Why are Schroth/Sparco harnesses so $$$?
 

I'm working with Mark at AMT Motorsports to put together a harness bar, seats, harnesses and rails package for my C5. Mark has been very helpful, but when he recommended certain Schroth/Sparco harnesses, I got sticker shock. Can anyone tell me the advantages of these belts over lower priced ones at Jegs/Summit Racing?
Thanks.
Spaggs
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Just a note from personal experience since I'm not sure which models you are looking at. Last year, a friend bought a set of cheaper sparcos for his rally car. They were awful because the brackets that clip into the cam lock, were huge. The bracket that is part of the lock has like a "T" bar that digs into your legs, its like it wasn't designed to be used by a person, just to look good on a shelf.
Since then, I've noticed all the high dollar models use very small brackets around the lock that wont dig into you. We have since switched them for a set of Sabelt belts. 100% improvement in driver comfort! I'm don't think you should write sparco off altogether as I think some of their higher end stuff looks better. Just a detail to keep an eye out for when picking out your next set of belts.

Many of us race. For example SCCA mandates "dated" FIA or SFI belts. *****SFI are certified for 2 years will FIA belts are 5 years.***** Also SFI have 16.1 16.2, 16.5 and 16.6 rated belts. The 16.5 belts are certified for a higher load and the 16.6 adds the 7th point to the high load belt. So if you are a heavy driver or high HP car consider the 16.5+ SFI belt or FIA belt. Also 16.5+ SFI belts and FIA belts cannot be rewebbed. SFI's are nylon and FIA's are lower stretch polyester. All this costs more or less depending on what you select.

i would recommend Hooker Harnesses or Race Quip FIA belts 2", have used both w/o issue

Fatbillybob,
Thanks for the input. That is good info. The higher the rating, the better the harness will keep my a$$ planted during a wreck. Makes sense.
Spaggs

I usually follow this rule of thumb, don't skimp on safety gear. if its protecting your life spend the bucks.

Typically the difference is the quality of hardware (when comparing belts with the same SFI/FIA rating), particularly the adjusters and cam lock. We have used Schroth Profi FIA belts in the last four road race cars we have built. Love them.

We just started an autocross project car and opted to go with a less expensive setup, so we picked up the RaceQuip 2" FIA harness, very impressed with the hardware quality. Adjusters rival the more expensive units, and I find the loop ends on the belts much easier to pull than the foam filled/stitched ends on the Schroth we use.

In my C5 and C6 I used G Force Polyester belts. They run about half what a Schroth Harness will run. For the years I ran them the harnesses were stiff and not comfortable. The Schroth Harnesses aren't exactly soft but they are much less stiff than the G Force ones and as I have used them they have become more pliable. Given they are FIA rated with a 5 year rating Vs a 2 year rating and are more comfortable they are the better purchase especially if you need to replace your belts when the rating period ends.

Bill

I've been reading about adjuster and cam lock weight being a factor. Does this make a difference? It seems like weight would not be due to the compression already exerted by the tightened belts. The more expensive harnesses highlight this weight savings.
Thanks.
Spaggs

I don't understand your question with compression and weight mixed together. I currently am using the Schroth Profi II ASM harness assemblies in my C7. I chose the street legal cam lock that has the huge red button with a Push label on it (for emergency workers to see). I believe that cam lock is a little lighter than my G Force cam lock which was fairly bulky. When trying the various belts at the store I was certain the street version was heavier than the race version cam lock.

As far as I know the reason they strive to reduce weight is because weight is king in a race car. Take weight out and the car accelerates better, corners better and stops better. Removing weight is free horsepower and reduced cost of consumables all in one package. Just getting weight lower in the car helps immensely. It is accomplished ounce by ounce which is why safety equipment weight is just as important as any other kind of weight.

Bill

Hi Bill - I usually recommend Sparco or Schroth because that's what I've run in my own race car. I'm familiar with the quality, comfort, operation, and the installation. As I've gotten older (and maybe a little wiser) and became a daddy and seen my buddy's crash cars (including my own!) I've gotten to the point where I don't scrimp on safety. We feel we offer the best manufactured products available on the market and want to complement that by selling the best parts to go with it. I don't list Corbeau and Racequip stuff on my site because I wouldn't run it in my own car, so I don't try and sell it to my customers.

To Fat Billy Bob's point, SFI and FIA ratings are different. All the Sparco belts I sell are FIA rated and good for 5 years. That might not matter in an HPDE setting where no one cares or bothers to check but it means a lot for us racers who don't want to throw out perfectly good belts every 2 years.

If you want to save a couple bucks you can look around some of the G Force Racing belts. I can get you a discount on those as well. But as I've tried to illustrate above, I know nothing about their quality and I've never used them myself, so I tend not to recommend them to customers. Let me know if I can be of any further assistance.

http://www.vetteworksonline.net/cata...roducts_id=241

This is the one I use. It's comfortable and affordable. SFI rated.

Just piling on what others have said here. I've used Schroth, Teamtech, Autopower, GForce, not sure what else over the years for HPDE/time trials/autoX. For wheel-to-wheel you need to factor in the expiration date, but for HPDE it's not an issue with most organizations. Most will accept expired belts as long as they're in good condition.

The Schroth and Teamtech seem to be nicer than the others I've used. When you're in a car with your helmet, Hans, and gloves on, it can be tough to see everything. That means you need to go by feel. The biggest difference I notice with the Schroth harnesses is the pliability that Bill Dearborn noted, and the smooth and easy release of the belts. With the GForce for example, you have to tug and pull on the belts a lot more to get them to release, and the same goes for when you're trying to snug them down. With the Schroth, they release much more consistently with less pressure, and they are super easy to tighten down to really hold you in place. The cam locks are typically nicer on the more expensive belts as well. The belts are super easy to connect into the center with very little pressure, and the mechanism works smoothly. I've been fortunate in that I've never had to exit a car in a hurry for an emergency. If I did, I'd want to be able to release everything as quickly and easily as possible to get the hell out of dodge. Also, comfort is important. If you're comfortable and relaxed you'll drive better.

If you shop for expired/used belts, a few things to keep in mind... Look for ones that have as little visible wear as possible. They should not have been installed and sat in the sun for years. The sun breaks down the material. Make sure the cam locks work smoothly and properly. Don't even waste your time with a latch lock setup. I had one on of those on my first autoX car twenty years ago, and it was a total pain in the arse!

Thanks for all of the replies! I think I have settled on a set of belts that seem to be not too expensive, but of good quality. I'm leaning toward the Sabelt Stainless Steel with all belts being 2" wide. They retail for $300.00 each for the six point and other than being a little heavier, are like their higher priced sets. Anybody have experience with these?
Thanks again for the responses!
Spaggs