Seat belts / harness

[Hack]

Sooooo, being a little tired of some of the current topics, I'm trying to start some other conversations.

I assume that many of the people who want the GT350 are planning track days.

So my question: will you get a 5 point harness (is that the correct term?) for your GT350?

Or will you stick with the factory belts?

Or will you set up the car for both/either and use the harness on the track only?

Tell us about your past cars and what you did with them, what you liked and didn't. Photos are welcome!

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[Grimace427]

Check the racing section. A few people use harnesses with a harness bar for track use. Recaro seats have been available in the Mustang for a few years and make using harnesses easier. For HPDE just using your regular seatbelts is good enough.

 

[krt22]

You won't be able to run a 5/6 point harness with the stock seat. A bolt in cage+4 point harnesses will be my choice. I am looking at the cortex cage and schroth ASM harnesses , but wont wear the harnesses on the street (its a real pain in the ass and dangerous)

 

[FPCV8YO]

You won't be able to run a 5/6 point harness with the stock seat. A bolt in cage+4 point harnesses will be my choice. I am looking at the cortex cage and schroth ASM harnesses , but wont wear the harnesses on the street (its a real pain in the ass and dangerous)

Are any harnesses DOT approved?

 

[krt22]

Yes, some of the schroth units are. But they are tough for street driving..cant move up to change the radio, cant turn your head fully to check blind spots, cant pick up your phone on the floorboard after you drop it while texting

 

[Hack]

Check the racing section. A few people use harnesses with a harness bar for track use. Recaro seats have been available in the Mustang for a few years and make using harnesses easier. For HPDE just using your regular seatbelts is good enough.

Thanks for your thoughts. I'm more looking for a conversation about specific plans that future GT350 owners have rather than the most efficient information gathering I can do on the internet.

Please feel free to go back to ADM discussions if you don't like this topic. :cheers:

Yes, some of the schroth units are. But they are tough for street driving..cant move up to change the radio, cant turn your head fully to check blind spots, cant pick up your phone on the floorboard after you drop it while texting

Can't turn your head?! Wow, that's a little much! Yeah I would assume almost any racing harness won't let you move enough to adjust the AC, etc. Maybe not a problem for those buying an R. ;)

Any reason you couldn't leave just a slight amount of slack in the harness to be able to reach what you need to reach? I understand factory belts tighten to reduce slack during an accident, but I can't imagine a racing belt hurting you more than a factory belt in that situation.

 

[Tim Hilliard]

For HPDE just using your regular seatbelts is good enough.

No, not even in Recaros. Almost regret getting them, should have gotten regular seats and yanked them for racing seats.

 

[krt22]

Can't turn your head?! Wow, that's a little much! Yeah I would assume almost any racing harness won't let you move enough to adjust the AC, etc. Maybe not a problem for those buying an R. ;)

Any reason you couldn't leave just a slight amount of slack in the harness to be able to reach what you need to reach? I understand factory belts tighten to reduce slack during an accident, but I can't imagine a racing belt hurting you more than a factory belt in that situation.

If you want to turn your should along with your head, good luck

And if you leave them loose, it really defeats the purpose. But the real question is, what kind of street driving requires a harness :shrug:

 

[Tim Hilliard]

Yes, some of the schroth units are. But they are tough for street driving..cant move up to change the radio, cant turn your head fully to check blind spots, cant pick up your phone on the floorboard after you drop it while texting

Are any harnesses DOT approved?

https://www.schrothracing.com/tuning/quick-fit-pro/mustang-quick-fit-pro

It has to have the orange button like a seat belt. All the belts are 4 points even though I know people running 5-6 points with factory seats but I disagree with it, and doubt they work. If the GT350 is only equal to a PPGT you will want to be strapped in by more than a 3 point belt. I have discovered it becomes very difficult to be smooth while using the steering wheel and your knees to stay in the seat.

 

[TraKWeapon]

With the speeds the GT350 will be capable of on track, or even a 2015 5.0 for that matter, you'll want a four point roll bar and six point harnesses in your car for HDPE. The Recaro's work fine with this setup and you can get a sub belt bar that mounts behind the rear seat and run your sub belts through the top and bottom cushions. This setup is also compatible with a Hans device and I recommend one of those too. Both CorteX and Watson Racing make nice roll bars and Schroth Profi II belts work well with and without a Hans device.

