Harness Advice - MY04 STi Type UK
 

Searched the threads and got some advice - but most recent debate was Feb 04 and the photo links are all broken.

Anybody able to offer advice - I need the harness for trackday use - but would like to be able to install without changing the fabric of the car, and need to be able to remove easily. The best set-up would be one I can clip in for the trackday and then remove for normal driving.

Questions I have are:

1) recommended make? Willans, Sparco and Sabelt have all been mentioned
2) how many fixing points , 3, 4 or 6
3) webbing size, 2" or 3" (shoulders and lap)
4) do you need to purchase the shoulder pads separately and if so are they recommended.
5) anybody have photos of the fixing and set-up

I have a trackday planned this Saturday - and after last time when I was having to brace myself against the passenger seat some decent restraint would be good. Mind you I am a lardy arse:p .

Any guidance gratefully received.

Hiya mate, those would be my pics then :), i've got some 3 point sparco harnasses fitted to a classic but i'll try and help as best i can.

1) Willians and sabelt are both very good choices, you could also try luke harnasses, they look like they have a good range. Sparco are made by sabelt anyway and tend to be a bit more expensive than the equvalent sablet ones.

2) For 6 point harnasses you need a proper competition seat with the hole in the base for the crotch straps to pass through, they are also quite expensive. Therefore you will want either 3 or 4, 3 points are cheaper and will be qiucker/easier to install and take out

3) Normally 3 inch harnasses are only available higher up the range, therefore they will be quite expensive and most likely will be 5/6 point. 2inch should be more than enough for your needs

4) Shoulder pads aren't normally supplied with the harnasses, it's personal choice if you need them or not, try your first trackday without them and then purchase them later if you feel you need them ( can be very cheap off ebay ;) )

5) I can sort some pics for you if you need them but my fixing points are the rear seatbelt clip bolts, the front seatbelt lower bolt and the seat subframe mounting bolt that goes into the transmission tunnel.


As for quick removal you have the choice of either a set of spring clip harnasses as opposed to bolt eyelet ones, you need to have eyelet bolts though and i'm not sure how you would fit those, drilling? welding? :eek:
Another thing if you don't often have people in the back is to get a set of these and leave the rear part fitted and just unclip the front section and remove it.

Other people may have some better suggestions but i hope this helps a bit, let me know if you want any pics :)

Many many thanks for the reply. Was afraid the query would die a death in this forum, and I have a track day on Saturday.

One remaining issue. I really need, if it is possible, to have a harness that will clip into existing fixing points within the car. I.e. so that it can be quickly removed, either for passengers or when it goes into the dealer. I certainly do not want to touch the fabric of the car, if I can avoid it (such as drilling or welding) given it is only 4 months old.

Any ideas? And yes photos of your set-up would be a great help. Will pm you with my email if that will help.

Red Man

I have the above sabelt fitted in a 4 point version. When uncliped there is a bit attached to the back seatbelt fixings which can be tucked down behind the seat. The front part of the harness can then be uncliped from the eyelet bolts I have used. The eyelets are still visible behind the drivers seat were they protrude through the carpet / plastic. However these do just screw into the existing bolt holes.

Thanks Scoobylav,

think I might go for that - I presume you mean this http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/catalo...75&from=search

Just to be sure though:

1) Do the eyelet bolts come with the harness - if not is it just a hardware store purchase?

2) Can you still use the normal seatbelt?

Thanks for taking the time

Thats the very chap :D
However I would suggest after fitting mine a three point would be easier to fit.
The eyelets came with the harness yes
And yes I can still use the normal seatbelt even when the harness is all there.

Hope this helps

Agree with Scoobylav. I have a sparco 3 point fitted and can still use my nornal seatbelt for day to day use.
Daz :D

Guys,

many thanks. The power of SN once again.

Have ordered Sabelt 3 point double release clubman harness as you all suggest - went with Demon Tweeks, order already dispatched so fingers crossed will be with my by tomorrow or Friday.

May have a late night fitting on Friday, prior to the track day with the WYIOC crowd. But at least there is hope of something being in place to hold my lardy arse in place. :D

Cheers

If going by the book you should install a roll cage/race seat if you want to fit a harness. In the event of a roll you will pinned in the seat and if it lands on the roof this could collapse onto the seat, which inturn could collapse resulting in one broken spine. One Scoobynetter could vouch for this :( :(

I do know a lot people that don't follow this rule and to be honest the chances of rolling are very minimal. Just be aware of the potential risks tho.

Tony.

Sorry to hear this has happened.

Is the risk of this any greater wearing a harness compared to a normal seatbelt?

Most definately. A normal seatbelt you can move to the side/duck etc.....a harness you simply can not move anywhere. I presume this is why you want to fit the harness to stop you moving round all over the place while on track.

Next time you're sat in your car with the seat belt on try to duck as low as you can, then try that with the harness on. You'll see straight away the problems.

Having said that you could argue if the roof doesn't get squashed the harness would stop a lot of the bumps and bruises you'd get from a roll over with just a seat belt on.

Like i said the harness has a lot of plus points, but just be careful out there.

Tony.

Harness Bought - Update
 

Having bought the harness thought I would do a quick update for anybody in the future thinking about this (note for MY04 STi Type UK).

I got the 3 point Sabelt clubman harness from Demon Tweeks - delivery was next day, very good.

Harness is good quality. It comes supplied with eyebolts and clips for the two lap belt fixing points. However, these eyebolts are too large a diameter to fit the seat rail retaining bolts. Thus you have two options (avoiding drilling into the car) - buy some new eyebolts from a hardware store, or (in my case as I was on track the next morning) you can clip direct into holes in the drivers seat rail. This latter option worked well, but clearly is not as robust as the eyebolt option.

The rear fixing point is by bolt only (no eyebolt/clip) - however, this does fit the fixing point in the rear for the passenger seat belt. You will, however, need to take out the rear seat to get access (2 minute job) - the seat is easily put back.

The harness was comfortable and gave good support. On the track I used both the harness and the normal seat, in order to stop the bloody warning buzzer. You could disconnect this but to be honest wearing both belts was no hassle.

In summary to fit the harness takes about 10 minutes - and is easily removed in about the same time. No drilling or other alterations to the car. So for me this was a result.

Glad it worked out OK for you. On my MY97 i fixed the eyebolts to the seatbelt fixings not the seat fixings and these fitted perfectly. May be worth a look.

DON'T FIX THE HARNESS TO THE SEAT RAILS :O

Its not designed for it, as above use the original seat belt fixing points with the supplied eye bolts. You may have to remove some trim and cut the carpet slightly but nothing that is visable.

I had a harness fitted to my old scoob (for road not track), but with my current one I just pull the lap part of the normal seat belt as tight as I can and it has a similar effect to a harness. Without all the problems of using a harness on the road.

Dave.

Thanks for the post. I agree use of the eyebolts is far more robust.

Is your current scoob a UK blob eye - because looking at my STi MY04 type UK access to the seat belt fixing points is not at all easy and beore I rip up the carpet it would help to know:

1) will the driver's belt fixing points accept the eyebolts that come with the Sabelt harness?

2) is there a solution that allows both the eyebolts and the original seat belt fixings to remain in place?

I do not use the harness on the road. I bought a product call the CG Lock, which locks the lap belt tight and is good enough for fast road use - however, it is expensive for what it is and did not help on fast track (Croft). Having said that it will be used more often than the harness.