I now have my racing buckets installed, and my 4-pt rollbar will be installed mid-week. I need two 5-pt harnesses, and I have a few questions. 1st, what is the best (most cost-efficient) brand/place to buy them? Ive been looking around online the past few days and Ive seen prices ranging from $50-$200+. This is the 1st time Ive needed to buy harnesses and Im a bit lost. I know it isnt something to cheap out on, but I dont want to just waste money on a brand name either. Also, I would like the type that cross over in the back to attach at a single mounting point, as in the picture below. Is this type called a something different? If someone could point me in the right direction, Id appreciate it

 

Rxmfn7, I dunno about them merging together into one attachment point, but I got these: http://www.speedstash.com/interior2.html Specifically, the RCI's.

One of my major issues is, a lot of ppl buy harnesses just for the look...and you end up w/ this tiny, 1" wide strap that will DESTROY you in the event that you're in an accident that really puts a lot of stress on the harnesses. I'm sure you know from basic physics that pressure = force/area. The thinner the harness, the greater focused pressure you'll have to a very small area, the more likely the damage to your body in the area held by the harness will be severe. That's why I went w/ the 3" wide harnesses; the wider harness = larger area to distribute the force over = less pressure on your body = less likely to cause severe damage in an accident. And FYI, yes, belts and harnesses can save your life, but can also give you a nice painful injury as well.

~Ramy

 

I use the GForce belts. They have a Camlock version and non-Camlock version:

http://www.saferacer.com/pr5pcaha.html (pictured is the 6pt, but they have a 5pt)

http://www.saferacer.com/prose5plalih.html

Here's an older shot of mine:

http://mahjik.homestead.com/files/FD...e/MVC-018F.JPG

 

Thanks alot. Is there an advantage to the camlock vs regular attachments?

 

CamLocks are just easier to get in/out of, that's it.

 

[QUOTE=Rxmfn7
1st, what is the best (most cost-efficient) brand/place to buy them? Ive been looking around online the past few days and Ive seen prices ranging from $50-$200+. This is the 1st time Ive needed to buy harnesses and Im a bit lost. I know it isnt something to cheap out on, but I dont want to just waste money on a brand name either. Also, I would like the type that cross over in the back to attach at a single mounting point, as in the picture below. Is this type called a something different? If someone could point me in the right direction, Id appreciate it

[/QUOTE]

Not sure why you would skimp out on the harnesses. It's not a waste of money to buy a brand name, they're a brand name because they're tested thoroughly, accepted in the business and most of all work. Think of it as insurance. I would go with Simpson or G-Force.

I prefer to get the type that wraps around the roll bar, not the single tie point. In my mind, two ties points would spread the load. Simpson calls the single tie point belts "V-Belt".

I'm not sure where the cheapest place is to get them.

One thing to note, the harnesses are not DOT approved and are not street legal. Though I've haven't heard of anyone specifically getting ticketed for it.

 

You could go with takata's for the "balla" look.

And as far as I know only quick-release harness's are legal for scca competition

 

Well it's not that it's illegal to use; it's that if you have the harnesses on, and do NOT have your regular seatbelt on, you very well CAN get a ticket for driving w/o a seatbelt. So to be legal, you gotta use both (or just the stock seatbelt).

~Ramy

 

I have the Gforce camlock harnesses. Very nice and easy to get in and out of.

 

If its for the look whatever...
But the single mounting point isnt legal for all race series, check your regulations if this is what your looking for.

Any harness that meets SFI 16.1 is technically safe... And most any harness will meet this. Like said tho they arnt DOT approved therefore not reccomended for the street.

Ive got an RCI because it works and it was cheap.

 

Righto! You can wear both the harnesses and the regular seat belts and be okay, not just the harnesses alone.

 

I definate dont want to cheap out, but what I mean by that is.. what is the difference between a $425+ Takata harness, and a regular simpson harness that costs $100.

 

You can always go with Schroth harnesses, they have NHTSA and DOT approval and have FMVSS certification.

