95 Sparco Harness Bar- installation help?
#1
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
95 Sparco Harness Bar- installation help?
My bar came without any instructions, I am sure its supposed to be self explanatory but if anyone has one and has installed it, a little help would be appreciated! 95 Coupe
#3
Burning Brakes
Member Since: Jul 2003
Location: Nashville TN
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My 2 cents
I have a custom harness bar that has similar specs to a manufactured piece, but I can't recall which brand. Anyways, all I had to do was disconnect the upper seat belt mounting point and basically installed and anchored mine in to place. With that said, I had to remove the chest belt portion so that only the lap belt can be used which isn't a major concern considering I have the harness. Hope this helps.
#5
Burning Brakes
Member Since: Jul 2003
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I believe they are used for additional stability, mine had these also and I never installed them with no issues. Now 6 years have gone by and nothing has shifted whatsoever
#6
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
Well I just about have the bar installed "my way" ha to ditch stock seatbelts, guess that was right . My washers that came with bar seem to small, gonna buy new washers today. Am I right in removing complete stock belts, I could see no other way for it mount.
#7
Team Owner
I also have a Sparco bar for my '87 and didn't get any install instructions
The two small tubes should have come with small heim joint ends for each end of the tube. There should also be a pair of L-shaped brackets. These brackets are supposed to mount to the bottom bolt for the factory seat belt assembly (where the take-up reel is located) The tube mounts to that bracket and to the small tab on the harness bar. Guess the idea of the small tube is to keep the harness bar from rotating.
#9
Team Owner
My harness bar is not installed yet and I won't be deleting the stock seat belts. My 87 sees some street use and WA state law prohibits the use of a harness belt for street use.
The bolt kit I got was incomplete, at least the bolts for the bar mounting. They were too short and the wrong thread pitch. I had to work with the seller to get the correct ones but I will still have to build some tubular shims and I'll be getting a variety of washers.
What I found in the initial fit was that a tubular shim is necessary between the flat part of the harness mounting tab and the side of the B-pillar. The plastic trim sits about 3/4 away from the B-pillar and if I were to simply tighten the mounting bolts, the trim piece would break.
When you bolt the bar in place, I would recommend cleaning the female threads in the B-pillar and the lower frame mounting threaded holes. GM used a threadlocker in the initial install and over the years, it will have dried out. I'm going to use some Loctite Blue to keep the bolts in place. Same with the small bolts for the tubular rods and the OEM bottom seat belt bolts.
The bolt kit I got was incomplete, at least the bolts for the bar mounting. They were too short and the wrong thread pitch. I had to work with the seller to get the correct ones but I will still have to build some tubular shims and I'll be getting a variety of washers.
What I found in the initial fit was that a tubular shim is necessary between the flat part of the harness mounting tab and the side of the B-pillar. The plastic trim sits about 3/4 away from the B-pillar and if I were to simply tighten the mounting bolts, the trim piece would break.
When you bolt the bar in place, I would recommend cleaning the female threads in the B-pillar and the lower frame mounting threaded holes. GM used a threadlocker in the initial install and over the years, it will have dried out. I'm going to use some Loctite Blue to keep the bolts in place. Same with the small bolts for the tubular rods and the OEM bottom seat belt bolts.
#10
Melting Slicks
Thread Starter
OK, I got the bar installed, no thanks to any instructions or correct hardware. I was able to re-use stock seatbelts. I had to buy my own correct size washers and not super sure I have it installed to specs but I think its solid. I have my 5 point harness' wrapped around bar but waiting on seat hardware to anchor the rest of the 5 point. This has been an adventure.