MOT rules for bucket seats and harnesses
 

I'm about to fit a pair of sparco seats. I understand using just the standard seatbelts won't really hold you in as well as they would with the harnesses, but am I right in saying it will still pass an mot with just the standard belts? I am purchasing harnesses and a harness bar also.

Im jsut about to do the same and I have been told by a tester that aslong as everything is secure and the seats slide on runners then it'll pass.

Yes, got my race car MOT'd with standard belts until I put the harnesses in. Also had another car pass MOT with harnesses fitted no problems.

Thanks chaps.

The seats don't have to have runners. If they're fitted then they have to work but it can't fail for not having them fitted.

Are you sure about that, my MOT tester seems to think the new rules brought in last year state that all seats must be able to move forwards and backwards

As far as I am aware seats must be adjustable in order to pass mot,

MOT Test of Seats
◾The driver's and the front passenger's seats must be secure.
◾The driver's seat fore and aft adjustment mechanism must function as intended.
◾All seat backs must be securable in the upright position.

Seat Belts

Test Description
Most vehicles after 1965 must have seat belts. Irrespective of that requirement, all seat belts fitted to any vehicle must be inspected for:
◾Security of seat belt mountings and locking stalks
◾Security and operation of the locking/release mechanism
◾Condition of webbing
◾Retraction of the belt (it is allowed to manually feed it in)
◾A seat belt load limiter or pre-tensioner must not be missing or obviously deployed

Notes: 1. For technical reasons the inertia locking mechanism is not checked. 2. On some vehicles the belt is attached to the seat, in which case the security of the seat to the vehicle would also constitute part of the seat belt check.

This doesn't say the seat needs adjustment, only that if it has adjustment it must work correctly.

I had a similar thing with my race car, had few cracks in front screen after a roll (not by me). Initially failed the MOT as the screen was cracked. I took the screen out completely and they passed it! No cracks, job done! :)

Yep, if it's fitted it must work. If its not fitted it can't be tested, or failed. Think about how many rally cars are on the road with fixed seats. There was a long thread about it on British rall forum when the rules changed.

I thought that a road car seatbelt needed to be of a type that facilitated one-handed operation....

dunx

P.S. Some harnesses use the same hardware as a seatbelt for this reason....