Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Autocross and Open Track Has anyone installed harnesses?

I am getting a set of harnesses for my 98 SVT. I was wondering where I mount them. I would appreciate any help and pictures would be great.

Michael

mball@clemson.edu

Several of us have installed a four point. I installed mine using the stock seat belt points for the lap belt and then used the long tang of the shoulder harness run under the head rest and then attached it to one of the rear seat belt clips by using a male end off of a junkyard seatbelt. It works really well, and I hate to say, but I did give it the crash test and came through unscathed (see contour rollover in auto-x topic).

Hope this helps,
Rick

I have a four-point harness. My installation was a bit different than what I have seen some do. My lap belt mounts to the existing seat bolts, but the shoulder straps mount to the upper deck using the child safety restraint mount. You can get the mount from Bill Jenkins.

I hooked up a Schroth 4-point belt using the existing lap belt points and the back seat mounting points. I neede to take out the seat to get to the inboard seatbelt bolt. That was the hardest part of the installation. I chose not to hook up to any other point because I did not feel that anyother point was secure enough (front or back). As well, I not that tall so I don't believe I would suffer from any compression since my shoulders are below the top of the seat. This is something to consider if your shoulders are above the top of the seat.

#1 Get a Schroth 4 point harness, great quality.
#2 Use the exisiting mounting bolts, you'll have to pull up the rear seat to get to the back ones. I was able to get to the inboard front bolt WITHOUT taking the seat out. I cut off about 1/4 inch of the plastic cover on the back side to get to the bolt, but it is unnoticable.

Best mod I have made.

Have fun!

if you search the general mods forum it think, for harness install, you will find aussie SVT's install with pics, they are what i used when i installed my 4 point (btw they saved my life just recently)

Thanks for the help. I can't wait to bolt mine in and actually stay planted in my seat.

Michael

Whatever harness you purchase, make sure its designed to work with factory seats. You have to specifically see a mention of that on the box or in the literature and see some kind of DOT certification.

Why?

Spinal compression and/or the shoulder straps popping off your shoulders in an accident.

Racing harnesses are designed to:

1. Have the shoulder straps mounted horizontally from the tops of your shoulders to a roll cage. If the straps are installed at a downward angle greater than 15 degrees the straps will compress your spine in a frontal collision.

2. Have the shoulder straps run through reinforced holes in the upper seatback of a race seat. These holes prevent the straps from popping off your shoulders as your body flies forward in a frontal impact. The headrest mounting bars are not strong enough to do this job. Sternum and H straps are now being outlawed by some sanctioning bodies because they don't allow the chest to flex in a big accident, causing heart bruising.

Unfortunately, just bolting in a set of racing harnesses can increase your risk of injury or death and your insurnace company will walk away from their coverage if the harnesses contributed to your injuries.

good call!!