Need advice for Racing Harness

[accessguru]

I recently bought an Exige S that has the racing harness bar already installed. What's the best, simple solution to add a racing harness to my stock Exige seats? Should I just get some harness's that wrap around the bar and hte seat? Thanks.

[RoadDad]

Why do you want the harnesses?

[accessguru]

Just for some weekend autocrosses. Also, since I have the bar, I might as well get some use out of it.

[chotto]

If you're just doing autocrosses, you should get the CG Lock, CG-Lock - Blackwatch Racing
Harness are good, but a lot of set-up is required for them to work correctly. They can also be a pain if you drive it on the street (my wife always complains when she gets in mine since I put in harnesses). I wouldn't go with harnesses unless your tracking it a lot. Fishguy will jump in here and tell you more.

[accessguru]

That may be a good way to keep my wife from driving my car I'm not really up to speed on the different configurations. I wasn't sure if there was a "bolt on" solution with the stock bar. Thanks for the quick reply.

[luxige]

Schroth provides a wealth of information on harness installation here:

Installation- and Operating Instructions

[accessguru]

That's a big help, thanks.

[RacyTracy]

Originally Posted by accessguru

Also, since I have the bar, I might as well get some use out of it.

You could mount a ChaseCam on it, that way you're getting some use out of it.

[accessguru]

Another good idea. The 4 point harness' that I've seen look like that have mount brackets for the shoulder straps. Could I simply remove them, wrap them around the bar and secure them with the slot bracket, or are they typically sewn to the bracket?

[Drmike]

Originally Posted by accessguru

Another good idea. The 4 point harness' that I've seen look like that have mount brackets for the shoulder straps. Could I simply remove them, wrap them around the bar and secure them with the slot bracket, or are they typically sewn to the bracket?

usually.


FWIW I use a 6pt in my car and although a harness was a royal pain in the butt at first for street use (50% track 50% street) after I worked out some litte 'techniques' that make it more user friendly its actually only a little bit more troublesome now compared to 3pt and I do feel a lot safer/secure in the car.


These 'techniques' include always loosening the harness straps before attaching them, leaving the tightening of the shoulder straps untill Ive pulled out my driveway or paid at the parking barrier as at these times I need more upper body movement.


Im so used to the 6pt now that its a non issue really for street use. You could always mount both a 4 or 6pt and keep your 3pt installed. This was how I had my last Exige set up - which worked fine.

[kaz]

accessguru-

just do the simple route of installing a harness setup (4 or 6 point) and using them only during the autoX's. It's the safest routine so that you use the stock belts + airbag on the street, and have the harnesses for when you need more support. It's easy to have both systems on the car at the same time. Sector111 has hardware to do just this and many people have their 4 point ASM installed this way.

[lancer360]

I you are doing autocross only and not going to the track, I would do the Sector 111 4 point ASM harness install in tandem with the stock seat belts. If you think you might go to the track then look at doing a 6 point harness. Do lots and lots of research on Lotus talk regarding harness installs. There are many ways to do it, some good, some down right scary.

[Drmike]

Originally Posted by kaz

just do the simple route of installing a harness setup (4 or 6 point) and using them only during the autoX's. It's the safest routine so that you use the stock belts + airbag on the street, and have the harnesses for when you need more support.

are you saying a harness and airbag on the street is less safe than a 3pt and an airbag on the street? or did i missunderstand. if so can someone explain why?

[RichS]

Seatbelts are designed to work with airbags, a harness is not.

Que fishguy (who is looking at this thread as I type...).

[Aedo]

Originally Posted by Drmike

are you saying a harness and airbag on the street is less safe than a 3pt and an airbag on the street? or did i missunderstand. if so can someone explain why?

I have also asked this question and the only answer so far received is that the 3pt plus airbag is tested and engineered to a high degree by Lotus. The engineering integrates the belt stretch (3pt will allow your head/torso to come further forward than 4pt) with the airbag to reduce overall stresses in the body.

