Harness bar install

[BimmerDriver]

When doing road racing, HPDE or autocross, safety is #1. A proper car setup will have a rollcage and other nifty things. However, that tends to ruin the car for the street, because you really can't drive a car with a cage without a helmet, as your noggin may tend to bounce off of the various rails and tubes. A compromise is a rollbar in the back, or if (like me) you don't plan to actually race but just do HPDE (or autocross), then a harness bar is a slightly lesser compromise, which doesn't interfere with your rear view and generally requires fewer (to sometimes no) permanent modifications to the car.

What I did was use the Braum harness bar ($299) which comes in five pieces... this makes it easier to install and remove, as you are not fighting with one huge piece which is difficult to get in the car and even more difficult to install. The Braum was not quite as easy as I had hoped. One thing is that it's designed for 2015-up Mustangs, but in 2018 (I believe) Ford changed the seatbelt mounts. So aside from the instructions being outdated, I had to do a little cutting of the plastic trim near the mounting points to make room for the bar in my 2020 GT. Part 2 was that nothing really lined-up right. We'll assume vagaries in production of both the car and the bar in addition to the installer (me) being an idiot , and so I used wood working clamps to help align the pieces to get it together. Hence all of the marks and blemishes on the otherwise lovely looking bars that they sent. The bar mounts in the outboard lower seat belt mounts for the front seats, and the child latch mounting points in the rear. No cutting of the seat was necessary, it uses the existing pass-thru.

So, the harness bar carries the shoulder harness. I also needed to mount the lower waist belts, and since I believe in 5 point harnesses, I also needed a mount for the submarine belt. This fifth belt goes in your crotch and holds the harness down, preventing it from sliding up into your stomach, which would be bad. It can also theoretically keep you from submarining (hence the name) under the belts. But you would be using your gonads to keep you in place, which I suspect would be uncomfortable. <cough>

I bought the Watson Racing Harness Lap Belt Mount ($95) for the lower belts, which mounts in the existing seat mounting points. It came with two (of the three) mounting points loops shown. The third one, for the crotch belt, came with the harness but I did have to go buy some washers and a nut.

The harness itself was about $200. Lots of choices for those. You can spend more. Research certifications to determine what you want, and never buy a used one.

Now, this is partly about safety, but also having a harness to keep you in your seat helps TREMENDOUSLY to let you focus on car control rather than struggling to stay seated. It also reduces fatigue and makes for a more enjoyable experience. Remember to turn off (if you choose) the traction control and the radio and HVAC, put on your helmet and shut the door before you tighten the belts. Because otherwise you're taking it all off again.

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[Ewheels]

You may be held in place better but you as a driver in your car are actually less safe now with this harness bar. What happens if your car flips....now you are glued to your seat with no rollover protection above your head. If your car flips, your neck will take all the weight.

In a standard 3 point belt system, your body is free to move out of the way of a collapsing roof in the event of a rollover.

The likelihood of a rollover is probably fairly low but be aware that your car is definitely not safer now.

PS: I hope you're using a HANS device now with belts

 

[fatbillybob]

Their is nothing harder than changing safety equipment for a dual use car. There will always be compromise. The famous Joe Marko from Schroth importer HMS motorsports on several occasions has told us the harness bar without rollover hoop protection and your neck getting broken in a rollover is a red herring.

I would check the harness bar height relative to your shoulder height. With today's harness material (rarely old school nylon belts) stretching less some kind of head neck restraint is mandatory IMO. This adds another 1" to shoulder height. Watch the angles of belt paths. Make sure to use the harness bar lock rings to control the belts sliding on the bar especially is using a Head Neck Restraint.

Check to see if the Watson lap bar is for lap and sub-strap? If it is lap anchor only then consider a schroth 4pt ASM belt setup. If you can mount a sub or weld more metal to reinforce if needed and add sub anchors do 2 sub anchors about 4" from the centerline and use a 6 point harness set-up parachute or climber style unless you have a seat with dedicated sub-hole. You can't use a 5pt without a dedicated subhole and anchor about 10 degrees back from your jewels. 5pt is passe. I would not recommend using it.

The 5pt gives better rollover protection and 6pt better anti-submarine and lock up of lap belts at the hip. That's why you see fast pro cars with 7pt points too but 6 is still the standard. A HANS type head neck restraint (HNR) is more comfortable and seems to work better with the 2" shoulder straps for driver manipulation/comfort but 3" is the standard and both are just as safe in crash tests. My favorite belt was the double shoulder belt HANS (4 shoulder belts) but now only NASCAR SFI certified and not FIA certified anymore. An SFI belt is legal for racing for 2 years and a FIA belt is good for 5 years. SFI HNR is certifed 2 years and FIA HNR certified forever. You will see cost differences depending on the certification on the same devices. If auto-x or HPDE I do not think anyone looks at these dates except maybe the ultimate rule followers...the Porsche club.

I pulled out all my interior from a new october 2019 GT to build my racecar. If you need pristine plastic panels that you cut or the rear seat bottom cushion that the bars hog out the kiddy seat slits I have them if you need.

 

[Grintch]

You may be held in place better but you as a driver in your car are actually less safe now with this harness bar. What happens if your car flips....now you are glued to your seat with no rollover protection above your head. If your car flips, your neck will take all the weight.

In a standard 3 point belt system, your body is free to move out of the way of a collapsing roof in the event of a rollover.

The likelihood of a rollover is probably fairly low but be aware that your car is definitely not safer now.

