Tall driver visibility & seat height

IAmJesseLynch · Oct 14, 2024

Hi all! First time posting here, and I’ve had my Trialmaster for three days now. Truly enjoying it.

I’ve read everything in this forum about tall drivers and visibility. I’m 6’4, with a tall torso, there’s plenty of headroom, but with the seat in the lowest position (or any other position), I have to use a less-than-ideal posture to have proper visibility.

One thing I am hoping to do, is completely remove the sun visor, but then there is the plastic sun visor hook and mount trim pieces, which leads me to my first question: is there any kind of “sun visor delete trim” - seems a bit too specific for there to actually be a product available, but could anybody 3D print a solution? Happy to pay for such a thing.

Second, I have to assume there is a lower profile seat available somewhere but I don’t really know where to begin - has anybody replaced the front seats or found a way to make them sit lower. They’re comfortable, but if I could shave an inch off the height, I think I will be much more likely to own the Grenny long term.

ANNML · Oct 14, 2024

Congrats on your new Grenadier! I hope it’s a beast in the Mpls snow.

I lived in Mpls for about 5 years before moving to Phoenix. Gotta say I never want to scrape a windshield ever again! I lived in the Uptown area and I still miss the eclectic vibe and I miss the Mpls culture, the old brick buildings, downtown, the music, the city lakes - all of the good stuff. Phoenix soooo different — I don’t get any of the feels I just mentioned about Mpls. Anyway!

You probably saw this thread —

Help - poor visibility for tall drivers

Hello all, I'm looking for any help in improvements for tall drivers, I'm 6'4" and the seats just don't have enough adjustability to allow good visibility. I've already removed the sunvisor (completely worthless to me), and looked at lowering the seat frame - not an easy task and will require...

www.theineosforum.com

Zimm · Oct 14, 2024

The airbag is in the seat. Call Sheel-mann for a Vario f xxl if you don't care. I don't now if the airbag is monitored for alarm if its eliminated, that should be an easy yeat creative workaround if it is.

I use the owl sun visor, usually swept to the left unless the sun is bad, and a LightinSight for closer proximity to traffic lights. I also shimmed the front seat mounts with fender washers for a little tilt.

If you pop off the lower dash trim it looks like the steering colum mounts have about 1/2" of exposed bolt, That would likley lower the wheel 1" when shimmed if the low seat position causes fatigue from the higher wheel position. I looked when I noticed the wheel doesnt lower as much as my other trucks. I would think you could just lower it, insert some camber shims from an IFS suspention (cheap) and retighten. At least that was my plan, but I just got used to it.

Baron von Teuchter · Oct 14, 2024

What visibility issues are you having? I’m 6’4” too and have the seat nowhere near the lowest setting

Zimm · Oct 14, 2024

Baron von Teuchter said:
What visibility issues are you having? I’m 6’4” too and have the seat nowhere near the lowest setting

That translates to 5'10" in American inches.

IAmJesseLynch · Oct 17, 2024

Baron von Teuchter said:
What visibility issues are you having? I’m 6’4” too and have the seat nowhere near the lowest setting

What is your posture like to not have any visibility issues at your height? I can imagine a torso height difference would play a big role - one inch lower would be a considerable improvement.

The photo below is what my sight line looks like if I’m sitting up with correct posture. I have to be slouched or leaned forward or just deal with not being able to see more than a couple seconds ahead on the road.

Baron von Teuchter · Oct 17, 2024

Woah.

Well it’s nothing like that!

I wear 34” inside leg trousers which I don’t think is unusually long for my height so I don’t think my torso is unusually long.

Is your neck a foot long?

Sorry.

I can put my hand sideways on top of my head and there are four fingers of space between top of my head and the roof lining if that helps.

landmannnn · Oct 17, 2024

Common for some to remove some of the foam in the seat base on tiny sportscars. Google foamectomy (MX5/Miata normally)

IAmJesseLynch · Oct 17, 2024

Baron von Teuchter said:
Woah.

Well it’s nothing like that!

I wear 34” inside leg trousers which I don’t think is unusually long for my height so I don’t think my torso is unusually long.

Is your neck a foot long?

Sorry.

