Harnesses

craigs135s · Post by **craigs135s** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 8:59 pm

I don't have motersport seats can i use the wrap around ones or will it have to be the bolt in ones?

Cheers
C

Rich H · Post by **Rich H** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 9:39 pm

I think you can use either. If you are tall enough the belts rest on your shoulders if your short they rest on the seat.

Post by **Shug** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 9:42 pm

Bolt ins better - the wraparound can slide sideways in a shunt without the slots in the seat to position them right. No point risking it.

Stewart · Post by **Stewart** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 9:46 pm

I think the consensus is that you "need" bolt-ons. This is to allegedly potentially stop the harnesses from sliding on the bar and perhaps off your shoulders.
I have read that you can cross them over at the back so that that shouldn't happen, but I don't think that would be practical in an exlise.
As I don't have motorsport seats either, I went for bolt-ons. I feel that they are quite widely spaced apart and you wouldn't need to be much slimmer across the shoulders than I am to risk coming out off them. That could just be a feeling and perhaps extremely unlikely as I don't think I have seen it mentioned elsewhere.
The only other thing I would add is that a lot of people advise to buy the ones with quick release adjusters on the shoulder straps for pulling away from angled junctions etc. I don't have these and still find it just as easy to slightly slacken the shoulder straps which surely does the same job without the extra cost.

craigs135s · Post by **craigs135s** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 9:51 pm

Cheers Chaps

Cheers
C

Rich H · Post by **Rich H** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 11:28 pm

Stewart: are those standard S1 seats with an insert?

craigs135s · Post by **craigs135s** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 11:41 pm

They are standerd in the 135. They came like that out the factory.

Cheers
C

Rich H · Post by **Rich H** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 11:53 pm

Ta, look a tad more comfortable than mine...

craigs135s · Post by **craigs135s** » Thu Dec 27, 2007 11:56 pm

They are very comfortable mate. I loved them when i had the 135. They look good as well

Cheers
C

robin · Post by **robin** » Fri Dec 28, 2007 12:28 am

(1) Harnesses are dangerous unless fitted properly.
(2) I think that if your harnesses touch the backs of the seat rather than your shoulders, they aren't fitted properly.
(3) Harnesses are unlike seatbelts - they must be tight to be "safe"; if you only have four point harnesses, then you need to make sure that they are fitted properly around the hips as well as the shoulders; google for submarining and harness to see what I mean.

Unless you have a motorsport requirement for harnesses use the seatbelts; they are by definiton safe (and in this age of NCAP and euro standards, note that the 3-point inertia real belt has not been replaced by a four point harness, whilst we do have abs and airbags).

If you need to be restrained in your seat whilst on track, use a CG lock thingmy (or get fat, like me

).

Cheers,
Robin

Rory · Post by **Rory** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 5:14 pm

A good read on how to fit harnesses safely can be found on the Schroth website.

They also make 4 point harnesses with their patented 'anti-submarining device' (asm).

Their top of the range tuning harnesses (as opposed to racing ones), called the 'Profi', have road legal release clips (racing ones are illegal). They come with a choice of either snap-on or direct bolt-on attachments.

http://english.schroth.com/racing/insta ... ctions.php

dr al · Post by **dr al** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 7:04 pm

I put sabelt 4 point harnesses into my car last year when i was working in the spinal injuries unit in glasgow. - One afternoon i saw 2 patients in the same clinic who had dislocated their thoracic spine as they twisted out of the seat around the 3 point seatbelt as they crashed - one was a 911.

As long as you fit them properly and adjust them to avoid submarining 4 points have to be safer than 3 points, but they certainly are a bit of a pain in the butt for everyday use around town.
on the country roads, however, they must be about the best upgrade i've done, you feel SOOOO bolted to the car, makes it way more fun!

A.

ABZ-Elise · Post by **ABZ-Elise** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 10:27 pm

Where do the harnesses bolt in at the bottom? I've got a set of 3" harnesses left over from one of my old cars that I was going to put into my elise. Can you still keep the old seat belts in for driving round town?

mckeann · Post by **mckeann** » Thu Jan 17, 2008 10:43 pm

as with robin, i HATE harnesses. stick with 3 point belt if you ask me

mac · Post by **mac** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 8:14 am

I took the harness back out of the car for Mandy driving it - she doesn't need it on track and it was way too much hassel on the road.

Looks quite good in the caterham though where it's no trouble at all (it's not like I have a radio to change or heater to adjust!)

Mac