harness bar - alternative use?

[billjr212]

So I stubbornly ignored the warnings and got the harness bar from factory five. After measuring, testing, remeasuring, sitting, changing seats, etc, I have come to terms with the fact that it is simply useless as a harness bar. Love the look of it, but the problem is ultimately that the distance between the bottom of the bar and top of the roll bar is too short for anything but a child's head once you factor in a helmet, meaning it is impossible to get the necessary downward angle from your shoulders for a 4, 5, or 6 point harness.

As such, has anyone figured out a cool or functional alternative use of the harness bar? Could be entirely unrelated to the 818.

[Buzz Skyline]

Bummer. I was hoping to use the factory bar for harnesses eventually. This is the first I've heard that they don't work. So, how are you going to mount your harnesses?

I can't think of alternative uses at the momenr. Could you post a pic? It might generate some ideas.

[Mechie3]

I used the harness bar in my car and I think it's just about level with my shoulders. I did change the spacers though. You don't need a downward angle. Anywhere from horizontal to 4" below shoulders is ok. You're correct about the roll bar height though. That's not a harness bar problem, that's a roll bar problem. Even with my thin seat mounted nearly on the floor my head it barely under the roll bar. They know this, which is why the R has a taller roll height. IMO, they designed the roll bar more for aesthetics than fitting people on the S.

[billjr212]

I still haven't decided how I'm going to mount my harness - the problem is that the tabs for the harness bar mount should be a couple inches lower and the bar should be appropriately longer (since the roll bar legs run on an angle outwards). I may run a bolt vertically through the square tubing and use a harness with tabs as seen in GUNS build thread. http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showthread.php?8691-GUNS-818SR-Build-Thread&p=183254&viewfull=1#post183254

Craig - how is your head clearing the roll bar when your shoulders at at the height of the harness bar? My math says it's not possible without the harness bar being lower or the roll bar being higher. Obviously moving the harness bar down is much easier (if you are factory five and in charge of mounting the tabs in the first place).

I snapped 2 photos to illustrate the math problem at hand.

11" from bottom of harness bar to top of roll bar.
http://i1304.photobucket.com/albums/s536/billjr212/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20150103_131940_671_zpsfchcndgx.jpg (http://s1304.photobucket.com/user/billjr212/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20150103_131940_671_zpsfchcndgx.jpg.html)

12" = height of neck ring plus helmet (proxy for shoulders to top of helmet)
http://i1304.photobucket.com/albums/s536/billjr212/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20150103_132051_941_zpsehorwwlr.jpg (http://s1304.photobucket.com/user/billjr212/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_20150103_132051_941_zpsehorwwlr.jpg.html)

[billjr212]

To be fair, the tabs are meant for the 3 point factory belt. FFR simply tried to force a harness bar to work with the same points, which it won't.

If you raise the seat high enough so your shoulders are at the harness bar, your head is above the roll bar. If you lower the seat so your head clears, you will have an upwards angle on your shoulder harnesses.

[JAubin]

I ran into a number of problems, this one included when sorting out my seating/harness setup. I was planning on seeing if I couldn't fab up a steel bracket that bolts between the harness bar mount tabs, and the seat belt mounts below. I think
there would be some parts you'd have to avoid, but then you create a mount point roughly in the middle of them (just above/below the horizontal square tubing). I'm not sure it's worth the effort of just bolting the upper harness mounts to that square tubing, but I want to use the harness bar since I bought it.

[Bob_n_Cincy]

I didn't get a harness bar because it was to high for Mike and I.
I'm 6'0" 290# and Mike is 6'3" 270.
Our custom thin seat is on the floor to get us as low as possible. Gas tank is in front to get seat all the wall back and give us some leg room.
We took our harness over the square tube and connected it eye bolts in the middle square tube.
Bob

37194 37195 37196

[C.Plavan]

Some say 10 degree angle down from horizontal, but 20 degrees is widely accepted.
http://www.schroth.com/installation-instructions/en/images/image_033.gif

And while we are talking belts, I have noticed too many people using the FFR submarine belt tabs which 95% of the people here should never use. Depending on your seat, it can be very dangerous. The submarine belt is made to mount slightly BEHIND your chest line, NOT in front where that tab is welded in. So double check that also.

http://www.livermoreperformance.com/images/Products/Crow/installation1.gif

[gpaterson]

One of the many alterations I made to the chassis was to add a proper harness bar with eyelets at a level where a HANS device can be used safely.

37258

[billjr212]

One of the many alterations I made to the chassis was to add a proper harness bar with eyelets at a level where a HANS device can be used safely.

37258

Interesting and nice work. Looks like it was meant to be there from the start, though that still looks a little high. Will you be bolting the harness up from the bottom to that bar? I take it you will need to make some substantial changes to the engine cover as well for that to work?

Cool to see a RHD build in progress!

[Mechie3]

Craig - how is your head clearing the roll bar when your shoulders at at the height of the harness bar? My math says it's not possible without the harness bar being lower or the roll bar being higher. Obviously moving the harness bar down is much easier (if you are factory five and in charge of mounting the tabs in the first place).


I'll have to go look again. I probably have a slight incline, though without a helmet my head is just under the rollbar. A helmet probably sticks over. IMO, FFR should have made the S roll bar higher (though maybe not as high as the R).

[gpaterson]

Interesting and nice work. Looks like it was meant to be there from the start, though that still looks a little high. Will you be bolting the harness up from the bottom to that bar? I take it you will need to make some substantial changes to the engine cover as well for that to work?

Cool to see a RHD build in progress!

Cheers for your comments.

It is actually about the right height when the harness is used with a HANS device such as http://racetech.co.nz/shop/racing-products/hans-device/hans-professional. It makes your belts sit about 50mm higher which is about the right height for the harness bar. There is some adjustment though based on the adjustment of seat height (the Sparco seats I have a bolted to the floor pan but have adjustment of about 100mm).

I am intending to make a hardtop for the car so am not hugely concerned about any interference with the engine cover.

The RHD build has had its challenges due mainly to differences in RHD and LHD WRXs. Still I think I am through most of that now.

[GUNS]

I'll have to go look again. I probably have a slight incline, though without a helmet my head is just under the rollbar. A helmet probably sticks over. IMO, FFR should have made the S roll bar higher (though maybe not as high as the R).

Yea, I'm pretty unhappy with how they designed the roll bar on the S. They HAD to know that even though it's their street version, many people would be tracking them. Sam with not providing harness mounting points. WTF?