Hi everybody,

I just ordered a Corbeau Forza racing seat for my car along with a 4 point harness.

My question is (and please forgive my ignorance), how is the harness mounted to the vehicle - do you need a rollcage to mount it to? Or can it be mounted to the floor ? I do not have a cage in my car........ I know, I know, I should've probably thought about this issue before ordering the harness.

Anyway, any info you can share would be appreciated <img src="graemlins/gr_cheers.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

Thanks in advance,

-Bradster

 

My harness came with brackets that you could use to mount it to the floor but instead I ran a die over the bolts and screwed them into the stock seatbelt mounts. That seemed easier to me than drilling holes. Also, you can buy either floor mounts or rollbar mounts. Do you know which you bought?

 

I didn't specify floor mounts or bar mounts when I ordered the harness ( I ordered it online from Speed Inc.). I guess I'll have to give Larry / Tom a call and specify that I will need floor bolts...

Thanks for the info - at least I know that it is possible to have the harness without a roll cage <img src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" border="0"> <img src="gr_grin.gif" border="0"> <img src="graemlins/gr_cheers.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

-Bradster <img src="graemlins/burnout.gif" border="0" alt="[Burnout]" />

 

they will come with floor bolts.

did you order the snap ins or the bolt ins... there both the same basically but one can be removed fairly easily as where the other is a perment deal..

they will come with instructions..

 

Thanks for the info WS6 Scott! <img src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" border="0"> <img src="gr_grin.gif" border="0"> I guess I'll be ok with the bolts either way <img src="images/icons/rolleyes.gif" border="0">

-Bradster <img src="graemlins/burnout.gif" border="0" alt="[Burnout]" />

 

I ordered the same setup as you and after installing the 4-point harness (which is not NHRA legal) I posted pictures of it and I had people giving me crap saying stuff about how unsafe it was. Click on my Pictures link in my sig, then on 2001 Z28 pictures and scroll down till you see the forza seat stuff. Just thought I would give you the heads up on that. I ended up taking the 4-point out and using the stock seat belts.

Here is the link:
http://suicide-kings.com/forums/uplo...=&threadid=807

[ March 09, 2002: Message edited by: CamaroCain ]</p>

 

Wow,

that's something worth thinking about - although I'm not sure if I agree with the logic in it what those guys were saying. Here's why:

1) What's the difference between having the straps mounted to the floor as opposed to 4 inches below your shoulder line? Seems to me that mounting the straps ANYWHERE BELOW your shoulder line would yield the same consequences. In a frontal collision your body is naturally thrown UP and FORWARD, so whether your straps are mounted to the floor, a few inches below your shoulder line or even AT your shoulder line, the same compression forces on your spine will be there.

As long as the straps are worn over your shoulders and mounted at or below your shoulderline your spine will be compressed in an accident. <img src="images/icons/confused.gif" border="0">

2) The straps may not be NHRA legal, but no matter how you cut it, two straps, one on each shoulder, as opposed to one strap going diagonally over one shoulder, is safer. Period.

3)If anybody got paralyzed because the straps were inherently unsafe to mount to the floor (or more than 4 inches below your shoulder....) then :

A) We would have heard about it - or at least the litigation to follow - not just speculation about "what someone thinks might happen" in an accident. No one on your thread cited any examples of such injuries.
B) Corbeau would NOT sell them with the brackets to mount them to the floor in the first place - way too much potential liability involved.
If there was even a possibility that paralysis would occur if the straps were to be mounted on the floor as opposed to a shoulder level roll bar, then beleive me, Corbeau would not include them with the straps.

