Advice needed on fitting harnesses

[TroubledSoul]

I need to figure out what to do before I end up buying the wrong thing. I've read previously that you shouldn't mount them to a harness bar because they don't stand up well in accidents. With that I mind, I bought a harness bar but with the intention of using it as a guide and bolting the harnesses to the rear seat belt points. This is because I'd also read that the harnesses being bolted down too low behind the driver is also a bad thing in an accident due to the downward force it exerts.

I have seen a document this morning on Securon's website. It appears to say that you can bolt to the rear anchor points without running the harness over a bar I'm happy to use the bar in my setup.

I guess the part I'm really needing info on is the actual bolting in of the harnesses. Can I use the clip in ones by replacing the seat belt anchor bolts with eye bolts? Are the eye bolts that come with harnesses generally the same thread size/pitch as the oem anchor bolts? Will this be an acceptable method? The car is going to be competing in the road going production class in hillclimbing this coming season.

[TroubledSoul]

Thanks John. I'm a bit more confused now though! From the diagram it looks very much like mounting directly to the rear seat belt anchorages would be fine as I don't believe that the angle would be any more than 45 degrees to do so.

Here's where I become more confused; if I bolt in the harness bar and run the harnesses over that, the harness will go straight back from the driver which the blue book prefers, but the angle of the harness AFTER the bar would be more extreme than 45 degrees so would it then be outside of the regs or would it be checked against how it initially is routed after it comes through over the driver's shoulders?

[TroubledSoul]

Thurbs said:

Do you need to run with HANS? If so (and I would regardless) I dont understand why a harness bar is not ideal? Having the straps within the -15 degree angle from horizontal of your sholder height is ideal AFAIK.

Do you mean mounting the harness directly to the bar? I've seen pictures of them where they've bent in accidents, which is what worries me on that score.

[TroubledSoul]

stevieturbo said:

So a harness bar isnt suitable for a harness ?

What exactly is their purpose then ?

What other fixing options do you have for whatever vehicle/seats you are using ?

They say they are, but like I said, I've read and seen accounts of them being bent in accidents. As a guide to run the harnesses over though they are fine. I might still mount the harnesses to it but it's a sort of "at your own risk" type of thing and if it's less safe than a seat belt it seems a bad idea.

I'll be running Corbeau Pro Series seats in a Newage Subaru Impreza.

[TroubledSoul]

Righto. I'm probably worrying too much to be honest.

If I want to mount to the bar, do I need a harness that hasn't got fixings at the end of the shoulder straps? They don't look removable on the ones I have seen.

Apologies if these are stupid questions to some of you, I just want to make sure I get this right.

[TroubledSoul]

Actually, looking again it looks like they might be removable. Thought they were in stitched loops before but not too sure now.

[TroubledSoul]

Cheers, I think I'm on the right track now. We are planning to attend the local hillclimb's practice day next month so I'll get it all fitted and ask around there whether it's suitable. The road going production class doesn't actually require harnesses so the regs don't seem to be that tight (no pun intended!) around them. I just want to be satisfied it's right and it's safe, hence why I'll buy an FIA approved harness regardless.

[TroubledSoul]

Won't be running a drivers' airbag. I'll probably not run HANS initially but would like to in the future.