Guest Spoon Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 I'm thinking about putting rasing seats and 5 point harnesses in my 83 ZX 2+2. Has anyone here done that in this or a similar car? I was wondering where to attach the harnesses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom'sZ Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 well since nobody is replying to this one, I'll give it a try. Generally the shoulder straps of a racing harness are anchored to a roll cage. I think some folks have anchored them to a rear strut bar as well. The lap and crouch straps are attached to large plates under the floor pan to keep the mount from pulling through. Often the stock lap belt mounts will work. What ever you choose to do, be careful to follow the manufacturer's instructions as an improperly installed harness can be more dangerous then no harness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Careless Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 I'm thinking about putting rasing seats and 5 point harnesses in my 83 ZX 2+2. Has anyone here done that in this or a similar car? I was wondering where to attach the harnesses. a racing harness setup in a street car is a little bit of a worry for me. I find that if by chance, a car were to ride over yours, or perhaps a truck (god forbid), you wouldn't have as much free motion to lean over and move your face out of the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Spoon Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 Interesting comment from someone called Careless. That is a good point though. I may just put the seats in and use the factory seatbelts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 I find that if by chance, a car were to ride over yours, or perhaps a truck (god forbid), you wouldn't have as much free motion to lean over and move your face out of the way. This reminds me of people who don't wear a seatbelt and back it up with the reasoning that if they're in a rollover there is less of a chance that they'll be ejected and thrown clear of the wreck. I mean really, how often is another car going to roll over the roof of your car? The main issue with harnesses has to do with them being installed wrong, and the biggest issue there is the angle that the harness makes as it goes over the shoulders and back to whatever they are anchored to. If the anchor point is too low (like those dumbass Honda guys with the 4 point "racing harness" clipped into the rear seat belt) then when you go forward in an accident your spine also gets compressed down. There is a proper angle for the belt to sit at. I want to say it is from 5 to 15 degrees up from the anchor to the shoulders, but it's been a while since I've looked at that info. Other than that harnesses are a PITA on the street, especially the latch kind like I had. I used it on the street for about a week, then put the old one back in on top of the harnesses. I hooked the harness up behind the seat and used the stock seatbelt, then when I went autoxing I'd hook the stocker behind the seat and use the harness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMWHYR0HEN Posted October 16, 2006 Share Posted October 16, 2006 yeah stock belts arnt so bad in most 80's cars. 70's cars, no way. harnesses for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clifton Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 I'm with Mortensen. They are a PITA on the street. I did it for awhile. Atleast get the cam lock latch if you get them. To use them properly you need to keep the shoulder straps tight. Like a 240 but it's worse with a harness as you have a strap on both sides, there isn't a quick unbuckle to roll up a passenger side window. I welded a bar between the shock towers to mount mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buZy Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 a racing harness setup in a street car is a little bit of a worry for me. I find that if by chance, a car were to ride over yours, or perhaps a truck (god forbid), you wouldn't have as much free motion to lean over and move your face out of the way. Any kind of a rollover would be scary. Conventional belts work in a street car. Form follows function....Hmmmm Now I am thinking of a grab bar down low pass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 I agree! Rollover! Conventional belts work out better in a street car. Form follows function....Hmmmm Now I am think of a grab bar down low pass. Having been in a rollover with a stock seatbelt I can tell you that it sucks when your shoulder slides out from under the belt, because then you can slide up another 4 or 5" closer to the roof, and your head slams back and forth between the roof and the window frame. This more you roll, the suckier this gets. I don't know how many rolls I did, but it was plenty sucky by the time the car stopped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buZy Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 Wow! We are never safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom'sZ Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 I may just put the seats in and use the factory seatbelts. That sounds like a pretty good idea. Like a few have pointed out, on a street car a race harness is less then ideal. That's why the manfacturers came up with the pendulum lock deal. They didn't want you unfastening the seat belt if you drop your cigerette (ok you don't smoke, but you get the idea) Then came passive