The 4pt ASM has not been tested with the same rigour - which is not to say it is not safer. Also the 4pt is considered less safe by the "you can't let people think for themselves" crowd who argue that it won't always be fitted correctly and an ill fitted 4pt is less safe that a 3pt which is "automatically" fitted to perfection (OK - you can see my slant on this ). If you always do up your harness correctly (and there is no excuse not to do so) I believe it is safer than the factory 3pt

[kaz]

I think the main point of the debate is on the isolated neck injury where hyper extensions can cause permanent damage or death. The idea being, the tighter your body is secured to the car, the more likely your head will continue moving till it decelerates, and in theory (and in reality like in race accidents) this can kill you as your spinal chord separates from the base of the head.

Hence, the entire HNR industry of Hans et al were created to solve this issue. There is no HNR for the street where you can wear one without also wearing a helmet; so most will say the stock system, which allows your body and head to move together more in unison is safer than using harnesses without a helmet and HNR system.

That being said, it's just up to you personally on what you find to be acceptable risks and what you do in your car normally.

[Cthulhu]

Originally Posted by kaz

I think the main point of the debate is on the isolated neck injury where hyper extensions can cause permanent damage or death. The idea being, the tighter your body is secured to the car, the more likely your head will continue moving till it decelerates, and in theory (and in reality like in race accidents) this can kill you as your spinal chord separates from the base of the head.

Hence, the entire HNR industry of Hans et al were created to solve this issue. There is no HNR for the street where you can wear one without also wearing a helmet; so most will say the stock system, which allows your body and head to move together more in unison is safer than using harnesses without a helmet and HNR system.

That being said, it's just up to you personally on what you find to be acceptable risks and what you do in your car normally.

+1

The air bags and collapsing steering column are designed to decrease accident impulse and serve no purpose if you're strapped to the seat back. These features only apply to a front impact though, and you may be crashing backwards (and a million other subsequent directions) if you lose it in an Exige.

Whiplash REALLY sucks. There's no such thing as being too safe and going with HANS + a harness when it comes to auto-x or track driving. You could still use the OEM belts for street use.

You could always wear the harness on the street and wear a nike headband stretched over the back of the headrest (be sure to write "NOMEX, SFI, FIA" on it first)!

FYI: if you ever do an instructed driving course in your Exige, any extra safety measures installed on your side must also be installed on the instructor side (at least if you do Skip Barber).

PS: is it illegal to dress up like the stig, in a full firesuit and helmet, if you're driving on the street? Because if it isn't, it would look hillarious.

[apk919]

Originally Posted by kaz

I think the main point of the debate is on the isolated neck injury where hyper extensions can cause permanent damage or death. The idea being, the tighter your body is secured to the car, the more likely your head will continue moving till it decelerates, and in theory (and in reality like in race accidents) this can kill you as your spinal chord separates from the base of the head.

Hence, the entire HNR industry of Hans et al were created to solve this issue. There is no HNR for the street where you can wear one without also wearing a helmet; so most will say the stock system, which allows your body and head to move together more in unison is safer than using harnesses without a helmet and HNR system.

That being said, it's just up to you personally on what you find to be acceptable risks and what you do in your car normally.

+2

I always use the 3-pt on the street. I usually just fold the shoulder harness behind the seat... but it's actually very easy to thread them back through the holes in the seat back, in which case they're not even visible. The lap belts can be run along the outsides of the seat rail, again out of the way.

Originally Posted by Cthulhu

+1


PS: is it illegal to dress up like the stig, in a full firesuit and helmet, if you're driving on the street? Because if it isn't, it would look hillarious.

I doubt it... it's kind of just wearing the same thing you'd wear riding a motorcycle; if you have an Arial Atom, you really should wear a full face helmet. The problem with using a HANS on the street is that it severely limits your side to side head movement, even with the sliding tether. Not good for checking traffic at stop signs, etc.

[Cthulhu]

Originally Posted by apk919

+2

I doubt it... it's kind of just wearing the same thing you'd wear riding a motorcycle; if you have an Arial Atom, you really should wear a full face helmet. The problem with using a HANS on the street is that it severely limits your side to side head movement, even with the sliding tether. Not good for checking traffic at stop signs, etc.

Yeah... but it doesn't matter if you hit someone, you've got HANS and a harness

[Drmike]

Originally Posted by RichS

Seatbelts are designed to work with airbags, a harness is not.

true - but that doesnt automatically mean anything.

this statement (as a reason) is no different than saying

lotus cars are not designed to work with people wearing odd size socks.