 

[Spa2k]

Any reason you couldn't leave just a slight amount of slack in the harness to be able to reach what you need to reach? I understand factory belts tighten to reduce slack during an accident, but I can't imagine a racing belt hurting you more than a factory belt in that situation.

In a racing or high-speed situation, slack racing belts can kill you or very seriously hurt you if you hit something hard. Tight belts distribute the force of the crash more evenly over your body because it can't (shouldn't) move in the seat, but slack belts mean those stopping forces only are distributed to the parts of your body that come into contact with the belts. And that's just in a head-on crash.

In an offset or side crash (or if you're spinning before you hit), with slack belts your body can move sideways out of the seat, right past the bolsters - causing greater injuries. The belts can stretch in severe impacts too.

One good spin or crash at 135 or above will have you snugging you belts tight every time you leave the pits and checking them again during cautions.

Finally, and this has to do more with car control than crashing, if your body is moving in the seat, you can't devote maximum effort to steering accuracy, because you'll be using your arms to hold yourself upright while you're also trying to steer.

 

[Tim Hilliard]

With the speeds the GT350 will be capable of on track, or even a 2015 5.0 for that matter, you'll want a four point roll bar and six point harnesses in your car for HDPE. The Recaro's work fine with this setup and you can get a sub belt bar that mounts behind the rear seat and run your sub belts through the top and bottom cushions. This setup is also compatible with a Hans device and I recommend one of those too. Both CorteX and Watson Racing make nice roll bars and Schroth Profi II belts work well with and without a Hans device.

I have seen the sub bars in S197's, I wasn't impressed, asking a lot from the rear mounting studs and the way they angle through the seat back/base, asking a lot from the seat construction. My friends run them but IMO it's less than ideal. I am 100% with you on a Hans. or any of the neck restraints.

My plan was a Watson Bar but I have quickly found the limitations of my 3 point belts so I may just tether a harness to my rear seatbelt mounting points. Better than nothing, still not ideal...IMO My Wife will shoot me if I ditched my precious Recaro's at this point

In a racing or high-speed situation, slack racing belts can kill you or very seriously hurt you if you hit something hard. Tight belts distribute the force of the crash more evenly over your body because it can't (shouldn't) move in the seat, but slack belts mean those stopping forces only are distributed to the parts of your body that come into contact with the belts. And that's just in a head-on crash.

In an offset or side crash (or if you're spinning before you hit), with slack belts your body can move sideways out of the seat, right past the bolsters - causing greater injuries. The belts can stretch in severe impacts too.

One good spin or crash at 135 or above will have you snugging you belts tight every time you leave the pits and checking them again during cautions.

Finally, and this has to do more with car control than crashing, if your body is moving in the seat, you can't devote maximum effort to steering accuracy, because you'll be using your arms to hold yourself upright while you're also trying to steer.

^^^This X100. Think of loose belts like holding a rifle stock off your shoulder 1". Multiple that by 1000 and that's what lose belts will do to your body. Tighten them until they're slightly uncomfortable then give 'em one more tug, you will find that after a few laps they no longer feel tight. I can not pull my 3 point belt tight enough. On street tires in this new chassis I am constantly using my body to maintain seat position instead of driving.

 

[TraKWeapon]

I have seen the sub bars in S197's, I wasn't impressed, asking a lot from the rear mounting studs and the way they angle through the seat back/base, asking a lot from the seat construction. My friends run them but IMO it's less than ideal. I am 100% with you on a Hans. or any of the neck restraints.

You should not use the studs. Replace the studs with high quality bolts. The back of the Recaro seat cushion is steel so no compression. This is for HDPE not racing.

 

[thePill]

Don't use a 5 point unless you have roll-over protection. OEM belts are designed to let you collapse if the roof is pushed in. A 5 point will literally hold your head in place.

Don't install anything over a 4 point bar if you intend on street use. Door tubes will fracture your skull.

My helmet struck the roof loop above the glove box in a crash I had long ago. Don't ask me how, I was harnessed in.

Every time I get a free hand I tighten my straps. They constantly work lose...

 

[Cascadia_302]

Don't use a 5 point unless you have roll-over protection. OEM belts are designed to let you collapse if the roof is pushed in. A 5 point will literally hold your head in place.

Don't install anything over a 4 point bar if you intend on street use. Door tubes will fracture your skull.

My helmet struck the roof loop above the glove box in a crash I had long ago. Don't ask me how, I was harnessed in.

Every time I get a free hand I tighten my straps. They constantly work lose...

You may want to keep that "free hand" on the steering wheel.

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