Seat belts?


M

mardyn

GT Owner
Dec 20, 2005
490
Beautiful East Texas
I'm gonna' do a track day at TMS next month... thinking about installing a new set of 4 or 5 point racing harnesses in my car, just wondering what everyone is using...

I generally like Simpson stuff... but not dead set on it yet.

Any recommendations?

mardyn
 
mardyn said:
I'm gonna' do a track day at TMS next month... thinking about installing a new set of 4 or 5 point racing harnesses in my car, just wondering what everyone is using...

I generally like Simpson stuff... but not dead set on it yet.

Any recommendations?

mardyn
Click to expand...


Hi Mardyn. What's the details on the track day?
 
There are a lot of excellent old posts on this topic. Do a search. Ed Sims had some great stuff and where to get it.
 
Try Livermore Performance Products, they have the gear you need.
 
Depending on the events you will attend the requirements of the belts can differ, SFI 16.1 and FIA. For some events SFI belts must be no more than 2 years old FIA I believe is good for 5 years. The belt age is not checked at many open track events. Note that SFI belts are usually made of materials that degrade more quickly than FIA belts, mostly due to exposure to sunlight. Use old SFI belts are your own risk. If they didn't see much sunlight they may be OK, but don't take my word on it. So if you want to go by the book an FIA rated belts last 2.5 times as long as a SFI belts.

When in doubt, throw it out!

Also read my post on the safety of using a harness on the track.

http://www.fordgtforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=62206&postcount=5

Is this true, only you can decide.
 
BlackICE said:
Depending on the events you will attend the requirements of the belts can differ, SFI 16.1 and FIA. For some events SFI belts must be no more than 2 years old FIA I believe is good for 5 years. The belt age is not checked at many open track events. Note that SFI belts are usually made of materials that degrade more quickly than FIA belts, mostly due to exposure to sunlight. Use old SFI belts are your own risk. If they didn't see much sunlight they may be OK, but don't take my word on it. So if you want to go by the book an FIA rated belts last 2.5 times as long as a SFI belts.

When in doubt, throw it out!

Also read my post on the safety of using a harness on the track.

http://www.fordgtforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=62206&postcount=5

Is this true, only you can decide.
Click to expand...

This is interesting I would like to know more.
first if racing belts go bad after a few years is this also true of factory seatbelts?
second why do the racing belts deteriorate so fast?
 
todd said:
This is interesting I would like to know more.
first if racing belts go bad after a few years is this also true of factory seatbelts?
second why do the racing belts deteriorate so fast?
Click to expand...

I don't make nor fully understand the rules, but the rules are the rules. As for factory belts either they are made of different materials, or the standards are different.

More reading.

http://www.sfifoundation.com/seatbelt.html

http://www.simpsonraceproducts.com/media/pdf/SafetyFirst9-03.pdf

From http://www.na-motorsports.com/Discuss/serendipity/index.php?/categories/5-Car-Prep

harnesses
There's one question we get a lot; it has to do with belt aging. Specifically, if a belt has an SFI certification label with a manufacture date and an FIA certification label with an expiration date, which takes precedence?
Short answer: the FIA label takes precedence, which is a good thing, because SFI based expirations are now 2 years in most sanctioning bodies, and FIA belts, while more expensive, are generally good for at least twice as long.
Why is this? Because the SFI permits belt webbing to be made from shorter lived materials which the FIA does not accept (I'll post a follow up on this materials question later.)
Here is a helpful hint for anyone who has just bought or is about to buy belts: as soon as they arrive, open the box and check the date on the SFI label. It should be within a month or two (or maybe three) of the day you open the box. Don't be suprised if the date hasn't arrived yet; sometimes vendors post date towards an expected date of sale. If it's more than a couple of months old, though, call the vendor you got them from and give them an earful (and get a newer set of belts out of them). With non-FIA belts, the SFI date of manufacture defines when you will have to toss them and get a new set.
 
Last edited:
that was an interesting read. As I understand it there is no differance between factory belts and racing belts and after 2 years you have less than 20% of the oridginal strength of new.
 

Attachments

  • nylon.gif
    nylon.gif
    2.8 KB · Views: 303
mardyn said:
I'm gonna' do a track day at TMS next month... thinking about installing a new set of 4 or 5 point racing harnesses in my car, just wondering what everyone is using...

I generally like Simpson stuff... but not dead set on it yet.

Any recommendations?

mardyn
Click to expand...

Todd, regardless of manufacturer, make sure you get a four inch, FIA approved belt for the margin of security you need. I use SPARCO, but any FIA approved belt is fine, as they all adhere to the same standards. The Sparco Eyelets also thread right into the holes behind your seat. You can get a "quick-release" if you want to clip the belts in and out easil.
 
I have the aformentioned Sparco unit in my car (driver side).
Kinda a pain to buckle in every time I use the car and have to be mindful to close the door BEFORE attaching the shoulder straps as you can't do it with all straps on.

Install was very easy and as Tim says the shoulder straps fit precisely thru the upper seat slots to hard point bolts located directly behind seat. Lap bolts are equally easy and just left OEM belt tucked into pouch behind driver seat on rear wall engaged with female to preclude illuminating seat belt warning light on dash.
 
