the controls easy to reach?

If not, you might be a candidate for a new seat.

Not only does proper seating reduce pain and muscle fatigue on long drives, it helps a driver remain more alert and energetic.  Fortunately, you can retrofit a driver’s or passenger’s seat so that it will make you feel like the king of the road even after many hours of driving.

Personal seat adjustment is the key, giving drivers a custom fit on everything from seat bolsters to armrests. Manufacturers tell us the more adjustments; the better the seat will fit and support its driver.
 
There are numerous choices available – from budget-priced, no-frills standard seats to premium models clad in soft leather and featuring wide cushions, adjustable armrests, temperature controls, massage and a full range of power adjustments.

Three key components in selecting a replacement truck seat are size, support and suspension. In these three areas, the manufacturers have been hard at work. Seating technology continues to improve, with cushion foam and suspension for a smoother ride with more comfort and less bone-jarring vibration.

Advanced seat suspension systems minimize vibrations and rocking. They reduce bottoming out, softening the impact to back muscles and spine.

Seats are larger, too. Not so long ago, maximum seat width was 18 or 19 inches. Today's average is 22-inches. More "backbone" is going into those plush cushions to beef up support with air bladders that mold the seat to the driver's body.

One very popular option available on today's truck seat is the swivel base, which makes it easier to get to the sleeper, your desk or watch TV without leaving the driver's seat.

Heat options are readily available today to sooth strained back muscles. Vibrating massage devices stimulate blood circulation and reduce muscle tension and cramping.

Products
Several years ago, Seats Inc., a leading manufacturer of aftermarket seats for a wide range of vehicles, introduced their Heritage Series of truck seats. 

The Heritage Gold with 22-inch cushions and the Heritage Silver with 20-inch cushions feature standard two-way, mechanical lumbar support, 15-degree reclining backrest, four-position cushion adjust and seven-inch tracks. The seats are available in midback or highback designs. Optional equipment includes the Glide-A-Latorâ„¢ Isolator.

The Heritage Series is available in wide cushions, 4-position cushion for extended leg support, 2-way lumbar, 15 degree recline, and 7 inch track travel w/ offset allowing a full 1 ½ inches of further rearward track travel. 

 Other options available in this line of truck seating include:  highback or mid-highback, Glide-A-Latorâ„¢ - Isolator, armrests, and fabric choices in various colors of vinyl, velour, and durable Tuff-Texâ„¢.

The manufacturer says that its Heritage LO (Low profile suspension) is suited for “low rider” applications and Class 6-7 trucks providing three inches of suspension stroke and a uniquely designed anti-topping and bottoming out feature enhancing comfort.

The Legacy Series
Seats Inc. developed its new Legacy Series — the Legacy Silver, Legacy LO and Legacy HD — with driver comfort and versatility in mind.

The Legacy Silver includes a two-way air lumbar and a standard parallelogram suspension. The Legacy LO has a four-way lumbar and anti-topping/bottoming-outlow-profile suspension suitable for Class 6 and 7 trucks, or for drivers who prefer a low-riding seat.

The Legacy HD has a four-way lumbar with a heavy-duty wide suspension for extreme applications.  Each of these seats has Seats, Inc.’s exclusive EVC Cushion Support System. The EVC cushion sling provides a trampoline-type material for the foam cushion to rest on instead of either a wooden or metal board or pan.

Exclusive to the Legacy series, a four-position adjustable seat cushion enables drivers to adjust the length of their seat cushion for a customized fit.  All of the Legacy seats have fully reclining 22-inch-wide backs and 22-inch seat cushions.

Learn about Seats, Inc.
Beginning in 1952 with seven employees in a 5,000 square foot plant, Seats, Incorporated now occupies a space of about 200,000 square feet and employs well over 300 people in its Reedsburg, Wisconsin manufacturing facility.

This ISO 9001 certified company began by manufacturing fork lift seats, but its product line now includes seats for semis and over-the-road trucks, fire trucks, delivery vans, school bus driver seats, marine seats, seats for road construction equipment, agriculture tractors, turf equipment, and rail road equipment and a host of other applications.

Seats, Inc. has its own design/engineering staff as well as capabilities for making tool and die requirements.  They also have their own welding shop, wood shop and foam production area to create most of the products used to manufacture the seats.

After 50 plus years of seats manufacturing, Seats, Inc. offers many proprietary seating products and has the capabilities of custom designing seating applications for individual customers.

Related Links:

Seats, Incorporated
www.seatsinc.com