Safety Harnesses

[DesertSprite]

Anyone ever install one of those H-type harnesses over the stock bucket seats? It has four mounting points with two shoulder belts. There's a latch over the waist and webbing behind the neck/head of the driver. I don't feel that safe with just a lap belt, and I think the 3-point belts look kind of silly in a LBC.

I haven't torn back the carpeting, but are there mounting holes behind the seats for harnesses? Or, do I just have to drill through the sheetmetal?

Joel

 

[tony barnhill]

Adam Housley - an 18 year old over in Decatur, AL did...they work fine....& he used the original mounting points in the floor area & attached the shoulder pieces where the upper retractor was.

 

[DesertSprite]

Did he have to drill one new hole for the shoulder piece towards the center of the car?

 

[jollyroger]

I weld a piece of 1 inch tubing across between the OEM shoulder strap mounts. I then install the shoulder straps to this. For a street car I recomend the OEM type three point belts, as the racing harness is too much a pain the get in and of for daily use. They are pretty safe though.

 

[ChrisS]

Joel,
Did you add headrest to your seats or change them out? See prior post I still say that if you don’t have a way to keep the over-the-shoulder belts secure during a crash then the harness is more of a hazard than it is a safety item IMHO.

 

[DesertSprite]

Chris,

I still have the bucket seats without headrests. Right now I just have lap belts. I want something a lot safer than just lap belts. The car isn't driven that often for harnesses to be a huge pain. I agree that harnesses might be more of a hazard if they can't be secured properly.

Joel

 

[DrEntropy]

I've not tried to secure a three or four point harness in a Spridget chassis, but mebbe a re-enforcing plate under the floorboards rear of the seats? I've a set of 3" shoulder/4" lap "aircraft/racing" belts in the Elan... always considered 'em more of a device to keep my scrawny arse in place while driving than a "crash protection" thing.

 

[aeronca65t]

[ QUOTE ]
I weld a piece of 1 inch tubing across between the OEM shoulder strap mounts. I then install the shoulder straps to this. For a street car I recomend the OEM type three point belts, as the racing harness is too much a pain the get in and of for daily use. They are pretty safe though.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have almost the exact same thing in my racer.
Part of the reason for this is that it raises the shoulder harness so that there is less of a compression affect in a crash. If you drill the needed holes and bolt the harness to the shelf behind the seat (even at the highest point) your harnesses will be mounted at too steep an angle for proper use. My cross bar is bolted and not welded (and I used 1-1/2" square steel tube).
For EMRA Time Trials (mostly street cars) , the tech-guy in our club thinks that the 3-point belts are better than just 4-point, since the body angles around the upper belt, preventing it from "submarining". He prefers either 3-point or cars with a full 5-point (or 6-point) to prevent the body from slipping under the belts (submarining).
I'll assume that if you have a roll bar.....otherwise racing harnesses can be a bit dicey in a roll over.

 

[DrEntropy]

"rollover."

Nasty word. Without hoop or cage it's a sure killer. Makes me kinda rethink even a "dress-up" hoop in these street machines.

 

[jlaird]

Well I had my chance many times to roll one, don't think it is going to happen with Miss Agatha. Those double hoops are really cool. Even if they are only for dress.

 

[DesertSprite]

Yeah, I just have a rollbar with the lap belts right now. I'm not sure if it's just a dress-up bar or an actual funtional bar. My head does clear it by about 2 inches or so, however, the top does fit over it...so I don't know if that tells you guys anything.

I was just thinking the 4-point harness would be safer than a lap belt or 3-point belt, and not as troublesome as a 5-point belt. However, you make a good point Nial, that a person's upper body would "fold" over a 3-point belt rather than submarine like it may in a 4-point one.

Joel

 

[DrEntropy]

Joel, I'd be ~stunned~ if it were anything but a cosmetic bar. It would be *some* help in *some* circumstances... It's all a matter of chance. Seats play a part, angle of impact, velocity.... Racing harnesses and CAGES are "troublesome" beyond anything you would likely put in your car. Think of the restraints as a means of keeping you in control rather than keeping you from becoming seriously dead in a shunt... you'll want the former as long as possible and can't evade the latter without 'em. Racing is a different paradigm than street driving. An irresponsible driver at the helm of an SUV is unlikely to be on a race course, a crash into a tire wall after being punted at Real Speed is unlikely on the street... All relative.

Please don't misunderstand: This is meant as only one opinion (and not a well written one, I fear) to consider. Rollover protection and anti-submarine belts come second to control in street driving, IMO. Go for what will most likely give you control the longest.

 

[GB1]

Have rolled over with waist belt and wasn't pretty, have had many times when it just spun (caught a change in grading).

I am thinking of a three point attached to the roll bar.

Sorry need a rollbar now and it makes her alot tighter.

 

[DesertSprite]

I agree with you DrEntropy...having control while driving is the most important factor. I guess I'll look into 3-point belts. To be honest, I'm not that worried about a soccer mom in her (insert enormous SUV model here) running into me, I'm more worried about losing control during some spirited driving.

GB1 - sounds nasty, never want to experience that.

Joel