Harness Shoulder Strap Angle

[fast_eddie 0]

After visiting Harewood yesterday I am now in a quandary about fitting my harnesses?

 

I basically thought that the shoulder part of the harnesses had to be no more than 30 degrees or similar past the horizontal line when viewed from the side of the car. I thought this was a rule to prevent back strain in the event of a crash.

Lots of cars at Harewood had the harness just bolted directly to the rear seatbelt mounts and I thought this was not best practice or legal as the angle is very severe?

 

Obviously, all the cars have passed scrutiny with the motorsport bodies and it will save me a lot of time if I do it this way too however, I just wondered what peoples thoughts on this were?

 

Cheers

[Rob Turbo 3]

As found in my project thread, posted by welshpug

 

[fast_eddie 0]

Thanks Rob I have seen that diagram before, but maybe one or two of the cars looked like they were over 45 degrees and still competing ?

[fast_eddie 0]

Anyone?

[welshpug 1,656]

at the end of the day its down to the scrutineer, but fitting them to the guidelines shown will make sure you'r car will be fine, and more importantly if the worst happens that you are safe and the harnesses do their job properly.

[Cameron 16]

With things like this it's a good idea to follow the regs, rather than what one or two people seem to have got away with. For all you know they might not make it through scrutineering at some events!

[rescue dude 0]

Why don't you ask the scrutineers?

 

I've always found them very helpful and it will show them that you want to do it properly not bodge it up like other drivers i've seen.

 

Go on, they don't bite.

[Tedglenn 1]

[i know the diagram (its from the blue book) but Harewood has a number of relaxed regs as its hill climbing not racing. the diagram in the blue book covers all types of motor rcaing. but of course at Harwood you can compete in a road car so long as its has an MOT...anyway that doesn't answer your quoestion BUT I am goign to fit harnesses to actually drive at Harwood and I will follow your diagram if at all possible as its been drawn for a reason........

[GilesW 41]

Follow the diagram. It's the excepted best practice.

[Rich_p 23]

I was at an MSA event a couple of weeks ago and noticed several cars using the rear seatbelt mounts which I thought would have failed scruitineering.

 

Mine are attached to the cage itself with eyelets I had fitted.

[Baz 421]

at the end of the day its down to the scrutineer, but fitting them to the guidelines shown will make sure you'r car will be fine, and more importantly if the worst happens that you are safe and the harnesses do their job properly.

 

Exactly that, it's one of those 'It doesn't have to be exactly to the 'T' of the blue book, it's a guideline that makes sense, but people have been running belts in the standard mounting points for years, for good reason, the standard mounting points are going to be sufficiently suitable and up to the job, or should be.

[Batfink 201]

Has anyone actually measured the angle? It may actually be ok on the 205.

[Baz 421]

I was at an MSA event a couple of weeks ago and noticed several cars using the rear seatbelt mounts which I thought would have failed scruitineering.

 

Mine are attached to the cage itself with eyelets I had fitted.

 

Which is actually more likely to fail then.

[Baz 421]

Has anyone actually measured the angle? It may actually be ok on the 205.

 

It's not quite right as the diagram, but it's good enough.

 

The idea is that the belts are restraining you rather than the seat.

[Rich_p 23]

Which is actually more likely to fail then.

 

 

I queried as it's altered the cage that but it was done at Retro Motorsport and Gary assured me it would pass if I ever used it at an MSA event.