BlueRenesis82

Anyone tried running racing harnesses thru the rotor insert on the stock cloth seats?
Is is possible?

Bindon

Im sure its possible, but its not gonna save you in a crash.

BlueRenesis82

Thats the thing, I rode in an EVO that was running harnesses thru the inserts on the stock seats, I don't mind buying race buckets, but I would like to explore my options first.

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

I just bought Schroth Ralleye 4 harnesses to try in the stock seats. They attach to the rear seat belt mounting bolts..and the attachment angle looks good on the stock seats. I'm not sure about the straps through the hole??? I'll install and see how they work

BlueRenesis82

oooooh, please do! pics if possible!

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

Weekend project :D Have a track day on the 29th :D

BlueRenesis82

^most excellent! BTW, how much were the harnesses?

RX8SpdDmn

I've already investigated this. Harnesses will be UNSAFE with our stock seats. Running them through the holes in the seats will not work for obvious reasons and running the belts over the shoulders of the seats puts them to far out. In a crash, they would slip down and not provide any upper body support at all.

In addition, it was determined that harnesses are unsafe to use if your car does not have a rollbar. In the case of a crash with stock 3-point belts, if you land upside down and the roof comes in, your body can bend away. With a 4 or 5-point belt, you are held rigidly upright and your spine would be compressed. That would be bad.

I really wanted to get a set of harnesses, but I sought advice from experts (DE instructors, racers, harness distributors), which I have just summarized. My recommendation, and what I have been doing, is to back your seat up a few notches. Grab your belt and (with it already latched) draw it in as tightly to your body as possible. Then snap it out to lock the retractor. It may take a few tries, but you'll get it. Then lean forward so you keep pressure against it while you either push the power seat forward, or pull it forward with one hand on the wheel or door and the other releasing the lever. You'll be amazed how tightly you can draw yourself in. This is a million times better than that crappy CG Lock, which gives you no upper body support. You'll probably need to get a set of those ricer shoulder pads to use when you do this. I got a set of MAZDASPEED pads that were given to me. Schroth makes some really nice ones, though.

EZZY

https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-interior-audio-electronics-24/modifying-stock-seats-72611/

if it was a real EVO, then it must have the recaros, which means there are already two openings towards the top of the seat for the harness to go through.... provided it is fixed behind the front seats on either a approved roll cage or rear chassis floor (engineering required)

expo1

Are you also saying that a 4 / 5 point mounted to a harness bar would also be unsafe if use also used aftermarket seats with the proper cutouts for the belts? I was thinking about getting a harness bar made that would bolt to exsiting seatbelt mount points.

RX8SpdDmn

Yes, that's what I'm saying. If that harness bar is not also a roll bar, then you're actually endangering yourself if you flip over. If you just want to use it for autocross, then you're fine, but it is not advisable for the track without a full bar.

dannobre

iTrader: (3)

I guess you have to decide what your chances of a rollover in the type of track driving that you do. From my point of view...the odds of me having a rollover type accident in a HPDE in my 8 is close to zero....

I would use a harness to hold me in my seat....something the stock seatbelt does not do. If I was racing...I would not do it without a full roll cage, and the appropriate harnesses.

SO at 9/10ths...in a HDPE...I will try the harness as discussed above

RX8SpdDmn

I agree completely. However, try the belt-locking trick that I described and tell me then if you really NEED harnesses to keep you in place. I'm not saying don't get the harnesses (you DID say you were getting an appropriate seat, right?) even if you are kept well in place with the belt lock trick, just try it out.

Matt RX8

I'm skeptical that the seatbelt trick would work for an entire 35 minute session. I've tried it during autocross runs in other cars and sometimes it wouldn't even last for a one minute run. I tend to drive with my seat almost all of the way back so it's hard to keep the tension on the belt.

A follow-up question, if you had a rollbar, could you mount harnesses and keep the stock seats?

Another nice thing about harnesses is you can use a Hans device with them. I don't think the Hans device works without harnesses.

RX8SpdDmn

Well, I've been successfully been using the seat belt trick for a few years now. It is especially helpful in my Z3, with unsupportive, leather seats. If you're literally ALL the way back, then it would be difficult to make it work. Try this, though... put the seat all the way back and recline it back. Lock the belt while leaning back, then lean up against it and pull your seat back back up, then move your seat forward a click, or two. Your seat should be rather upright when you're driving on track or autox and if you hold your arm out in front of you, your wrist should sit on top of your steering wheel so your hand drapes over it. That's a rule of thumb to know if you're close enough.

If you have a roll bar, you STILL need to change your seats to accomodate a harness. As I said before, you can't go through the hole because it's in the middle of your neck, and you can't go around the outside because they're a little too wide and would slip right down in an accident, doing less to protect you than your stock 3-point belt would.

It sucks!! I really wanted harnesses, but can't justify all the money, especially the roll bar!

Matt RX8

http://www.ioportracing.com/Merchant...ory_Code=AP593

These are some of the roll bars that I was looking at.

Having ridden in BlueRenesis82's car on the track, I suggest he get a rollbar

BlueRenesis82

^bwhahahahahahh

AlexCisneros

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...hlight=harness

I use the Harness for AutoX. At AutoX speeds they are sufficient. I do not use them for track days, however, as they are very dangerous without a roll bar. Do a search for G-Force lap belt. It will hold you in for those "higer speeds" found at time trials/HPDE.

I am also looking into getting the Autopower roll bar for our car and a new seat. This would also mean new 3" belts.

I will repeat. You SHOULD NOT USE A HARNESS ON A CAR THAT IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A ROLL CAGE.

Collings

The "move the seat back, yank the belt to lock it, and move the set forward" method can work out pretty good, but it can also be very uncomfortable.

Another approach is to only install the lap belt portion of a racing harness. I've autocrossed another guy's Miata with a good wide lap belt under the stock 3 point, and I found it made a big difference in holding me into the drivers seat. He simply mounted a Crow racing belt to the two rear bolts that hold the seat into the car! Cheep and easy! And when you roll your Miata, you can simply lie down across the passanger seat, safe and sound!

It's a lot easier to think about the course when you're not bracing yourself into the car with your knees!

Sputnik

In addition to a rollbar/cage when considering a 4, 5, or 6 point harness, you also have to think about the height at which you attach the shoulder belts. The rule of thumb is that the belt should be no more than 45 degrees from horizontal. Otherwise, in a frontal impact (even a slight one, or under hard braking), the force of your body going forward will cause the belts to pull down on your shoulders hard enough to cause back injuries, or even snap a collarbone.

But once you get all of the safety considerations taken care of, having a 5/6 point belt really makes a difference in how the car "communicates" with you. And once you have the belts on on course, you'll realize how much effort you put into simply bracing yourself, and how much smoother you can drive with them.

---jps