Four point harness

[griffter]

I'm led to believe that in providing the lower two fittings for a four point harness, there is 'insufficient clearance' around the seat belt buckle anchor bolt (going into the side of the transmission tunnel) for an eye bolt to be used, as the Griff seats are 'too wide'. This means extra brackets and anchor points having to be welded to the chassis. Well I had a look at my seat belt bolts and there's loads of room!

Anybody had any problems fitting a harness using eye bolts?
Or got any idea why the standard bolt location is unsuitable for an eye bolt?

[pebbledash]

They fit as standard (or they are in the griff I have) but the seat will not slide past the eye bolts..

going to remove the harness in mine and resort to the normal seat belts, the car is not fitted with a roll bar, and don't like the idea....

I would think fitting a GOOD roll bar would precede fitting full harnesses..

others like shpub etc may have more on this

[homer]

If you're tall like me (6-3)you'll need to raise the seats slightly if you want to slide them right back.
I raised mine about 1cm using big washers, and now the seats slide back okay. Make sure the eyebolts are in the horizontal position, of course.

[griffter]

I think my bolts must be in a different position ('92 precat). They're way behind the seats even fully back.

Are the early cars different?

This is all part of the GOOD rollbar plan, btw thanks pebbledash!!

>> Edited by griffter on Thursday 24th June 16:48

[rude girl]

I've got the Tower View rollbar on mine, but still with the std seatbelts at the moment. My normal driving position puts my head quite close to the top of the bar and I'm a bit iffy about being locked in to that position. You can of course have both full harness and std seatbelts, and that's the option I'll probably go for when track days are back on the agenda.

IMO fitting harness without a rollbar is just

[zz top]

pebbledash said:

They fit as standard (or they are in the griff I have) but the seat will not slide past the eye bolts.. going to remove the harness in mine and resort to the normal seat belts, the car is not fitted with a roll bar, and don't like the idea.... I would think fitting a GOOD roll bar would precede fitting full harnesses.. others like shpub etc may have more on this

Penninsula fitted mine and easily got round the problem of protruding eye bolts. Give them a call...zz

[Ballistic Banana]

rude girl said:

I've got the Tower View rollbar on mine, but still with the std seatbelts at the moment. My normal driving position puts my head quite close to the top of the bar and I'm a bit iffy about being locked in to that position. You can of course have both full harness and std seatbelts, and that's the option I'll probably go for when track days are back on the agenda. IMO fitting harness without a rollbar is just

Same here, I found if you raise the head rest a little it should stop your head banging against it.
Also i was told by tower view that the drivers side you can fit the harness ok but for some reason(I cant remember) the passenger side seat/belt reel needs some adjustmeant.

Harness without roll bar..... nowhere to go to in a roll

BB

[griffter]

I'M NOT FITTING HARNESSES WITHOUT A ROLLBAR!!

Car is booked into Tower View - I just wondered what the clearance issue was in practice, before I have extra anchor points welded to the chassis and holes drilled in the GRP.

[pebbledash]

griffter said:

I'M NOT FITTING HARNESSES WITHOUT A ROLLBAR!!

Was not suggesting you were the point was that mine has a 3 point harness fitted for the driver and no roll bar which I think is a bit daft, so when I can be bothered they are coming out.

from what I know, (its all in the bible) the latter griff 500's had the extra mounting point for the rear welded to the chassis as standard, but when fitting a roll bar, is it not normal to attach the rear harness point to the Bar instead ??

as to the different location of the front two points i don't know, but having pulled most of my griff apart etc, Nothing would surprise me

[griffter]

pebbledash said:

from what I know, (its all in the bible) the latter griff 500's had the extra mounting point for the rear welded to the chassis as standard, but when fitting a roll bar, is it not normal to attach the rear harness point to the Bar instead ??

I think the extra mounting point is for a rollbar, not a harness - but I may have misunderstood. Yes, top two harness points to the bar, bottom outside to the seatbelt point, but the bottom inside is the alleged trouble-maker.

[pebbledash]

griffter said:

I think the extra mounting point is for a rollbar, not a harness - but I may have misunderstood. Yes, top two harness points to the bar, bottom outside to the seatbelt point, but the bottom inside is the alleged trouble-maker.

Who knows but I agree it the inner bolt thas the problem, its jammed between the tunnel and the seat.. and mine jams on the eye bolt when the seat is pushed back, luckely I can fit with it pushed back as far as It will go.. the one thing on mine that anoys me is the battery in the passanges foot well, !!!! nice idea but it looses way to much space for the passanger..

[GarryM]

I may be missing the point here but my Willans harness fits on to the existing (conventional) bolts either side of the seat. No need for an eye bolt and no interference with the seat.

[griffter]

GarryM said:

I may be missing the point here but my Willans harness fits on to the existing (conventional) bolts either side of the seat. No need for an eye bolt and no interference with the seat.

No you're not missing the point - that's exactly what I reckon, looking at my car. But it contradicts what I've been told. It seems some cars have the inner belt point far enough forward for the back of the seat to be level with it, and hence interfere with an eye bolt - but not (I reckon) on mine.

By the way GarryM, your fantastic post about fitting the Martin Short bar was about to be my bedtime reading for the next 2 weeks...but Tower View no longer supply the bar for DIY fitment!

[GarryM]

I wonder why? Are they worried about punters fitting them incorrectly? I can't see there being any come back on them even if they were. That's a shame.

Tower View provided my harness which requires the fixing bolts to go through it rather than it clipping on to an eye bolt (on the lower fixing points). Hope you get yours sorted (and I'm sorry my missive will be of no use to you whatsoever!)

[tiny]

GarryM,
Your excellent fitting guide does not mention the improved BHP you get from fitting the bar (this must be the case as it explains why I was unable to pass you at Combe recently )

[GarryM]

I wish! I reckon a harness makes it a whole lot easier to use what power I've got though. Good fun wasn't it? When will your "unique" roll bar be ready?

[GreenV8S]

If you attach the lap straps using clips onto eye bolts, you will need to get 1.5" eye bolts to give you enough engagement into the chassis after going through the bodywork. The harness would normally come with standard 0.75" eye bolts but the loner ones only cost a few quid. Alternatively if your harness comes with plain end fittings you can bolt them straight on just as you would any other seat belt. But don't try this if the harness has clips - the bolt will crush the clip and you can end up in all sorts of trouble. On the question of the seat fouling the eye bolt, there's nothing special to define the position of the seat so it might well vary from car to car.

[Guillotine]

my harnesses are fitted to the rollbar.

all 500's have mounting points for the roll bar on the chassis and the diff cradle part of the chassis, as garrym suggested.

the plate type harnesses (often called westerham / caterham style) have standard seatbelt plates, and so can be fixed onto the standard floor fixings over the standard seat belt plates. you just have to bend the plate slightly so it doesn't foul the loops of the belts. top mounts are eyebolts which attach to your rollbar. bolt hole fixings are standard and already on.

three points without rollbars usually use the roll bar mount at the back on the chassis.

a no no as already stated.

>> Edited by Guillotine on Sunday 27th June 18:06

[griffter]

GarryM said:

I wonder why? Are they worried about punters fitting them incorrectly? I can't see there being any come back on them even if they were. That's a shame.

Yes - even degree qualified Mechanical Engineers!

But I appreciate their 'no risks' attitude, it makes sense in todays litigous society. And it saves me a weekend.