Your preferred seating position?

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

With being 6’3" in height and weighing about 15 stone, I like to sit low in my seat and also have the option to push it back further whilst on long journeys. We’ve just gone from Daf CFs to Volvo FMs, which I’m well chuffed about, as I like the I shift and Volvos in general. My one gripe is the seating position, or lack of it. Can’t get it low enough or back enough in the new Volvos.
Now old time drivers don’t start giving me a hard time, as I’ve done my stint on the old Atkinsons, ERFs, Fodens etc… :slight_smile: :slight_smile:

The comfiest, (but not the most reliable) trucks I have driven lately are the DAF XF, and the M.A.N TGS.
If I could take the M.A.N seating Adjustment options into the Volvo, I’d be a happy chappy.

Remember
It’s all about preferences and styles, so no bickering as I can’t be arsed with it ok… :wink:

2

Sorry, double post.

3

Our Scanias and MANs i can’t get comfy in, must have weird shaped bum or summat, Scanias have always left me doubled over, and the bloody MAN’s wear you out trying to keep the things in one lane sawing that huge wheel, and give me a sore arse such is the seat shape.

Volvo’s have always been designed for short arses, but the ride isn’t bad, can’t use the seat belt though cos you need to weave about to see past the wardrobe door mirrors.

I always sit far back and as high as the seat will go, CF’s not too bad plenty of adjustment but the seat doesn’t go high enough for me and too much engine vibration felt through the seat and wheel, XF is OK but like CF, swtiches dotted all over the place and ■■■■ poorly lit.

MB’s probably the best for seating, but not ride quality since air suspension came about, used to drive a 1727 that rode lovely with a big comfy padded seat, most comfy truck i’ve ever known.

Can’t win, i’ll have me Sed Ack 401 back please.

I will add a general gripe here about modern trucks, interior lighting as well as instrument lighting.

In many trucks i have to get me torch out to read anything or see the map, don;t drive the same truck all the while and change makes nearly every day, interior lights are rubbish in most cases except for MAN where they’ve put an interrogation searchlight shining straight in your face whilst the roof lights are purely for ambience, have to look up to see if they are switched on.

Instrument lights should be clearly backlit white, have you tried to see what switch you are operating on most new trucks (Scania and Volvo excepted)…again MAN particularly bad but DAF and Iveco just as guilty, have to keep a torch handy to see what bloody switch i’m using, red backlighting is for a gay cruisers car not for a working vehicle.

Could they sack the 16 year old designers and get some proper truck engineers back on the books please.

4

I’m quite long, so I like the laid back position, seat back as far as it goes and down on the floor with the backrest almost horizontal. I also lock out the suspension in the seat :wink:

5

newmercman:
I’m quite long

I bet you say that to all the boys. :wink:

Every truck i’ve used so far, i like to have the seat at maximum height. I don’t have particularly long legs, and am only 5’10’‘’ but anything else feels too low. I’d rather be high, and closer to the steering wheel, than too low and far away.

The Volvo FM felt cramped, as the seat didn’t go back far enough, and it always felt a struggle to get your boots on and off in the footwell. DAF XF95 was acceptable as far as I can remember. It’s been MAN TGX for the past year, and the seat goes high enough (just about). As someone mentioned though, the interior lights are crap, and the only one with any usefulness shines straight in your face when you open the door. It annoys me so much that I have to turn it off the moment I get in.

I don’t like CF’s because they sit far too low naturally. Almost like an Isuzu.

In terms of adjustment the MAN has the most user friendly design so far (i.e. some idiot gets in and fiddles about with all of it, it takes the least amount of time to get it back to where you want it, than any other truck i’ve used). I much prefer seats where the height adjustment is notched (like Volvo or MAN), instead of adding or subtracting a bit of air until it feels right, like a DAF. It’s easier to count notches, than to go by feel. Can spend the first 50 miles fiddling about with the seat trying to get it comfortable.

