Josh Sirota wrote:
> I believe that lots of people are running harness bars under the guise of
> safety, but they are really there for structural enhancement.
>
There is a certain amount of truth to this statement, especially in Solo2
where most people don't want their shoulders locked down.
> Especially since the
> Corvette has that nifty "cinch" feature on the shoulder belts that
> cause it
> to act like a fixed harness -- why do you need to add another harness
> when
> the factory one has the same function? Hmm, is there some other purpose?
>
FYI- the sinch is across the lap. The shoulder part doesn't lock for either
the C4 or C5 unless there is an impact.
> The thing that I question about this particular harness bar is that
> because
> it attaches in more than one place on each side, and is a large solid
> piece
> of metal (not, for example, telescoping), it appears to me that it would
> stiffen the chassis.
>
The "telescoping" reference was specifically removed from the rules last
year
because there were competitors having special telescoping bars
constructed in
such a way as to make them stiffer than any solid bar could be. And
before any
one says this can't be done....it was done. And this isn't the only
solid bar out
there being used.
> Yes, all of those roll bars stiffen the chassis a lot more than any
> harness
> bar. I think they shouldn't be legal either, in stock (but they are, as
> long as they meet all of the various construction and height requirements
> outlined in the rules).
>
> And for those of you who are going to say that any harness is safer
> than any
> factory belt, I will buy that only if the harness is mounted in a
> proper way
> and has the appropriate safety certifications. A home-grown harness
> mounting that mounts to a rear seat baby-mount tether bolt, for
> example, is
> not in any way safer than a stock safety belt. I think that if you
> are not
> wearing a properly-mounted harness, that you should have to ALSO wear
> your
> stock belt. I'll bet our insurance underwriters already think we're all
> wearing industry-approved safety belts. In actually, lots of us
> aren't, and
> I think if the insurance company ever realized that that we'd be in a
> load
> of trouble.
>
>
I always fastened my factory belt first, and then the harness (or lap belt).
I was perpared to wear the harness if needed. I practiced with it on, but
since no one else was doing it I just used the lap belt (and the factory
belt)
at Nationals.
I guess what we need is a protest to see what holds. I'm sure glad this
isn't
an issue for me this year as I've got enough problems already.
Scott Troyer
SS#171
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