Top 3 Ways to Install the OMP TRS-E XL and Sparco Sprint L Seats
Seat fitting guide, XL seats
Fitting a motorsport seat is not always bolt-in, and it gets harder with the widest fixed back seats. The OMP TRS-E XL and the Sparco Sprint L are popular with bigger drivers: both are FIA 8855-1999 homologated, both are built on steel, and they are cut for waists of up to 42 inches.
The catch is the width. Once side mounts are bolted to a seat this wide, the mounts sit further apart than most runners and frames are made for. This guide explains the problem and the three ways we have made these seats fit in our own testing, plus one simpler option that only applies to the Sprint L.
- The OMP TRS-E XL is listed for a 36 to 42 inch waist, the Sparco Sprint L for 40 to 42
- With side mounts fitted, both are too wide for most standard frames and runners
- Method 1: an OMP vehicle-specific frame, whose wider pattern lines up with the side mounts
- Method 2: a fabricated base with bolt holes drilled to suit
- Method 3: Corbeau 405mm sliding runners with Endurance multi point side mounts
- The Sprint L can also base mount on Sparco's 345mm by 271mm pattern; the TRS-E XL cannot
Why standard installations do not work
We have seen plenty of customers try to fit the TRS-E XL and Sprint L on standard subframes and sliders and find the holes do not line up. Once side mounts are on, these seats are much wider across the mounts than a normal bucket. Most universal runners and vehicle frames are made for standard seat widths, and they cannot reach.
The second question is whether the seat fits the car at all. With broad shoulders and deep bolsters, these seats take up more room than a standard bucket. Measure the space in your car carefully, especially at the base between the tunnel and the door card, and compare it with the dimensions below before you order.
Check the fit first: dimensions
OMP TRS-E XL. OMP's drawing gives 625mm across the shoulders, 540mm across the base with 415mm inside it, 950mm tall and 520mm deep. It has a tubular steel frame, velour trim, removable leg cushions and five harness slots for a 4 or 6 point belt, and it weighs 12.3kg. It is side mount only, with no base mount points.
Sparco Sprint L. Sparco's drawing gives 570mm across the shoulders and the base, 915mm tall and 660mm deep, with side mount holes 290mm apart. It is a steel shell with velour trim, 6 point harness slots and HANS compatibility.
If you are unsure whether either will suit your car, ask us; we have fitted both.
Method 1: OMP vehicle-specific frame and Endurance side mounts
This is the setup we suggest first. If OMP make a frame for your car, its seat mounting holes are set wider, at 405mm, which lines up with the side mounts once they are fitted to a TRS-E XL or Sprint L. That is not something the standard Sparco and Corbeau frames we fit usually offer.
- OMP frames are made for specific cars, so they bolt to the factory mounting points
- Endurance Motorsport multi point side mounts have several rows of holes, so you can set the height and angle
- The wider pattern avoids the clearance problem
It is quick and clean, with no drilling, cutting or welding, and it can be undone if the car goes back to standard.
Method 2: a fabricated base
If OMP do not make a frame for your car, a fabricated base can do the job. That means a steel plate, or cross bars welded across the floor or existing mounting points, with new holes drilled to the width the side mounts need.
- Use M8 high tensile bolts, kept well away from the edges of the frame
- Check the alignment carefully, especially if you are fitting two seats
- Use steel strong enough for the loads from track or off-road use
This suits rare cars and custom builds, and it lets you set the height, angle and fore and aft position exactly. It is fabrication on a structural part of the car, so have it done by someone competent, and if the car is going to be scrutineered, ask the scrutineer before you start.
Method 3: Corbeau 405mm runners and Endurance side mounts
This gives you sliding adjustment as well as a fit, which matters in a car shared between drivers. We tested it in the showroom. Corbeau's 405mm sliding runners are wide enough to meet the side mounts on these seats, and Endurance Motorsport's multi point side mounts give enough hole positions to line everything up. One side of the runner sits slightly offset under its side mount, but the width still works.
The runners can go on an OMP vehicle frame or on a fabricated base, so the method suits most cars. Remember that runners add height, so check your headroom, especially wearing a helmet.
The Sprint L's extra option: base mounting
Unlike the TRS-E XL, which is side mount only, the Sparco Sprint L can be mounted either way. As well as its side mount holes, it has base mount points on the 345mm by 271mm pattern used across Sparco’s range. Base mounted, it goes straight onto a frame made for that pattern, with no wide side mounts to deal with, so check that route first if you have chosen the Sprint L. Our guide to seat bolt patterns explains the different widths.
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Choosing the right setup
- Easiest bolt-in: an OMP frame for your car with Endurance side mounts
- A car with no OMP frame: a fabricated base
- Sliding adjustment: Corbeau 405mm runners with Endurance side mounts
- Sprint L only: base mount on the 345mm by 271mm pattern
OMP list a large range of car specific fitting frames, so that is the first thing to check. Garreth’s advice is to send us the car and the seat before you buy anything else, and we will tell you which of these routes fits, with photos of how we have done it.
Why will the OMP TRS-E XL not fit my standard frame?
With side mounts fitted it is wider across the mounts than most standard frames and runners are made for.
Can the OMP TRS-E XL be base mounted?
No. It is side mount only.
Can the Sparco Sprint L be base mounted?
Yes. It has base mount points on Sparco’s 345mm by 271mm pattern as well as side mount holes.
Which runners work with these seats?
In our testing, Corbeau’s 405mm runners with Endurance multi point side mounts lined up.
What waist sizes do these seats suit?
Our listings give 36 to 42 inches for the TRS-E XL and 40 to 42 inches for the Sprint L.
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