6

Agree with what’s said about CF position, although newer models seem a bit more comfortable. I have to have the steering wheel in what I would call an old fashioned position; can’t stand the wheel in the car position if that makes sense.
Best seating position I’ve had was in a Foden 4000 series…or maybe it 'ggered my back so everything else seems uncomfortable :laughing:

7

I’m tall but have seat quite upright and slide it about one notch forward from its back position and also have it high.

8

I’m only around 5’10" ish and prefer to sit fairly low but with the seat back upright. I also like the wheel raked back.

My current XF is about perfect for me but I also find a Volvo very easy to get comfortable in.

Can’t really say I’ve driven anything that you couldn’t do a days work in but I’ve noticed that in a lot of newer trucks there isn’t that much scope to get the seat right back which I suppose would force someone with longer legs to raise the seat.

Cheers
Neilf

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

9

On the sofa…

10

Low with seat slightly reclined. Pump it up to max height and let my legs dangle and waggle them on long journeys to keep blood pumping.

Main gripe about most seats is they click in to position digitally instead of having an analogue winding knob for complete control. Seat back is either slightly too upright or slightly too laid back. No inbetween adjustment.

11

And don’t you just hate it when some bloody shunter has moved your truck during the night and altered all the settings.

12

Santa:
And don’t you just hate it when some bloody shunter has moved your truck during the night and altered all the settings.

God help anyone who gets in after me have to have it all the way forward im nearly 5`4 and little legs so no one can fit in seat after me !! :laughing:
jx

13

I like sitting low with the wheel and column as far back as they will go. The only way I found to get my desired position in both the series 1 and 2 FH was to pump all the air out of the unit and kink the pipe to the seat with a cable tie.

I can’t stand air in a seat anyway, so it was no loss to me.

You couldn’t get me out of it after that little mod, lovely motor. :smiley:

14

i like eaton Twin Split,seating far away from Work and just that high to see out the Window

15

Squiddy:
Main gripe about most seats is they click in to position digitally instead of having an analogue winding knob for complete control. Seat back is either slightly too upright or slightly too laid back. No inbetween adjustment.

Agreed.

16

Squiddy:
Main gripe about most seats is they click in to position digitally instead of having an analogue winding knob for complete control. Seat back is either slightly too upright or slightly too laid back. No inbetween adjustment.

Why is it that the position that I want is always inbetween the notches?

Have to sit upstairs backseat in order to be comfortable therefore it has to be Mercedes, Man or Daf. Plenty of legroom, good quality seat and decent adjustment on seat and wheel column.

Scania and Volvo on the other hand are appalling. If I put the seat in the desired position in a Scania I have to stoop down to see through the windsceen, the seat back is rock hard and the wheel position is pathetic. As for the Volvo we’ve only been asking them to move the seat back 2 inch for about 20 years now - you can’t rush these things.

Stan

17

Stanley Knife:

Squiddy:
Main gripe about most seats is they click in to position digitally instead of having an analogue winding knob for complete control. Seat back is either slightly too upright or slightly too laid back. No inbetween adjustment.

Why is it that the position that I want is always inbetween the notches?

Have to sit upstairs backseat in order to be comfortable therefore it has to be Mercedes, Man or Daf. Plenty of legroom, good quality seat and decent adjustment on seat and wheel column.

Scania and Volvo on the other hand are appalling. If I put the seat in the desired position in a Scania I have to stoop down to see through the windsceen, the seat back is rock hard and the wheel position is pathetic. As for the Volvo we’ve only been asking them to move the seat back 2 inch for about 20 years now - you can’t rush these things.

Stan

I know this is an assumption and seating is a personal thing, but I bet you liked ERF’s too… :laughing:

18

I can’t lock the air susp on my cf seat anymore…is this a simple repair? The switch still moves but doesn’t do anything.

19

Sat on couch watching a good film

20

I like the cushion to be quite straight.No dangly legs and pressure behind the knees.Also,no bum clenching to stop sliding forward .Nice and stable.Backrest a couple of notches backward.I like air seats although they make a nonsense of ergonomics if you’re on a bumpy stretch.I can also get comfortable in an ERF,so disregard all the above :laughing: :laughing: Seriously though,this thread just proves how difficult it is to design an infinitely variable driving environment.