That's just my opinion about the subject. If there is anyone out there who might know more on this issue, PLEASE respond with any info.........I still plan on getting a cage put in my car eventually, anyway, so I should be covered either way <img src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" border="0">

Thanks for the food for thought, CamaroCain <img src="graemlins/gr_cheers.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

-Bradster <img src="graemlins/burnout.gif" border="0" alt="[Burnout]" />

 

I started researching this issue and found this on someone's website who istalled a simpson racing harness in his car:

[quote] Shoulder harness mounting points...from my local time trial club rules and regs "The shoulder harnesses may not be mounted to the package shelf under the rear window [obviously n/a] and each side of the shoulder harness shall have a separate mounting point.... The shoulder harness should be mounted behind the driver and above a line drawn downward from the shoulder point at an angle of forty (40) degrees with the horizontal." Obviously the best point to mount harness to a harness bar on roll bar. <hr></blockquote>

I think that seems reasonable - although that means I will most likely have to remove my back seat to do this. I'll post more info as I find it <img src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" border="0">

-B

 

Here's more info I found on someone else's website harness installation:

[quote] If, however, the mounting point for the belt is significantly lower from the point at which the harness meets the shoulder (say, more that 10 degrees from horizontal), the upper body's forward momentum will cause the shoulder harness to be drawn tight in a DOWNWARD direction. This action, durning a severe crash, can cause spinal compression, a very severe form of spinal column injury. In this case, the driver would have been better off with the stock interial reel seat belt. Please bear this in mind! My method for mounting the shoulder harness DOES require some interior modifications, but the higher mounting point avoids the danger of spinal compression associated with the lower possible mounting point.<hr></blockquote>

So I guess when it comes to shoulder strap mounting points, the higher the better <img src="images/icons/rolleyes.gif" border="0">

.....The guy went on to say on his site that a five point harness is probably the best way to go - as opposed to a four point harness (duh) - because the fifth strap prevents "submarining" ....Furthermore, in that respect, the 3-point factory belt would be more effective than a 4 point belt in terms of "submarining" which sometimes occurs in an accident.
Because the 3 point design allows the driver's body to turn and bend around the belts a bit - something that a 4 point belt does not allow - The chance for submarining to occur would be reduced.

OK, now I have a few more people's opinions about this issueand it points to the conclusion that higher is better when it comes to mounting point placement of shoulder straps.

.....Still looking for some hard guidlines about EXACTLY where the best place to mount shoulder straps are (other than to an interior roll bar). I'll share more as I find more.......

-B

 

Thanks for the info CamaroCain. That's exactly the way I had mine setup. It was only temporary (SW 8 point rollbar is on my back porch waiting for install) but I didn't know the danger... Thanks.

 

I talked to Ryan who is the head guy at Corbeau and questioned the harness issue. He told me that the harnesses may not be legal at some tracks but due to the fact that they are 2 inch and not a three inch belt and not anything else. He also said that the prototypes were being tested at the same time the whole Dale Earnhart tragidy occured which made the testing even harder on the belts. They do not want to be herld accountable for injuring customers by providing a faulty design so they reworked all the belts tp fit within regulations.

as far as mounting them goes ...
I have mine around a cage. If you do not have a cage there is another great spot that I have seen them mounted which is on the rear deck lid directly behind the back seat. It is horizontal from the front seats and is shoulder length. i have seen it done quite a few times in late model f bodies but have not actually talked with anybody in regards to wheter this is in fact a "safe" position for them

I would check with some F-body tuners and see where they suggest putting them. It is the easiest way to insure you are mounting them in a safe position.

If you have any concerns about the design of the Corbeau Harnesses feel free to call their headquarters and ask some questions. The guys at corbeau are real cooperative and im sure they will be more than eager to answer any of your questions..

heres their site with all the contact and seat info...
www.corbeau.com

good luck

 

Thanks for the info WS6 Scott!

I was thinking anout having the shoulder straps mounted on the rear deck as an option. I think I am going to purchase a harnes bar from LGmotorsports to mount the harness to. <img src="gr_images/icons/wink.gif" border="0">

The seat's going in april 8th <img src="gr_stretch.gif" border="0">

-Bradster <img src="graemlins/gr_cheers.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" /> <img src="graemlins/burnout.gif" border="0" alt="[Burnout]" />