PS: I hope you're using a HANS device now with belts

So with a higher risk for a 1/1,000,000 rollover vs a lower risk in most other types of collisions (from much better belts)that are far more likely, you think he has reduced safety?

 

[Ewheels]

So with a higher risk for a 1/1,000,000 rollover vs a lower risk in most other types of collisions (from much better belts)that are far more likely, you think he has reduced safety?

Yes, for the reasons above. Most HPDE instructors won't even get in a car that has a harness bar. Race car safety works as intended. Street car safety works as intended. Selected pieces from both do not work together too well.

Look, the likelihood of a rollover is low, yes I agree. I'm just saying don't kid yourself that you've made your car safer cause you haven't. You're held in place better, yes, but safer no.

If you want to be held in place but retain the street car safety, get the Schroth Quick Fit belts. They keep you in place but will break away during a crash and allow your body to move and work with the oem safety system as intended.

 

[strengthrehab]

Not getting into a car with a harness bar must be a SoCal thing--I've never seen that in Ohio or Texas .

 

[1 old racer]

I agree with EWheels as far as road racing competition. A matter of fact 30 years ago when I ran decated track cars I felt that just a roll bar, 4 or 5 point gave you a false sense of security. I was one of those instructors and a pompous a$$ that looked at anyone that ran just a roll bar as a want a be. Then I grew up. I understand not everyone can have all the protection that a cage will offer and they just dont want too cut into their interior to install even a roll bar. I do agree with Ewheels that for HPDE a Schroth Quick Fit belt is the lowest cost with the least impact to keep yourself planted and safe in your seat. However if you autocross a harness bar works great. And I actually have a harness bar in my Mustang that my daughters got me for my last birthday. I used it on my last track event along with my Schroth 4 point harness. and I will more then likely use it again. I guess I like to live a little dangerously.

 

[Grintch]

Not getting into a car with a harness bar must be a SoCal thing--I've never seen that in Ohio or Texas .

If you still have (need) an instructor, it does send a cautionary note. Kinda like the guy who does his first ever track day in the full on race car he just bought, and has never driven.

But yeah, I have done a little instruction, and I would call that instructor a name associated with cats & women unless there was a problem with the hardware or only the driver got the upgraded stuff.

P.S. Real racing has very specific rules on the subject. None of which allow harness bars. But driving your street car on the track is not real racing, and is much safer unless multiple people (driver, other drivers, oraganizers, stewards...) are being complete idiots.

 

[Sargent1]

Not getting into a car with a harness bar must be a SoCal thing--I've never seen that in Ohio or Texas .

or anywhere in the Southeast...

 

[fatbillybob]

But driving your street car on the track is not real racing, and is much safer unless multiple people (driver, other drivers, oraganizers, stewards...) are being complete idiots.

That is not true at all. We know the value of racecar safety systems. Black box survivable incidents are 100g +. We know the survivability of streetcar safety systems at about 50g a 45mph delta. The lowly Mustang is a easy 140mph car. Physics does not care if you hit the wall in a race group or trackday. I would counter with which is safer, on track with all different kinds of horsepower and skill levels in an intermediate group of big egos trying to get into the advanced group, or race group of more skilled drivers with similar HP and laptimes? Finally I would counter with what is the safety system in place at a trackday relative to a race day with SCCA? When we raced the Runoffs at Indy the infield hospital was staffed for us. When a guy crashed and broke his arm at Inde motorsports park we were 2 hours out of Tuscon. SCCA requires 2 ambulances on site for race to take place. That could have been a 2hr delay so SCCA called in the helicopter to fly the guy out so we could continue racing. Race organizations have a safety protocol and more sofisticated car tech inspection for safety? Racing is safer than hiking in and flyfishing a steam .

 

[Grintch]

In racing the SRF I have shared run groups with everything from Formula Continentals and Formula Mazdas to ITC cars (not both at the same time). Which is more performance spread than your typical track day. At least outside the bottom groups (where there can be very wide variation in car prep and driver skill).

But the real driver of the safety differences is no one SHOULD be fighting for every inch and fraction of a second at a track day. A little bump and grind that would be considered normal and incidental in a race would be a big deal at a track day.

 

[fatbillybob]

Every racer is licensed. That's a minimum standard of ability. Some of the speed disparity also comes due to low participation numbers which is the reason for mixed group. Those 3 guys in FC are only competing with themselves if they are even close on laptime.

 

[fatbillybob]

In racing the SRF

Oh...and are you still racing SRF? I have considered it. I'm not a fan of the car but it is pretty cheap and the whole Gen3 thing has put new life in the SRF. I also like the big class. I also think as I get older having a car I can take the body off makes working on it so much easier than the circ de soleil I have to do with a converted streetcar. I'm lukewarm on my new S550 racecar build.

 

[Grintch]

Oddly enough the Gen 3 drove me out, as the upgrade cost was more than I paid for my car, which seemed excessive for 25 hp, and seemed to not address some of the weak points. Ran my last race towards the end of 2018. But breaking my ankle and being old-ish also were a factor.

Tracks days in the Mustang are generally cheaper, are lower stress, and more fun. And seem/feel safer even with no cage.

But yeah, taking the body off in 2 minutes and having good access to most everything is great. And the SRF is overbuilt compared to the typical Sport Racer or Formula car, so I think it is the best car to have in terms of running costs. Cheaper than a Spec Miata for a national class car.

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