The more information the better, that way people can decide for them selves what is an acceptable level of risk. I honestly don't really want to get a roll bar but I am being forced to if I want to still run track events.

There is lots of good info this this thread. When I do get a roll bar I want to make sure I do it right.

From the info in this thread it seems that the "safest" way to run a rollbar on the street is to get a roll bar, racing seats and harnesses and always use the harness even on the street.

 

^ And the softest padding you can buy.

Some food for thought. A simple, 5-6 pt harness setup is good for the track(DO NOT USE 4pt's!!!). On a track, everyone is going the same direction at relatively similar speeds. Impact will generally be either from directly behind or directly in front of you. Lateral impacts are generally rare. On the street, side impact chances greatly increase. With a harness in place, the body will not be allowed to move, but the head/neck will. This is bad.

Using a harness on the street also negates a huge part of the airbag's effectiveness as the harness does not allow the body to forward. This movement is necessary to help keep the head/neck/spine in alignment.

On one hand, you have real concerns with metal near your head. On the other hand, properly securing yourself to reduce head-to-bar contact present a different set of concerns. Additionally, using harnesses on the street eliminates the ability to check your blind spots when changing lanes, etc. If you leave the harnesses loose in order to perform such a task, you have no protection from the bar nor are you secure in the cockpit.

Long story short, if you're putting a bar in for looks and driving on the streets, your sense of invincibility is misplaced.

 

A few thoughts from an old man:

1. Not many accidents on the street involve a roll over, or other movement that would cause your head to hit the roll bar.
2. If you are driving a convertable with no roll bar and you do roll over, your head, and/or neck, is probably toast anyhow.
3. If you do not intend on tracking the car, the roll bar does add unnecessary additional head injury opportunity.
4. The cross bar (or whatever its called) is probably where your head will hit first. I would pad that well.
5. Its all crap shoot

 

Very well said.

I wonder how well the CG-Lock works in preventing vertical displacement, I assume MUCH better than ordinary seat belts. Just a thought.

 

Maybe a little. When a car recognizes an impact, the oem seat belts lock in place. The CG-Lock keeps the lap belt tight at all times. I used to use one. Great for things such as autox/track, but I'm not sure if it would add anything during impact. Can't hurt though.

 

Qualifier: Truth... you are old.

1. Agree about roll-over, hence my statement earlier in the thread regarding driving within the laws of the road.

2. In a Miata, yes. In an S2000, I would think one would survive more often than not.

3. Agree, and makes one look like a poser.

4. yes, pad.

5. Ironic choice of words for the two of us.

 

cool info guys!

 

SHOOT being the litteral word

 

So you have more risk both using harnesses on the street with a roll bar as well as using a normal seat belt with a roll bar... screwed if you do, screwed if you don't

 

Jim, you're correct. It's a no-win situation. Considering all things, it comes down to what kind of seats you have in the car for DD'ing. If your seat does not allow oem belts to sit against your waist as most race seats do not, don't use the oem belts. If using oem seats, I'd go with the lesser of the evils and use the oem belts.

In most states, running with aftermarket harnesses in lieu of oem belt protection is against the law, or so I've been told.