Car is having cage/harnesses fitted. The company who are fitting it have suggested I acquire a strut brace to attach the harnesses to (since its better for the harness straps to be horizontal rather than slanting down to the boot floor.

Anyone think this is not a good idea? From a practical point of view it would appear to be a clever solution. If so, any advice as to which one to go for (classic)?

 

I don't think i would do it myself, 'if' you had an accident there's one hell of a lot of energy put throught the straps, and the strut brace is not designed to be strong in that direction, in compression it would be, but i wouldn't have thought it would be in a forwards direction...

Just my 2penny worth....

 

Hmm yes I was thinking that, not designed for forces in that direction. Will speak to them tomorrow. They seem to know what they are doing though

 

If you're doing away with the rear seat, surely there's a tube each side somewhere that they could weld another piece across from....

 

what bolts hold the strut brace in place? never looked at the rear strut, but if they're anything like the ones that hold the front struts and brace, they'll never take a hefty impact.

iirc the force going through a seatbelt in a moderate accident is measured in tons!

not only will you go through the windscreen, you'll get a strut brace hitting you on the back of the noggin afterwards!

 

dont do it.

get a half cage. (Safety Devices?)
Or a full one

 

Currently having a Safety Devices 6 point bolt-in cage fitted. Unfortunately it only has one diagonal - and no harness bar. Safety Devices have gone bust BTW, but I understand they will start trading again at some point.

 

Anyhow I have asked them to scratch that idea and just fit them on a level with the rear seatbelt mounts.

 

I would be against that.

New official regs insist the straps are connected to a welding in cross brace directly behind the rear seats.

If you have long straps coming from the seat belt mount area (at the bottom) then the angle of the seat belets will exert a downward force in the event of a crash tha will crush your spine.

The anchoring points behind your shoulders should be as close to and as level with your shoulders as possible.

If they extend far back and you have a crash inwhich a foreign body enters the cabin (such as a tree) and tensions the belts, you will be crushed to death.

There has also been much evidence of bolt in cages coming off and cutting people in half. Thats why they aren't allowed by the fia. Weld in to proper aproved specs or don't do it at all.

 

If bolt-in cages are not FIA approved, why are many of them sold as such (including Safety Devices)? I'm pretty sure there is an FIA sticker on my cage (will check).

Take your point regarding trees crashing through the car, but since I am no more likely to have an accident than in standard trim, I think the odds would be somewhat in my favour with cage, door bars, harnesses and diolen seats with head guards, than standard Subaru seats, seat belts and no cage.

Also, in this scenario, assuming consciousness and ability to move at least one hand, what is to stop the driver either unclipping the aircraft fastener, or loosening the shoulder strap?

 

Have to say that I'd question whether they actually know what they are doing if they really suggested attaching it to a strut brace. Definitely not strong enough.

I have the Safety Devices Removable Roll Cage in mine (for track days only as cages are potentially lethal on the road, especially unhelmeted) and the harness bar is integral with the "X" diagonal, made out of the same diameter and gauge tubing as the rest of the cage, and is about 18inches behind my shoulders at the same height.

Safety devices did go into administration, but are apparently re-opening as Safety Devices International (don't know when though)

 

Yes I've heard they are moving production to Poland, but keeping sales/marketing etc here. Yet more manufacturing going abroad