TEXAS GT said:
Hi Mardyn. What's the details on the track day?
Click to expand...

Here ya go... c'mon and go.

Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2007 14:45:29 -0500

To Our Loyal Track Junkies and SCCA Members,



You are invited to join us on August 31 for our semi-annual Roval Day and SCCA Test & Tune!



Track Junkies: Drive YOUR car on the 2.5-mile Roval at Texas Motor Speedway for four sessions! In case you’ve never experienced it, the Roval combines the 1.5-mile super speedway with the 1-mile infield road course for a true adrenaline SURGE at one of the premier motorsports facilities in the nation! If you or your friends still need to take Introduction to Road Racing (prerequisite) before taking on the Roval, your last chances are July 21st and August 11th. Email or call us, and we’ll get you set up!



SCCA Members: Take advantage of some valuable track time on the Roval for four sessions on SCCA weekend!



Complete itineraries will be emailed to registered participants about 2 weeks prior to the event. See attached invitation and forms for details. We’ll see you at the track!



Don’t miss this! Space is limited, so register a.s.a.p…



High Octane Fun,



The Texas Driving Experience Team



817.430.4343

www.texasdrivingexperience.com

Woman Owned Business Enterprise (WBE)



tde scion skills letterhead
 
Thanks to all who replied to the seatbelt inquiry.. I've got a lot of good info to go with now...

Sparco is sounding really good to me .

mardyn
 
belts

Dear Mardyn - I have the Crow 6 point belts from Livermore Performance http://livermoreperformance.com As Bony stated they have the hardware that bolts right up to snap in your harness. There are a few great threads from the past to read through also with photos.

Ed
 
After reading some of the older posts on the disadvantages of a 5 point harness in a car w/o a roll bar, I'm considering the possibility of using only 4 point attachment eliminating the anti-sub belt from the equation.... (not to mention not having to remove the belly pans) I figure w/o the a-sub belt, you could scrunch down a little easier.:wink

How many of you guys have racing harnesses and leave 'em in all the time?

mardyn
 
No roll bar, no 5/6 point belts.
 
Out here I do not know a club that will let you run with a 4 point harness. The six point Ed mentioned is the only good alternative for us at this time.
If you want to run, you must have the equipment to pass tech. If you don't buckle the sub-belt, most will never check. Check the rules for the club you run with. Anything beyond school level requires this. Time Trials, open track, etc.

Without a cage you are looking for the lesser of two evils. The sub is to keep you from sliding under the belts and wedging you under the dash. This rule was added for spine injuries as well. Pick your poison.

It works like this.

You spin....guy behind hits you in the door , fender, quarter

The guy in front of you spins ....You hit him with your front bumper

The guy following you has lesser brakes than you ...He hits you in the rear.

You ....spin, drift, miss a gear and hit a barrier or another car

Tracks are far safer than driving crazy on the streets IMO. Everyone is normally going the same direction.

The rolls I have seen, normally occur on fast sweeping turns, when the rear drifts or steps out and the driver gets scared, lifts off the gas causing a snap spin.

The spin does not cause it, sliding off the track with wheels crossed causes it.

"When in a spin both feet in, Wheel pointed straight" ...look at some interior race car pics and you will see a piece of tape at the top center of the steering wheel. Even the Pro drivers use this for reference on these occasions.

You are far more likely to see a mishap like the one pictured below. The driver is a 3 time T1 Regional champ and placed high in the Run-Offs. Considered a guy you want to be on the track with. He went for third and caught 1st. The Rear locked and snaped him into the barrier to his right at about 70mph. Now that's a bad day at the track. He was fine but his ego and wallet were not. The car has been re-built and running T1 again.
 

Attachments

  • 758Crash-1-med.jpg
    758Crash-1-med.jpg
    35.3 KB · Views: 136
6 point harness

Mardyn - the modern 6 point harness does not attach to the floor. You may be thinking of a traditional 5 point. Look at some of the websites to see what the 6 point harness is. The 5th & 6th/anti-sub straps attach to the side (mine are on the same clip point as the lap belts) & you sit on them. My complete harness clips in less than 10 seconds to the mounting points. Call Livermore Performance or look at their website as you will see the harness mounting kit fof the GT.

Ed
 
Ed... I'm already talking with the guys a Livermore. Thanks for your help, I'll keep you posted on my progress.:biggrin

mardyn
 
new harness set up for GT

Don at Safecraft reports he has a cool harness & fastner set up for the GT. He also has a lowered seat for taller drivers. He'll have it to show at the Rally.

Ed
 
mardyn said:
After reading some of the older posts on the disadvantages of a 5 point harness in a car w/o a roll bar, I'm considering the possibility of using only 4 point attachment eliminating the anti-sub belt from the equation.... (not to mention not having to remove the belly pans) I figure w/o the a-sub belt, you could scrunch down a little easier.:wink
Click to expand...

According to trackpedia, this is a disaster. Allowing yourself to slide down means the buckle will go into your soft organs. Unless you truly have abs of steel. :)

I'd rather take the odds that rollovers are relatively rare.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Top Bottom