4 pt. Harness in FD
 

i have bought a 4 point harness for track work for my FD.

i had a look through this link:
http://www.rx7turboturbo.com/robrobinette/harness.htm

i wasn't to keen on the method used for the shoulder strap retraints, so i have bought a harness bar from the rx7store.

i'm a little confused on where 1 of the lap strap (in my case left restraint as my car is RHD) goes. does it attach to the passenger seat belt restraint? if so won't the passenger seat be partially in the way?

also can i use a 4 point harness with the standard leather type seats?

thanks :)

I replaced 2 of the bolts that hold the seat rail to the frame with 2 eye bolts. The laps belts should then clip into to the eye bolts--assuming you got the clips as opposed to the metal piece with a whole in them for a bolt.

In my opinion, I would get a 4 pt roll bar if you are going to use a harness. Should you roll the car several times the roof will cave in a bit (or a lot) and your body (especially head and neck) will be firmly strapped or fixed in a lock position relative to the seat.

I guess it all depends on how many times you track the car.

Best of luck.

R

Our track organization went through this a few months ago.

Track events (rollbar optional):
Stock
5 point (any locking)
6 point (any locking)
Schroth four point

All others are off-limits. The standard 4-point harness will not restrain you properly. Either install a proper racing harness, use the Schroth (expensive), or use the stock seatbelts. If you are worried about modifying the interior of your car for safety, you may want to reconsider using that car for track events...

For our Time Trial series:
5 or 6 point + rollbar, nothing else

Make sure you follow the guidelines established by the harness manufacturer and the racing sanctioning body for installation.

The roll-over + harness issue got batted around way too much. What you are quoting Ramon, was what I and a few others, thought was true, and got argued into a corner by the more experienced racers as "dubious" in nature.

What the organizers of an event require and what is good for you can be two very different things...

thanks ppl :)

the track event i take my car too are not so serious. While we are racing on the track with other drivers strictly speaking we are not racing each other, we are racing against our times. our requiremnts for such saftey equip are not so strict.

although safety is a concern of mine, the idea of the 4-point harness was also to strap me to the seat better during cornering. i find it helps me feel more in control and therefore better times.

ahh ok, you used the seat rails. my harness came with eyebolts, and they would only fit the belt restraint bolt holes.

the car is used mostly everyday, but i am not going to deny it of its intended use. i guess that's the beauty of these types of events, that is everyday cars being used on the track

If you crash into something with a four point, the lap belt part can ride up into your guts instead of staying across your thighs like it's supposed to, which can suck quite a bit.

The belt restraint holes are the right place to put those, they are heavily reinforced, since they're supposed to support your belt in a crash. Notice that they are a much finer pitched thread than most you see on cars, that gives more thread surface area for more strength.

My eyebolts may have in fact been at the base of the seat restraint---need to check, but they were fine threaded bolts.

R

so the passenger seat doesn't get in the way?

On all that I installed the eyebolts go in place of the factory lap belt bolts. You bolt in the eyebolt, and clip in the belt.
You REALLY should consider a crotch strap.. as mentioned above you are really in trouble if you get in a frontal accident. You will have some belt stretch and find yourself with the lapbelt up under your ribs.
Just make a hole in the floorboard under the seat and run the belt under.. you will feel and be much safer after you have it.
Also SCCA is adding 6 and 7 point belts in the near future as mandatory IIRC..
6 point being two straps you sit on that attack to the main lap belt mounts.. and wrap around up between your legs and attach to the main buckle.
7 Point adds a crotch strap to that design.
I wont get into the SFI/FIA/SCCA arguement here though.. there are other forums for that nightmare :mad:

Umm, I still don't see *why* you think it should.

The ends of the lap belts should be bolted/clipped to the seat belt anchor points for that seat. You should never have to touch the other seat's mounting points. If you pull your seat, you should see that there are four bolts which hold the seat rails in, one bolt on the outside where the base of the shoulder strap attaches to, and the last bolt is next to the tranny tunnel where the seat belt latch is anchored. You have to remove this bolt to pull the seat out because the seatbelt latch is part of the rail assembly.

The lapbelts of the 4-point harness should attach to the latter two bolts, using the approved mounting hardware.

Is this clear?

Good luck.

-bill

thanks Bill,

i had read the instructions in the link wrong. the lap sash is now hooked up correctly. still waiting on harness bar for the shoulder straps.

Alright Spin and Gene, you have convinced me to upgrade to a 5 point harness