Harness Bar with Stock Seat Questions
 

My next step for my BRZ is to try and get a harness bar installed so I can use a 4/5 point harness. This will be used with the stock seats... At least for a while.

Any suggestions? If anyone has one, pictures would be great.

Thanks!:burnrubber:

I hope this thread gets some responses. I would also like to do this for the times I am on the track. I really do not like the stock seat belts for the track; I just move around too much. Also, the cost and inconvenience of fixed back seats means I would like to also use the stock seats for the time being. Here is the harness bar I would install:

http://www.essexparts.com/shop/safet...rness-bar.html

Toyota used the stock FR-S seats with a roll cage and a Simpson 5-point harness for the pro/celebrity grand prix of Long Beach. See the photos and writeup in this thread:

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showt...ach+grand+prix

Never run multi point belts that don't have a safety breakaway on the inner shoulder unless you have a cage (harness bar doesn't count). If you ever roll the car it'll break your neck.

Today i mocked up an old 3" harness on the stock seat. Really looks pretty good geometry wise, also fairly comfortable. I have a welded in roll bar so that is where the harnesses will attach.

Also I really believe that if you want a harness bar go with a welded in roll bar, if your going fast enough to need harnesses you should have the roll over protection.

Here is my setup, pretty sure @ATL BRZ has a similar one:

Agency Power Harness Bar
Schroth Profi II ASM FE

Harnesses are only run on track with my HANS, car rarely ever sees the street but when it does I use the factory 3 point.


http://protouchphotography.smugmug.c...XCjWjFT-X2.jpg

http://protouchphotography.smugmug.c...tKMHfPs-XL.jpg

I am not familiar with harnesses and such, but how do you know if the harness has a breakaway on the inner shoulder? I am sliding around way too much on track so I am looking at seats with more support, and thought it was safe to run a harness with a proper harness bar like the offering from essex?

Don't see how you'll get a 5 point harness to work with the stock seats unless you're planning on cutting a crotch hole in them, in which case a race seat would be better.

Otherwise you're stuck with a 4 point harness which would only keep you slightly better in place. Maybe. Meanwhile with a 4 point you risk submarining in a front on crash.

If you're going down the harness route I recommend doing it right - get some proper FIA race seats, proper FIA seat brackets, a harness bar, a HANS and a proper 5 point harness. Ideally you'd have a cage to protect you in a rollover situation too though.

Just keep in mind that a racing harness is no good on the street. Like wparsons said you risk breaking your neck in a rollover.

If a lack of lateral support is the main problem then why not just get a more supportive seat and retain the factory belts?

The Scroth harnesses with ASM are totally safe on stock seats. I'd still want a roll bar (not just a harness bar) in my car with any multi point belts though.

Your looking for a harness with "ASM" (anti-submarine) tech. Scroth is one if the main companies for this type.

Do not use a standard harness with out a sub belt. while there's a lot of differing opinions on the safety of a harness bar, everyone agrees on "no sub strap, no way".

I recently put the Scroth Rally 3 in my car. It attaches to the rear seat shoulder belt mount. It did hold me in place much better. Not as good as a race seat and 5 point harness, but an acceptable compromise. Just have to tighten the lap belt with the seat slid back. Then scoot the seat forward to make them really tight.

I would highly recommend a HANS. Pretty common knowledge that the leading cause of death in a race car was a Basilar skull fracture caused by the extra weight of the helmet pulling your head off the top of your neck while your body is strapped into the seat. The most likely accident in a typical HPDE is going to be running into something hard. Not a rollover, fire or car to car contact. Upgrade your safety equipment in that order. It's important.

@smbstyle is it safe to run that set up with a fixed back seat on the track?

Make sure to check with your local tracks and groups you want to run with. Many groups are no longer allowing harnesses with out roll over protection. They are either allowing stock seat/belts or you need roll bar/seat/harnesses.