Racing Harness Legalities
 

Hi Guys.

Did a search on this but it was never really answered.

I'm looking at the possiblity of installing some racing harness' in my car. I've got the proper seats for it (holes in the shoulders).

But what are the legalities/requirements?

• I'm really only doing it because I like the look of them, not for any other reason.
• I don't really want to loose my back seats however - is that even possible.
• I don't plan on taking out the factory seatbelt.
• I understand the physical differences, but what are the (legal) differences of fitting 3/4/5/6 point (eg. Minimum 4 point?)

Cheers,
Chaser

Hi Chaser,

You'd have to check with the RTA to be certain, but when I asked a few years back about installing 1 (drivers seat only) in my XR8 was told that,
1) It has to be attached to the rear parcel shelf (properly, not using the child restraint holes), it can't be attached to the floor behind driver because in a crash the downward force on your spine will crush it (CAMS regulation as well).
2) The right rear door will have to be welded shut & the car to get an engineering certificate & be re-classified as 4 seat not 5 seat vehicle.
Plus a few other things, those two were the major ones.

I was told this by RTA inspection officers at the Carrington (Newcastle) RTA inspection centre (RTA pits).

So how does that work with a hatch? (ie - no parcel shelf)

Don't know?
Would probably have to be bolted to the boot area floor & the (removable) parcel shelf (if you have one) removed, or mounted to a bar, (like a roll cage pipe) that goes across the top of the back seats between the two rear suspension mounting points.

Take a trip over to Carrington & ask.

Have a look at the Cams website, one of the Schedules of the Cams Manual deals with harnesses and gives details of mounting requirements (also when this is raised people talk about the danger of having a harness without a roll cage - you can't duck out of the way if the roof is crushed in). A hatch will need a bar at/near shoulder level to mount the shoulder straps (not the boot floor for reasons mentioned above) - this is where you will need an expert to look at your car. Normally the mount is part of a roll cage, but theoretically could be done without a whole cage. A roll cage manufacturer is probably the best place to start.

If the harness is removeable, then it shouldn't be an RTA issue should it? You can't have a harness and use the seat behind it regardless of legalities.

The easiest way would be to install a proper 4 point cage fitted, as stated not wise without a cage, and have the mount point as part of the cage, keep in mind 4 point cages are legal for road use and most good companies give an engineers certification in case you need it.

All harnesses are removable anyway so you could fit it when you need it only on the track and therefore negate any need to have it engineered for street use as you will remove it before heading back out on the street.

RTA requirement that the harness must need a tool to be removed not the clip inn type the bloke to talk to in newcastle is Athol Mullen he is an approved RTA engineer for body and suspension incl. Rollcages and harnesses.

Cheers
Steve