Mazda Rotary Club

General => General Technical => Topic started by: FD3S Efini on September 17, 2009, 09:51:03 PM

Title: Harness Question
Post by: FD3S Efini on September 17, 2009, 09:51:03 PM
Ok just a lil queston, im looking at getting some sparco harneeses fitted onto my car as it already has a roll cage fitted but i have a bit of a dilema, will i be able keep my passenger seatbelt if i fit the harness as i doubt it will fit comfortably over my fiance\'s breasticles (yes i said it...it will catch on trust me lol) as they are rather large (lol CASHBACK) and the last thing i wanna do is make it uncomfortable for her when she is in the car.
 
Cheers in advance
 
Kris
Title: Harness Question
Post by: RXSpeedy on September 17, 2009, 10:03:59 PM
As far as im aware the factory belts still need to be fitted and in working order to be road legal. Im sure someone will correct me if im wrong.
Title: Harness Question
Post by: AshRX on September 17, 2009, 10:10:38 PM
Nope you can have harness\'s in the car and no seatbelts. As long as they are fitted correctly and secured.

Mine passes MOT everytime and I odnt have seatbelts in mine
Title: Harness Question
Post by: m1tch on September 17, 2009, 10:48:29 PM
Make sure the harnesses are E rated, if they are they are road legal, just don\'t drive the car with the roll cage in until you get the belts though! Mega dangerous if you do! The passenger will need harnesses as well, the OEM seatbelt lets the passenger/driver move forward in the car, this is ok with a standard car, if a roll cage is installed then the passenger/driver can move within the car and hit their head on the cage, if you had an accident with you wearing harnesses and your fiance was wearing an OEM seatbelt, then you would be fine, she wouldn\'t be though
Title: Harness Question
Post by: FD3S Efini on September 17, 2009, 11:38:37 PM
ah just read your post m1tch and im a lil worried now as i was driving round with the cage in, i will definatley invest in a set of harnesses. how easy are they to fit and what do hey connect to? iv never had a car that has needed them fitted
Title: Harness Question
Post by: L18M on September 18, 2009, 12:40:51 AM
have you got a full cage or 1/2 cage?
1/2 cage is ok with just stock seatbelts as theres no pole diagonally above ur head.
full cage then... drive carefully :)
Title: Harness Question
Post by: m1tch on September 18, 2009, 12:41:31 AM
You can fit them to the rear seat mounting points, there is a specific angle that you have to stay within to ensure that the belts are effective and will hold you in the seat correctly, also get some harnesses with 3" belts, they don\'t dig in as much lol

here you go mate:

http://www.securon.co.uk/fitting/extras/eharnessfitting.htm
Title: Harness Question
Post by: FD3S Efini on September 18, 2009, 12:51:24 AM
I think that i have the full cage but i will definatley take some pics when i get my car back so youcan see but i definatley want the harnesses after what has been said.
 
M1tch im glad your thinking abo0ut the safety of the breasticles with the 3inch belts lol and thanks for the link aswell that will be getting added to my favorites.
 
Kris
Title: Harness Question
Post by: m1tch on September 18, 2009, 12:54:26 AM
You might be lucky and have a harness bar, if not, make sure that the harnesses fall within the angles shown on the diagram.

I will try and find another guide, I asked this question on the mini forum im part of and I got a few links people posted up.
Title: Harness Question
Post by: FD3S Efini on September 18, 2009, 01:00:26 AM
iv got the standard rear strut bart and i have heard of people attaching them to these and iv seen some pics on here aswell, would that be ok?
Title: Harness Question
Post by: m1tch on September 18, 2009, 01:03:59 AM
Here is my thread on the mini forum:

http://www.theminiforum.co.uk/forums/index.php?showtopic=130467&hl=harness

And a good poster:

(http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/7364/harnesssafety.jpg)

Its best to attach the harnesses to somewhere thats ment to take the force of an accident ie the reinforced seatbelt points or a harness bar, not something that could bend like a strut brace :)

P.S. also note on the bottom left how they should be bolted in so that the metal does fail if you were in an accident
Title: Harness Question
Post by: FD3S Efini on September 18, 2009, 01:16:55 AM
cheers for all your help mate i will definatly research up on this.
 
thanks for your help.
 
