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Racing Harness w/ OEM Seats

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Old 07-23-2008 | 05:23 PM
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Default Racing Harness w/ OEM Seats

Can this be done properly with OEM seats, no harness bar and no roll cage?

Basically I'm a seat/harness noob and I've been considering a 4pt harness for autox. But really just for autox. I don't want to have to drive around with it all the time (though if it was truly useful and made sense, I probably would). Thing is that I want to keep my back seats available.

Ideally, I'd like something that can be installed easily for autox events and removed at the end of the day. But I don't know if this can be done properly/safely with a harness. I searched a bit and read some of the things that people were asking about the harness bars (NRG?). Would something like this be necessary? If so, would it make the back seats useless?

I'm gathering ideas and info at this point, so whatever you have will help. My car is my dd, so I'm trying not to go too far with it if I don't have to. And it's just not feasible or useful at all for autox, that's fine. It's not like I need a harness, but thought if I could steady myself a bit more in the car, I could focus more on driving.
Old 07-23-2008 | 06:12 PM
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https://www.scionlife.com/forums/vie...510&highlight=

thats the closest thing i found. but from what ive read, dont do it w/o a cage, cause you could kill yourself from the harness, rather than it helping save you.
Old 07-23-2008 | 06:47 PM
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Ya, and that's part of it. I want to make sure it would be safe if I'm going to do it.

I don't want to really have to spend the $ on new seats either if I don't have to (unless there are some decent ones that aren't in the $500 each range... OMG). I could maybe put a harness bar in if I have to. I rarely do use my back seats for people, but like having the option.
Old 07-23-2008 | 09:23 PM
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So after a bit more research, I'm looking at the Schroth Rallye 4 as a possible removable option. They are DOT approved. Can be used with many OEM seats (though I may have to email them to see if the tC would be on that list since I can't find the damn reference list) and should be able to be installed with and without the OEM belt there.

Anyone?

I've seen a couple threads mentioning these belts, but they're usually just banter on safety and mounting points and what seats do you have and blah blah blah.
Old 07-23-2008 | 10:26 PM
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DO NOT USE HARNESSES WITHOUT A FULL CAGE, NOT A HARNESS BAR A FULL CAGE

nuff said
Old 07-23-2008 | 11:00 PM
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Aside from me not planning to roll my car anytime soon, any other thoughts?
Old 07-23-2008 | 11:37 PM
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you never plan on an accident either but ____ happens, i guess my question is why... it doesn't look good, its dangerous and its dumb. so why do you want to?
Old 07-23-2008 | 11:42 PM
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Why do you say that it's dumb? Curious...

I want it to have more support and actually hold me in place when I'm autoxing. I end up using my legs and my knees on the sides of the car to support myself when I'm racing and end up getting bruises from the abuse. Not to mention being able to actually focus on driving.

Thing is that I really want to use it ONLY for autox. I have no need to use it every day.
Old 07-23-2008 | 11:44 PM
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its dumb because its not safe........

they wont hold you in as well as a dedicated racing seat will, my advice is get a GOOD FIA approved racing seat and a harness with a harness bar or autopower sport cage.
Old 07-23-2008 | 11:53 PM
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Hey Dezod has a half roll cage for the tC. Its only like 400 ish and it has a seatbelt bar that can be removed. i would say thats your best route without doing a whole cage and also gives you the ease of using back seats if need-be.
Old 07-23-2008 | 11:53 PM
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As far as FIA seats go, the Sparco Evo is a pretty comfortable and affordable seat. Price is around $600.

I would second the Schroth harnesses. Those are supposed to be one of the best harnesses available and their ASM technology is top-notch. I'll be getting a set of them when I pick up my seats.
Old 07-23-2008 | 11:54 PM
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For autocross you wont roll your car. But for daily driving, like said dont use them!!

That being said, you wont be alowed to use them to autocross with your stock seats. Its not safe. Harnesses are held in place over your shoulders through the cutouts in the after market seats. With out them, how are the harnesses going to stay on your shoulders? If you wrecked they would be able to simply slide over the sides of the seats and down the sides of your arms providing no protection for you.

And the inspection at autocross is going to recognize this instantly.
reguardless the harnesses wont hold you securely anyhow. When autocrossing, racing, the bracing you use from your knoees on the door or center console is due to side to side support. Unless you had harnesses that ratchet you down, the harnesses arent going to keep you from sliding. Its the side bolsters that will keep you from sliding!!

Do it correctly. A good set of harnesses will cost you $200, plus a harness bar for them at what, another $200.

Get a set of seats for $600 and your issues will be solved. Make your car look beter and enjoy them every day!!!
Old 07-23-2008 | 11:57 PM
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Haha... $600 for a seat is not affordable, IMO. No what normal prices are for seats. As for them sliding off... they wouldn't. You would run the harness through the space between the headrest posts. From all of the diagrams and pictures I've seen... this is perfectly acceptable.
Old 07-23-2008 | 11:57 PM
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why is what unsafe?
Old 07-24-2008 | 12:05 AM
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$600 is for 2 seats. Thats mearly 200 more than your harnesses will run you with the bar!!

So you think running the harness between two metal posts attached to a cloth headrest is safe??
I am no rocet scientist but the forces involved in racing are crazy, and the forces involved in an accident insane.

Again, how are harnesses going to keep you from sliding around with no side to side support?
Old 07-24-2008 | 12:06 AM
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Originally Posted by ack154
Haha... $600 for a seat is not affordable, IMO.
Seriously?! Because you can't get much lower than that for FIA approved seats. You can always go up from there though. $800+ is pretty common for FIA seats (i.e. Bride Zeta III starts at $800).
Old 07-24-2008 | 12:09 AM
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Forces involved in autox are not as insane as real racing... and of course forces in a real wreck are crazy. But again with the no needing them outside of autox.

And yes, Ro_Ja, $600 is totally not feasible for a seat. Approved or not. That's just not worth it for what I'm looking for.
Old 07-24-2008 | 12:10 AM
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Corbeau A4s can be had for $600 shipped for a set and are FIA approved and street legal.

After market harnesses unless professionaly installed utilizing stock mounting points will not be street legal.
And unless installed with an FIA approved harness bar will not be FIA approved. Just because harnesses are legal and safe, doesnt mean they can be installed legally and safely. They have to be installed per the rules. (what they are, I dont know for sure, but I am doubting you can just install them any which way and expect it to be safe and legal)
Old 07-24-2008 | 12:15 AM
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Originally Posted by ack154
Forces involved in autox are not as insane as real racing... and of course forces in a real wreck are crazy. But again with the no needing them outside of autox.

And yes, Ro_Ja, $600 is totally not feasible for a seat. Approved or not. That's just not worth it for what I'm looking for.
Again, $600 is for a SET. Thats two of them!!

I searched the Harnesses you want. ANd they are some of the cheapest sold, the Schroths. $140-$200
Add in a harness bar for $200.

And this equals $340-$400 for a setup you cant use on the street. And that with the stock seats, SCCA probably wont let you use!

I have autocrossed with stock seats and aftermarket seats. It is the side bolsters that hold you in place, a 3 point harness will not keep you from sliding side to side, unless some one has a cargo strap holding you straight down.

It really seems like you made up your mind before posting here, so why did you ask?
Old 07-24-2008 | 12:21 AM
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Originally Posted by Nick06tC
Corbeau A4s can be had for $600 shipped for a set and are FIA approved and street legal.
I just checked and they aren't. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place? The Corbeau Forza is FIA approved, if that's what you were thinking of. As far as I know, no reclining seat is FIA approved at this time.



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