Performance seats - 5 point harness compatible?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 666
Likes: 28
From: Saratoga Springs NY
Performance seats - 5 point harness compatible?
Just a question for those who have seen the performance seats in person - is there a hole in the bottom of the seat to install an anti-sub belt? That would be stupendous if the performance seats really meant you didn't need to install a true racing seat for serious track duty (and by serious I mean instructor-level hpdes, but not racing).
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 9,592
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From: Palm Harbor not far from Sebring Florida
St. Jude Donor '11
Oldtimer
If the seats in the red car at the Chicago Auto Show were the competition seats, then know they are not equipped with that provision.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,641
Likes: 2,689
From: Pacific Northwest
The competition seats are listed in the sales brochure as delayed availability. Don't know whether that means that they are still under development and will be modified later but before being production available, or just that they are going to be as they have already been shown --just late.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 40,995
Likes: 9,759
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
If you have a good seat that holds you in place you really don't need anymore than a 3 point harness. The seat is what keeps your body from sliding around. The belts only need to hold you in the seat so cinching a 3 point and running the seat forward to make it tight will work just as well. The cinch feature does a fair job on a C6 if the side bolsters are pumped up to their max and is competitive with pretty much any stock system on the market. It is amazing how many people don't know how to use the cinch feature to get their belts tight. I have taken other instructors that owned C6s for rides and had to help them get the belt tight. Like Darrell says get those belts tight.
Bill
Bill
Racer
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 454
Likes: 40
From: Fremont CA
What feature are you referring to, and how does it work?...
Geoff
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 666
Likes: 28
From: Saratoga Springs NY
If you have a good seat that holds you in place you really don't need anymore than a 3 point harness. The seat is what keeps your body from sliding around. The belts only need to hold you in the seat so cinching a 3 point and running the seat forward to make it tight will work just as well.
Bill
Bill
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 666
Likes: 28
From: Saratoga Springs NY
You pull the seat belt all the way out, and then when it comes back against your body it's locked in. Too further tighten it you pull it back further against your body by feeding it "back in" to the seat belt mechanism over your shoulder, if that visual makes and sense. It works, but a proper race harness it is not.
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Pouria Savadkouei
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2013
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I also use a HANS device and would love it if the new seats could work with a harness. Regardless as to how good the seats hold you, there is no replacement for a harness IMO because even the best seats can't hold you in place like a damn tight harness.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 666
Likes: 28
From: Saratoga Springs NY
http://www.cobraseats.com/Evolution-Pro
Racer
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 407
Likes: 6
From: Bluffton SC
To rephrase the question... What is the chance the various HPDE organizers around the country are going to approve a 5 pt harness with these seats? That would be a convenience and a savings. Otherwise they are just for show.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 152
Likes: 3
From: Austin Texas
I used to have a 300+ lbs. crewmember tighten my harness belts. All you have to do is hit a wall once to learn tight harnesses reduce injuries. Six point harnesses spread the impact load over more areas of the car, and are less likely to tear loose under multi-g impacts. Good racing seats are also built for high g impacts. I plan to buy the base seats, and add a real racing seat, six point harness, and HANS device before tracking a C7. It does mean you will have an extra hole or two in the floor for the submarine strap. Once we see the C7, pulling a stock seat will let everyone look at the options for mounting safety equipment.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 10,445
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From: Northern VA
"Ask Tadge" Producer
Or you could invest in a TeamTech JetPilot harness and be done with it.
jas