Fitting a three point race harness. Advice needed!!

[Colin Barratt]

Hi,

My Sportster came to me with a standard retracting Toyota harness and I would like to replace it with a three point Willans "race" harness I've had for a while. What advice do you have about the type and position of the fixings?

The existing belts have flat plate fixings which are bolted to the inner face of the chassis rail and I am a bit concerned that the eyebolts that came with the harness will foul the runners of the MX5 seats which come very close to the sides. Is it feasible to fix the eyebolts to the floor behind the seat using spreaders if there isn't enough space or can they be used in the original mountings? Whereabouts should the eyebolt for the upper strap be fixed?

Looking forward to reading your thoughts.

Colin Barratt

[stevejgreen]

Re: Fitting a three point race harness. Advice needed!!

The current M1 IVA manual, not that it will entirely relevant, has 18 pages devoted to seat belt anchorages, with several diagrams to help.

[cameronfurnival]

Re: Fitting a three point race harness. Advice needed!!

eyebolts can protrude quite a way, if you can keep the original bolts so much the better but if your belts clip on then that's a no-no. That being said, you should look at Jason Cundall's website (A Gooster is born) and he has some pics of how he fitted a race harness and you can see the eyebolts etc quite clearly. http://www.greatoldone.co.uk/

[greatoldone]

Re: Fitting a three point race harness. Advice needed!!

Beaten to it. But the pic links dont seem to work. Here they are again

Cockpit eyes - close to my seat bars / spreaders:


Turning bar:


Rear eye - this is right at the back of the tub when it's fitted, and would be easier installed with the bodywork off:


The belt passes through the rear bulkhead through this chrome trim, over the turning bar and then splits into two belts that eventually get clipped into the cockpit eyes:



My seatbelts dont interfear with my seats - but mine aren't MX5 ones.

[Tony Stott]

Re: Fitting a three point race harness. Advice needed!!

^, ^ ^ still don't work!!

[greatoldone]

Re: Fitting a three point race harness. Advice needed!!

Swapped links to the images in my gallery with direct links the underlying jpg files. Try now.

[Tony Stott]

Re: Fitting a three point race harness. Advice needed!!

Brill! works!! Thanks

[Colin Barratt]

Re: Fitting a three point race harness. Advice needed!!

Thanks Guys.
Using the communal advice I have now beaten the problem into submission.
The side eyebolts did JUST fit between the tub and the MX5 seats and allowed the clips on the harness to work correctly although the harness could only be fitted when the seats were out. I wasn't happy with a floor mounted eyebolt at the rear because it would need the harness to pass through a "letterbox" in the bodywork or go over a crossbar on the roll bar. In the end I used a compromise system.The original builder had drilled, reinforced and threaded the uprights of the roll bar so that he could fit a standard retracting lap/diagonal belt system. I have used the upper mounting points to locate 7/16 HT bolts which carry a length of square 30mm stainless tubing across the roll bar. This was a bit more of a fiddle because the threaded fittings were angled in towards the centreline of the car. This was overcome with reciprocally angled spacers. I consulted with a recognised specials builder who felt that the material and fixings were up to it. I then looped the rear sections of the harness over the tubing. In due course I may use rear mounted eyebolts as well.
Thanks again for your advice - it was very helpful.
Colin.