Kris
Title: Harness Question
Post by: AtomicRex on September 18, 2009, 07:59:49 AM
Kris,
 
If you want to pop over to the workshop I can go through the harnesses with you.
Title: Harness Question
Post by: meddy on September 18, 2009, 08:12:45 AM
Quote from: FD3S Efini;642352iv got the standard rear strut bart and i have heard of people attaching them to these and iv seen some pics on here aswell, would that be ok?

Do you mean the rear strut brace? If you do, then this isn\'t strong enough to mount harnesses to.
Title: Harness Question
Post by: FD3S Efini on September 18, 2009, 11:16:29 AM
Quote from: AtomicRex;642371Kris,
 
If you want to pop over to the workshop I can go through the harnesses with you.

yeah i may take you up on this offer because i pass you on the way back to wales once i have collected my car from haywards
Title: Harness Question
Post by: m1tch on September 18, 2009, 12:47:43 PM
Perhaps after its all setup in your car you could take some photos to show how it should be done? :)
Title: Harness Question
Post by: FD3S Efini on September 18, 2009, 12:53:42 PM
yeah mate il definatley take some pics and post them, it wont be for a while thow as the car is getting rebuilt still but as soon as i can il get some pics up
Title: Harness Question
Post by: trotter on September 18, 2009, 12:56:10 PM
Quote from: FD3S Efini;642352iv got the standard rear strut bart and i have heard of people attaching them to these and iv seen some pics on here aswell, would that be ok?

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

The strut braces aren\'t designed to deal with the loads involved in a prang.

The chances are it\'ll buckle and/or fail altogether!!
Title: Harness Question
Post by: barry798 on September 18, 2009, 03:10:48 PM
why is it not good to fit harnesses if you gont have a cage
Title: Harness Question
Post by: trotter on September 18, 2009, 03:26:54 PM
Other way round Barry,

Not clever to have a cage if you don\'t have harnesses!! As the stock seatbelts let you move forward a bit, if you have a cage, in teh event of an accident you will skelp your head on the bars!!

Harnesses hold you in place so this doesn\'t happen ;)
Title: Harness Question
Post by: AtomicRex on September 18, 2009, 03:38:40 PM
Its also not good to have harnesses without a cage.  The harnesses will hold you completely in place and if the roof was to get crushed...you would be stuffed!
 
Also its not good to use harnesses on standard reclining seats as they don\'t offer the support in the event of a collision.  If the ratchet system in the recliner was to break your harnesses would become loose...rendering them useless.
 
Sticking harnesses in a road car is actually a pain in the arse...and filled with irony, as you may think they are going to be safer....but could actually kill you.
 
Sorry to be the gloom monster!
Title: Harness Question
Post by: marco on September 18, 2009, 04:25:49 PM
what jon is saying is that you want to buy some bucket seats, a roll cage and harnesses!
Title: Harness Question
Post by: AtomicRex on September 18, 2009, 04:40:38 PM
Adrian.....Havent you got some awful music to listen too?? ;)
Title: Harness Question
Post by: marco on September 18, 2009, 04:58:06 PM
no, you never sent me any of your collection over! However I am just about to place a large order with tweeks for the best gauges known to man!!! (right thats enough of the private jokes between us two!)
Title: Harness Question
Post by: barry798 on September 19, 2009, 02:53:40 PM
was locking to get a half rear cage and some light seats and then harnesses but being large round the belly need to try the seats 1st but dont no many showrooms to try seats out
Title: Harness Question
Post by: marco on September 19, 2009, 02:57:07 PM
demon tweeks has a load in their showroom
Title: Harness Question
Post by: barry798 on September 19, 2009, 04:08:48 PM
thanks dont think there is one local to essex