I'm 5'9", so I set the seat on my `05 S to just about the middle of the track fore-and-aft. In this middle location, I don't seem to be able to get quite enough thigh support at the front of the seat, as the lowest seat-tilt setting does not seem to be not quite low enough.

I've also noticed that the seat-angle/height adjustment seems to have a range that goes from sliding-off-forward at its highest position, to just-past-flat, like a bench seat, at the lowest setting.

So the tweak is to raise the front of the drivers seat track slightly with spacers, to tilt the seat-bottom further back.

This provides a bit more support under your thighs at the front of the seat, and gives quite a bit more support when braking. It makes make me feel that I'm down In the seat, rather than On it - the seat feels considerably "sportier". Sure enough, if you look at any racing seat, you will find thigh supports and/or a seat bottom that is tilted backward, to prevent submarining.

Raising the seat is a 10-minute job. There is one bolt at the front and and one at the rear of each track. I suggest using a Torx T-40 bit for a ratchet-head wrench, to loosen the two rear bolts while inserting the spacers and replacing the two front bolts. I experimented with raising my seat from 1/4" up to 3/4", and settled on 3/8".

With an extra 3/8" of tilt I still use the lowest setting of the adjuster, so my butt remains at the same height, but I get more support and less tendency to slouch or slump in the set. Even 1/4" more tilt makes a noticeable difference.

You will need two longer bolts (Grade 8, please), and washers or spacers, which you can get at a hardware store. The stock bolt is a metric M8x40mm. I used a longer M8x45 with 3/8" spacers.

Putting a taller spacer under the front of the rails can also allow you to raise the whole seat as much as you like for best position. Your lady friend might also be thrilled by the way you raised the seat of your car just for her...

 

I just did this today, with 1/2" spacers and longer bolts to compensate. First impressions, this is awesome and I'm not used to having my thighs touch the seat at all. But it does feel like I'm in the seat rather than on it.

It also feels like it helps hold you in during braking; I run the schroth harness all of the time and all braking force used to be transmitted through that, but now it is through the seat as well.

I was able to adjust the pitch of the seatback to remain at my optimal driving postion.

I will have to drive around and decide if I want to keep it like this.

 

How do you like the Schroth for everyday driving? I love mine when autocrossing, but even with my long monkey-arms, the Schroth prevents me from reaching a lot of things in my car without unbuckling.

 

I can't stand regular seat belts now. They feel so loose and dangerous. I love being part of the car.

I can reach everything except the glovebox, passenger floor, and passenger door handle. I can access anything behind the seats easily.

My arms are really long too, from under arm to finger tip it's 34 inches and my 'wingspan' is 79 inches. People say I should box, but I don't want to get my face smashed or beat my brain to mush.

 

For an intermediate approach, the CG-Lock works really well.

I can hardly stand to drive a car without one, as it keeps me from slumping in the seat, and that saves me a lot of back pain.

 

+1 but after about an hour of non stop use I tend to long for shoulder pads
and well all over really I wear it so tight. reaching things is hardly an issue for me.

 

Won't the seat track bow in the middle if it is not flat on the floor?

 

Just put in a 3/8" spacer. The seat feels completely different. Not sure it I will keep it thought. Will try for a few days.

 

Things have been good for 2 years. No bending of the seat rail, bolts still tight, etc.

 

On most cars the seat rails don't touch the floor in-between the mounting points. I haven't looked at the MINI, but usually there is a bit of space.