Re: Improved Seat Belt/Racing Harness

["Lawson, Dave" <dlawson@ball.com>]

John, 
>
Is there a harness I can get which will use my standard mounting points and
which is an improvement over the standard belts, or am I wasting time and
money?  I saw some reference on the Jetta GLX list to a Scroth 4 which
apparently uses the standard mounting points.

All input would be appreciated.
>
I too have thought about installing a harness(s) into my 83 ur-q
but have not yet done it, because I haven't yet figured out a safe
and correct way of doing it. The reason to install a harness, is 
for increased car control and safety. But when you do some
research you will find that Schroth says the ur-q/4000q/coupe 
seats are not strong enough to support the harness on the seat
back. And when you go deeper into the harness issue, you learn 
that you don't want the harness to rest on your shoulders, as this
could lead to a spinal compression problem. I think you want the 
belts to rest/bend on an object above your shoulders, which implies
a harness bar shoulde be installed across the B pillar or 
aftermarket/race seat which will support the belts above your 
shoulders. BTW, the 5000//200 seats along with the later 
80/90/coupe Q are rated as having a strong enough frame to 
support the harness.

I rode in Gary Palumbo's ur-q at Watkins Glen this year with
harness installed for both driver and passenger and they really 
hold you into the seat. Gary uses both a race seat and has a 
full cage installed for mounting the harness. An interesting solution
I saw at watkins glen was the frame installed in Jeff Donnelly's
91 200 TQW, maybe Jeff can add more about it. It was a 
custom built triangular metal frame which installed behind the
drivers seat and  it passively supports the seat back from the 
rear and is tall enough to support the harness at seatback level.
It bolted in the seat rails and under the rear seat and Jeff said
it can be installed/removed in <5 minutes. I am thinking of
adapting something like this into my ur-q, supports seat
and harness, installs/removes quickly and still allows the rear 
seat to be used when not in place.

If anyone has seen other correct/safe solutions for harness
mounting in an ur-q, I would like to hear them.
-
Dave Lawson
90 200 TQW
83 ur-q