Seat Belt/Harness

[BabyGodzillaGTi-R]

Pardon my ignorance. So it's a big no no to use your rear strut bar like those sold by Cusco, Whiteline to mount your seatbelt? Not strong enough?
Coz i notice alot of guys doing that here in our car scene (not motorsports).
If i was to mount it to the chassis where suggested actually how do u actually mount the eye bolt? (sorry practically ignorant).
Or i just use the existing rear seatbelt mounts?
Coz i just bought a 4 point King Dragon harness.

 

[campbellju]

I use clip in belts from the lower point as IMO they're fine. Not perfect but fine. They're better than standard belts.

I took the 6 -point roll cage out ages ago as I think they're dangerous in a road car. 4 pointers are fine and I've toyed with getting one. I was joking with another owner that in a road car there's probably more chnace of the engine coming through and breaking your legs than "rolling" so I don't think its that much safer.

I don't wear the harness on the road, partly for the reason Pascal says but mainly because they are a pain in the wotsit at junctions. You must either have them so slack they don't do anything or so tight that you have to edge into into traffic before you can see it coming.

 

[Pascal]

Good to see you guys are understanding my point of view on the harness / roll hoop situation. No one ever plans to roll their car, and we all want to be safer (hence wearing the harnesses) but this is a case where I find people are taking a greater risk than they usually realize.

Street cars still use 3-point belt to this day. It's not because the multimilion dollar engineering teams that manufacturers use are too stupid, but it's because they really are designed to save your life in a multitude different situations, where a web of roll cage is not there to protect the passenger cell.

In the last 5 years I'm noticing a lot more "tuner" street cars that feature multipoint harnesses, trying to hint at the car's high level of performance, or its track-worthiness maybe. As long as the drivers don't wear those belts and they are purele aesthetical for show purposes it's fine. In motorsports, multipoint belts have been associated with roll bars since the very beginning, for a very good reason. Be safe out there!!

 

[Pascal]

Pardon my ignorance. So it's a big no no to use your rear strut bar like those sold by Cusco, Whiteline to mount your seatbelt? Not strong enough?
Coz i notice alot of guys doing that here in our car scene (not motorsports).
If i was to mount it to the chassis where suggested actually how do u actually mount the eye bolt?

The rear strut bar -might- be a good place to mount them. Then again... it might not! Truth is that type of mounting is NOT used in motorsports, and it has certainly NEVER been crash tested in a Pulsar. If you trust your life on your belts and slam into a concrete barrier at 80mph, do you really want to be the first to find out if they're safe?

Eye bolts are made to replace the rear belts mounting bolts. They thread in the OEM mounting points which HAVE been tested to hold the weight of an adult in an impact, that's why they are a somewhat safe alternative. Although in the case of the Pulsar I don't like the downward angle, I find it much more pronounced than in some other vehicles.

 

[Pascal]

I took the 6 -point roll cage out ages ago as I think they're dangerous in a road car. 4 pointers are fine and I've toyed with getting one.

Very, VERY valid point! If you've noticed I keep recommending a rear roll hoop, or a 4-point rear roll bar ONLY. A road car with a roll cage that extends forward of the driver's seat is a skull-craking accident waiting to happen. Helmets should be worn at all times when solid metal tubes are within inches of one's cranium!

 

[Fast Guy]

In the last 5 years I'm noticing a lot more "tuner" street cars that feature multipoint harnesses................As long as the drivers don't wear those belts and they are purely aesthetical for show purposes it's fine.

Why?
They are designed for motorsports to hold you in place in the event of a crash. Why do they work different/not safe in a road car, assuming they are fitted correctly?:?

 

[Odin]

Why?
They are designed for motorsports to hold you in place in the event of a crash. Why do they work different/not safe in a road car, assuming they are fitted correctly?:?

Because as was said earlier they keep you up right and that's not good if your roof crushes in a roll over crash :doh: .




Rob

 

[Fast Guy]

I must have missed that bit

 

[MarkTurbo]

Also have you ever tried pulling out of a junction with harnesses on, you cant lean forward to get a proper view of whats coming ;-)

 

[Pascal]

Also have you ever tried pulling out of a junction with harnesses on, you cant lean forward to get a proper view of whats coming ;-)

You bring up another good point which I usually add when I discuss these issues.

On the topic of using the multipoint belts whilst driving on public roads, I would hope the rescue team is creative when they try to pull someon out of a flaming car while they're unconscious from the crash... as they fumble around for the traditional seatbelt release and find themselves having to figure out how those fancy harnesses actually work. Rescue crews who work at sanctioned motorsports events have received special training that your local medic doesn't have...

Again I wish disaster upon no one, but when one alters a car's safety equipment, whatever good they might think they're doing can sometimes turn into a "bad".

 

[Pascal]

I must have missed that bit

The issue is in fact twofold.

Without a proper roll cage you're exposed to having the roof collapse onto you and crush your spine, while your body can't roll out of the way.

Secondly while I don't believe the harnesses themselves would fail (they are indeed designed and tested for motorsports in most cases), the way they are installed is usually sub-optimal. Rear child restraint bolts, rear strut bars, seat base, etc. It's those things which can prevent the belts from performing as they are supposed to. In a prepared race car, the belts are looped onto the roll cage which is welded as an integral part of the chassis.

 

[Pascal]

... I don't want to sound as if I'm putting down the use of harnesses, in fact I've used them myself. In a prepared car. With a cage. And a helmet. I'm merely pointing out facts that people don't usually consider whilst reveling in the coolness of their new belts in their near-stock Escort.

 

[ashills]

totally agree ive had 5 point harnesses and a cage in the evo and its a pain in the ****
you never want to wear the harnesses on the road as you cant bloody move and see etc
cage was a pain as your always worried about banging head etc even with the padding you still know its there if you know what i mean

 

[frp]

I was in a crash just over 18months ago where the car rolled at 60mph! If I had of been wearing a harness I would not have survived. I was lucky the standard seatbelt didn't function right, unclipped and allowed me to be thrown into the rear onto the roof as the seat I was in was crushed by the roof,widscreen,dash door and what ever else crumpled.
I think sometimes its hard to remember saftey first, but it is so important to do things right especially when putting your own or even others lives at risk.
steve

 

[Fast Guy]

I'm sure you can get inertia reel harnesses for aircraft, can you get them for cars?


Edited to add Yes

http://www.hmsmotorsport.com/store/schroth/street-legal/autocontrol