I can put my hand sideways on top of my head and there are four fingers of space between top of my head and the roof lining if that helps.

hahaha! I've never considered if my neck is particularly long, but I don't think so. I think my torso is just a bit on the longer side, where 32 inseam can do the trick, yet I'm still 6'4 so that slight change in ratio just makes this a problem in a lot of cars.

Honestly the "headroom" of the Grenadier is incredible, but when your head is up near the headliner like mine, the visibility out the front gets pretty limited.

Zimm · Oct 18, 2024

IAmJesseLynch said:
What is your posture like to not have any visibility issues at your height? I can imagine a torso height difference would play a big role - one inch lower would be a considerable improvement.

The photo below is what my sight line looks like if I’m sitting up with correct posture. I have to be slouched or leaned forward or just deal with not being able to see more than a couple seconds ahead on the road.

To lower your seat and have leg support you need to tilt the seat bottom back, which isn't an option. The tilt function is for tall drivers. yes it will require more rake with the backrest, and it will be more f16 than stagecoach, but you can still maintain a good posture. so, buy a pack of fender washers and insert them under the front bolts. I'd start with 1/2" and add from there.

From the pic, you're too high.

Zimm · Oct 18, 2024

How much do you weigh? I.E. How fat is your ass?

I'm 6'4", 35 inseam, 200-210 depending on season. I have friends 6' tp 6'2 that weight 350, and I notice they need to put the seat further back and actually sit taller than me in a car, owing to the prodigious amounts of potato chips, wings, fries, lard and beer that has settled into the ass of their pants, pushing them forward and propelling them higher than one would think merely standing beside them. 1/2 foot of extra ass isnt in most non american car designer specs. If this is you, I recomend an 'mericin' ford chevy or dodge pickup in the one ton extra cab version.

The only fix for that here would be sawzawing and re welding the seat bases, a stint in a concentration camp, or a year of ozempic.

Baron von Teuchter · Oct 18, 2024

This is an approximation of my view.

6’4” (194cm), 95kg (ish)

Tom109 · Oct 18, 2024

Baron von Teuchter said:
View attachment 7873725
This is an approximation of my view.

6’4” (194cm), 95kg (ish)

Similar view for me, also 6’4” and long torso. I just set the seat height where it felt comfortable, not all the way up or down. I find I can look through the indent on the sun visor where it hinges. That’s about all I need, but don’t live/drive in the city.

trobex · Oct 19, 2024

Imagine this scenario but with a 2L milk bottle under your foot in the RHD version!!! Ah but you still live the Gren is what we're about.

Tom109 · Oct 19, 2024

trobex said:
Imagine this scenario but with a 2L milk bottle under your foot in the RHD version!!! Ah but you still live the Gren is what we're about.

I was thinking about that the other day, driving and considering my comfort foot placement. I am glad I have LHD.

Tinerfeño · Oct 19, 2024

I'm 1,98 m (almost 6' 6") and don't have any problems.

Baron von Teuchter · Oct 19, 2024

Tom109 said:
I was thinking about that the other day, driving and considering my comfort foot placement. I am glad I have LHD.

Honestly I think it’s an overblown issue, perhaps for very short people or people who like the seat as low as possible it might be a problem but it really doesn’t bother me in the slightest.

I’ve done 400 miles in a day without a break and was perfectly comfortable when I got out (aside from bursting for a pee)

landmannnn · Oct 19, 2024

Baron von Teuchter said:
Honestly I think it’s an overblown issue, perhaps for very short people or people who like the seat as low as possible it might be a problem but it really doesn’t bother me in the slightest.

I’ve done 400 miles in a day without a break and was perfectly comfortable when I got out (aside from bursting for a pee)

I don't think it is an issue. One person seems to post about it in every thread....

Tom109 · Oct 19, 2024

What do RHD folks think of the driver seat slide release lever location? That’s the LHD passenger seat and my wife says that lever is way too big, hits her leg and is very uncomfortable.

Zimm · Oct 19, 2024

trobex said:
Imagine this scenario but with a 2L milk bottle under your foot in the RHD version!!! Ah but you still live the Gren is what we're about.

You’ve mentioned this 2l milk bottle 53 times in 37 threads. I hate to tell you this, but it’s only 1 quart.

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