Racing seats and 5 point harnesses

GmanSRT10

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I've always wanted to have a set of seats and harnesses for my car...do you guys recommend any brands? Has anyone installed either before?
 

Drew

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Status gt-x fit and work well. Racetech RT4009HRV fit but not suitable for the road. Any harness will need to be fitted, there are mounting points for a coupe can't speak of a vert.

The problem with race seats is the width of them.

I have a set of them for sale in the classifieds, car is being converted into a track only car so I want more protection the Racetech offer over the status seats.

Good luck in your search, I wasted copious amounts of time trying to find ones that would fit, and a custom base so I didn't destroy factory mounting points.

Drew
 

Drew

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Other point is the airbag system and the sensors if you have a gen IV

The factory seats have sensors in them, it would take a fair bit to incorporate them into aftermarket seats.

Car runs fine with airbags deactivated but you open yourself up to liability issues that an insurance company would have a field day with in the event of an ugly accident with a passenger.
 
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GmanSRT10

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In other words it might be better to just get a harness? I won't track the car much if at all. Ive always wanted racing harnesses though. I have a GTS Coupe.
 

Drew

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GTS coupe, my info may be way off, I'm not sure about that gen of car

I replied because of your screen name

I wouldnt use a 5 or 6 point harness without neck restraint like a Hans or neckgen device on the street
 

Fatboy 18

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My car is fitted with Team Tech 5 point harnesses, I've done away with the stock seat belts. You do have to cut holes in your rear bulkhead for the harness mounting clips. I have stock seats. You also have to drill other holes for the mounting points. I love them, but my partner, she hates them. they can make your neck sore if you are wearing a shirt without a collar. You will also need to remove the seat belt chime buzzer. I put up with the seatbelt warning light. ;)
 

AZTVR

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I believe that all of the mounting points are provided for in the GTS. The submarine mount point is under the carpet in front of the seat, if slid all the way back. The shoulder belt mounts are behind the plastic cover behind the seats, as FB said. My 2002 ACR came with the 5-points, so all of that was already in place.
 

Paul Hawker

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I have a set of 6 point Team Techs that should work for you.

Send me a PM if you would be interested.

No need for competition seats in a street car. Stock seat is pretty good and set up for the harnesses.
 

Ron

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I wouldnt use a 5 or 6 point harness without neck restraint like a Hans or neckgen device on the street
Curious Drew, why just the street? Isn't the issue just as concerning for the track? Having just been on the track yesterday where the benefits of the HANS was explained to me, the neck issue would seem to be a concern in either case and even worse on the track with the added weight of the helmet. Thanks
 

Drew

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I guess my post was vague.

Typically on track you have a helmet and neck support and other protective clothing.

Not so on the street. Even without a helmet your head is a good chunk of mass floating around on the end of your neck. If you where to be strapped in tight on a city street/hi way and be involved in a major accident the six point potentially can do more damage than protect without the additional safety gear. I also don't believe they are not legal to use on most public streets.

Personal experience...
Stock seats and stock three point belts in a sideways accident in a viper, at a moderate speed it was extremely violent inside the cockpit. I bounced off everything inside the car before it came to a rest. I broke 3 ribs and bruised my driver side kidney.

Very very similar accident in race buckets and 6 points, albeit the object I hit was smaller, the only thing that wobbled was my head, soft tissue damage in my neck that is still painfull.

I've read about internal decapitation, and if I had been in a frontal accident I don't feel i would of faired very well.

Maybe it's just my opinion, but personally I will never use six points on the street from my experiences
 

Paul Hawker

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Drew. I just got back from Prince George...took the ferry up from Prince Rupert. Beautiful trip.

The way the Vipers are set up, it is pretty easy to keep both systems installed. When you are not using your harness, simply tuck the shoulder straps behind the seat, the anti sub belts under the seat, and tuck the side belts into the corners of the bottom cushion. You can still use your stock seat belt and easily pull out the harness when you prefer.

At car shows, I typically lay out the cool looking harness to ad some bling to the interior, but for normal driving just use the stock belts.
 

Camfab

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Five and six points are illegal on the streets because they have not been crash tested in that vehicle. The truth of the matter is that the factory ACR harnesses should be legal, but are not. The DOT factory three point is a piece of junk. Think about how the body is stressed in an accident. Spreading the g forces across the body evenly with a five point or even better in a six point. A three point causes your body to twist in a wreck, particularly if you've disconnected your air bags. In a street application, wearing a five or six point with air bags would be the safest scenario. Most people would never do it anyway, because the harness makes it virtually impossible to reach the door when it's wide open.
 

DrumrBoy

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The above comments about protection for street use without a HANS or R3 are spot on.Also, would you really want to mess with 5 or 6 points every time you get in the car?
 

Fatboy 18

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Air bags don't deploy for a violent side impact
Yes I know. I use the 5 point harnesses because I like them :)

I also did not trust the old retractable seat belts, I was not convinced they would lock up if I was to hit something.

Now comes the next question, how tight do you have them? Well if I'm doing a track day, very tight, but street driving I do not have them as tight.

We could go on for hours about the pros and cons of different seat belts, but I think you need to take a step back and thing of all those 50s and early 60s classics driving around out there with no seat belts or just a lap belt ;)
 
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