restraint, you remember the little tracks in the door that put the seat belt on for you? And now air bags. Apparently we are so dumb we don't know what's good for us. Jon... I always thought that the argument for not wearing a belt was that you would be thrown clear of a wreck, that and not trapped in a fire... all equally ludicrous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2126 Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 I've been using a four-point harness, race seats, and rollbar for over five years in my street driven 240Z and I'll admit it takes a tiny bit more time to secure myself as well as getting out but, I certainly feel safer than with stock belts. Personally, I prefer to take the extra time necessary to achieve a higher safety factor. Generally speaking, when the sheit hits the fan you don't have any time to do anything but hang on. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Careless Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 so the general concensus is that harnesses are better for street driving? i just wanted to point out a possible situation in which they would worry me, but i have never been in a rollover. so whats the final word on this? yay or nay, at the right angle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 280ZForce Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 i have racing seats and harnesses strapped to my roll bar in my daily driven 280z and i dont find it to be a PITA. just make sure to get camlock harnesses, not the latch type. Latch types are prone to failure and I actually got stuck in mine once and had to loosen it up all the way and worm my way out...not fun! Camlock harness are quick release, very easy to get on and get off in case of emergency. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted October 18, 2006 Share Posted October 18, 2006 It's 5 times as much searching for belts and clipping them all together, and remember they aren't retractable. Plus the added hassle of installing a roll bar or strut tower bar to mount the harness to. I would NOT put belts on a strut tower bar that had rod ends on the ends. I would only attach them to a strut bar that was one piece of tubing welded between the strut towers. Then you need a seat suitable for harnesses. The stock seat isn't good for use with harnesses because it has no holes for the harnesses to go through. So if you're willing to put up with all of that, I'd say it is safer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom'sZ Posted October 18, 2006 Share Posted October 18, 2006 If I had a car with a roll cage or roll bar that was driven on the street (with no helmet on) then I would want a race harness... simply because it would hold you in place better and there would be less chance of bumping your head on the tubing in the event of a collision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexideways Posted October 18, 2006 Share Posted October 18, 2006 I don't know about the U.S. of A. but here in Canada it's plain illegal to modify your seat belts in one way or another, if you have race harnesses, you must have you original belt for street use. + I'm pretty sure I'v read an article about the fact that having racing harnesses with no cage is as dangerous as a cage with a 3 point belt. I'v also had my share of rollovers (all people I know who had one, I happened to be with them) and in one particular incident, were the car skipped the road and landed on the roof in the ditch the roof was so bent inward that it broke the seat back on the driver side and if the guy who was driving had been strapped to the seat, he'd be dead. With the 3 point belt, the roof hited his head and pushed him towards the floor, he only got a few stitches on his forehead. My tought is, leave the racing harnesses for racing purposes. Then again, that's MY oppinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Spoon Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 Well, dince I don't actaully plan on doing any racing any time soon I think I will leave the harnesses out. I really just planned on getting the racing seats for comfort and style anyway. My current train of thought right now is just to build a bada$$ cruising car. The race track got closed on the island and the fastest speed limits are only 55 here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randy 77zt Posted October 20, 2006 Share Posted October 20, 2006 when i set my 77 z up for a track day i have a sparco racing seat i put in and have harnesses installed.i built a heavy tube bar that bolts where the original shoulder harness reels where and the shoulder harnesses are strapped on that bar.the seat has harness holes in it.the lap belts are on the original bolts.because of the sides on the seat the car is a real b@#$% to get in and out of and the seat has to be moved back to access the door handle.racing stuff sucks on the street.but there are a very few aftermarkit seats that allow easy access and will hold you in on a track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24 oz Posted October 21, 2006 Share Posted October 21, 2006 When people say not wearing a seatbelt throws you out of the car away from the wreck, there part true. You do get thrown from the car, then the car rolls over on you and kills you, like my cousin. Im my opinion not wearing a seatbelt has to be one of the stupidest things ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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