 

Common misconception. The Schroth harnesses are only DOT legal for a few vehicle-specific instances -- mostly BMW and VW installations.

 

I run RCI harnesses. They work just fine. 3 inch, 5 point.

 

Not to mention driving around on the street with 5 pt harnesses is just dumb. When you cinch them down, you cannot move at all, which makes looking over your shoulder and checking your blind spots nearly impossible.

I have Impact 5 latch link harnesses -$99 a set. The shoulders are separate. I don't know if there is an advantage or not to getting a Y type shoulder set.

Cam Locks as mentioned above make it very easy to get in and out of the harnesses, but ususally they are twice as expensive.

Also make sure when you mount them that you get a good backing plate under the car for the bolt, and I suggest getting eye bolts for the anti sub and lap belts.

 

Well, with the Takata you'll be $325 poorer and have the same thing, but it will have a cool name.

 

So they're not legal for FC/FD installs?

 

The DOT requirement is the belts have -give-. Look at your stock belts - you'll see a loop weakly sewn together. It's designed to break loose to reduce the forces the body experiences against the belt. This would be a "BAD THING" if you have a "roll cage" in the car, as you would contact the cage.

Harness' are designed to hold you in place with virtually zero movement, because in most street car race conversions there is no room to move without the danger of hitting a cage tube. Hence, harness' are usually wider than "seat belts", to spread the force over a greater area of the body, as mentioned above.

If you have a cage, it's a good idea to wear the harness when moving. The law didn't consider the effect of the cage. They just were concerned with the speed crowd installing harness' for looks on street driven only vehicles. To "get around" the law, we must also wear the stock belt with the harness. A little silly, as the stock belt will do nothing. The harness would pervent any movement so the "loose" belt would just sit there. The law needs to be re-written.

Be aware, even with a good harness scinched down, you will still move a little in a violent crash - so make sure the cage tubes are far enough away so you can't hit them. I'm not sure how to figure this distance out but there must be some way the racing crowd has figured out.

 

I have used Sabelt, Sparco and GForce. The GForce gives you the most for the money and is FIA / SFI approved. The camlock vs latch is personnel preference. Th Camlocks are much easier to put on/lake off but more expensive. Racing rules make you replace belts (webbing) after x years. SCCA gives you a longer life on FIA belts and GForce seems to be the only people that don't charge an extra arm and leg for that certification. Also, rewebbing costs of Sparco is high, just buy a replacement set of GForce, Sabelt had no rewebbing service in us and Italy was kinda far away.

Important note: install them correctly or don't bother. Earnhart died from a bad installation, also the sholder straps must not pull down in back at to steep an angle, they will crush your back in an accident. Read the rules and read the directions. SCCA does not allow a y harness in any track events, only Solo II autoX where the purpose of a 5pt belt is only to hold you in better.

Cost no object go, with Williams. the leading belt supplier in Formula 1 or Sparco. For practical cost and safety I like the GForce products and mix GForce and Sparco on safety clothing. Sparco does seem to be softer (underwear and socks) and more ergonomic (shoes and gloves) but at a steep price. So I split the difference: Sparco t shirt, socks gloves and shoes, GForce suit, longjohns

 

Further on cages, cover the tubes with approved padding, not Home Depot pipe wrap. If you have a full cage ALWAYS where a harness and a helmet, your skull is softer than a metal tube. A roll bar should be ok with just a seat belt.

If it looks like your head could move in any direction and hit a tube, cover it. Even if you say my belt would need to strech 2 ft for me to hit it. I use FIA approved hard padding in helmet areas in front, behind and to side of head and SFI approved softer padding in way of legs and arms.

 

That's been one of my concerns. I'm gonna be putting a cage in, but it's not realistic to be driving around town w/ a helmet (when you take the FD out for a short cruise or something). I'd hope the approved padding would help considerably, no? Basically I'm trying to prevent my car from becoming an off-road-use only typa deal, ya know?

 

Just for an update, I ended up going with RJS 5-pt, 3 inch harnesses with camlocks. Picked them up at Summit for ~$150 each.