Another Drew

My instructor in my last track event scared me into making my S4 safer so I've decided to shop around for some harnesses. I have some newbie questions. Right now, I'm leaning towards a sparco 6-point since it doesn't require drilling or other serious mods.

So here are my questions:

1) Are harnesses safer than the stock safety belts? I won't have a harness bar so there's the added risk of spinal compression. My shoulders are level with the top of the seatback.

2) Do I need to get one for the passenger seat for an instructor? I thought I heard that the passenger deserves the same safety level as the driver, me I'm not against that but I would like to save a few bucks for now.

3) Any opinions on the sparco 6 point? Any others you would consider?

Answers to any of the questions or other tips are greatly appreciated.<p>Andrew Lee
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Sharon

You can also try Schroth (I have a Rallye-4). Pros: reasonably cheap, mounts to standard Audi mounting points, doesn't use harness bar. Cons: no submarine belt, doesn't use harness bar.

Where does the Sparco system mount (especially the lower belts)?<p>Sharon
'00 S4
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Audiboy

seat harness as good as where they are mounted. If the racing harness lap tie down points are on the seat brackets, then you will probably fly with the seat on a head on crash. On my last track event, the track officials told me to use my stock harness along with my 4 point. Since they cannot see the mounting points - same as stock seat belt position, they just wanted to be sure. My only worry is of I get trapped in a burning car unconscious, rescue might leave me behind because I am very well strapped

If you follow installation procedures and do not exceed the minumum angle on the shoulder mount, and if the harness are installed in the stock seat belt mounts, should be ok.

Harness for the passenger is not only for their safety but yours. Nothing worst than a passenger sliding off the seat on a sharp right hander, hitting you, your steering wheel or gear shift taking you out of control. Well, maybe not for the kind of events a street legal car will be subjected to, but better safe than sorry

SKS

be safer with your stock shoulder belt then a 5 or 6 point not mounted with the proper angles.

Another Drew

I didn't check out where they mount. Adam T has the sparco-6 in his S4 and I sat with them, but I didn't get around to checking where they mount. He said he used stock mounting points with no drilling. Is there no good mounting point for the lower belts?<p>Andrew Lee
'00 S4
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Warren Wang

My vote is to stick w/ stock belts unless you get a roll bar. Harnesses don't really
make the car safer. At least not by themselves. They sure do increase driver
comfort though.

Not a bad idea for auto-x, but stick w/ stock for the track (risk of rollovers, and shortening of spinal cords).

Warren

Larrytt

The most important piece of the harness are the angles on the shoulder straps. The minimum angle for safety is 45*. Optimumal is 90*. I am talking about the angle from the shoulder to the mounting point. It is very easy to measure this angle, but in a 4 door sedan you don't have anything to worry about.

You will be folding down your rear seats to use the belts, or you can pull out the rear bottom cushion. It is up to you on how you do the install.

Just attach the shoulder straps to the rear seat belt anchor bolts and you will be just fine.

For those in a TT, you CANNOT install any type of harness safely using the rear lower seatbelt anchors. Those angles are between 23* and 27*. This is why I had a harness bar created!

Larrytt

Warren, I have always used either a 5 or 6pt harness in both my track and auto-x cars. it is much, much safer to use a harness than the factory belts.

the factory belts never hold you in tight. you have to hold on for dear life to the steering wheel and cannot control the car as well doing that.

the only way you can sustain a spinal cord injury with a harness is if the angle of the shoulder belts is less than a 45* angle.

I know how safe a 5pt system is. i had a horrific crash in my GT$ race car 7 yrs ago. i did 6 barrel rolls and 3 nose ot tail rolls. I walked away because i had on a 5 pt harness. I know, the cage and everything else played a roll in it too. just don't down play the importance of being properly strapped into a seat while on a race track.

i wear the lap and sub belts on a daily basis because they hold me in the seats of my TTQ much better than the factory 3 pt belt does.

my $.02

Cameron

... this is to protect instructors and because the incremental difficulty of adding a second harness is nil. Get a real 3" Sabelt harness, if you're paying the money, you might as well get what pro drivers depend on to save the day.

Cameron

Cameron

... the more kinetic energy eaten by steel and the less momentum (measured in millimeters of harness slack) the driver can gain, the better.

Cameron