Hi, i'm interested to install a 4 point harnesses,

would be nice to have some installation hints and see some photo to understand which is the best method for the installation.

ciao!

tempman

 

To do it safely you're going to need a rollbar and a 5 or 6 pt. harness. Never run a rollbar without a harness and never run harnesses without a rollbar. There are a ton of threads on this topic, btw.

 

Isn't this in a FAQ somewhere? Anyway, as far as I know there is only one brand of 4-pt belts (Schroth ASM) that has a workable anti-sub design. 5 or 6 points would probably still be better.

 

Unless it is a Schroth ASM 4-point you run an increased risk of abdominal injuries when using a 4-point harness as compared to the OEM 3-point system. 5-, 6-, and 7-point harnesses do not have the same issue because the sub-belt prevents the lap belt from riding up onto you abdomen.

Of equal importance is to have a way to properly attach the harness to the car. The only safe way to do that is with an aftermarket rollbar with harness mounting points.

Here's a link to the FAQ that I compiled.

 

Why is their ASM 4 point version an exception?
And does it still require a harness bar?
Or is the ASM 4 point model just safer than it's competition?

 

ASM = Anti-Submarining technology. Here's a link to the HMS motorsports page on their Profi- harnesses. Just scroll down to the ASM variant.

Basicly, without ASM the lap belt of a 4-point harness has increased risk of riding up onto your abdomen during rapid frontal deceleration (as in hitting a brick wall). The shoulder straps in a 4-point system will lift the lab belt up more than you expect. The only way to keep the lap belt in position is with a substrap or an energy release section of the ASM shoulder strap that allows forward movement and slight rotation of the chest.

Any properly installed multi-point harness requires the use of a harness bar at the correct height (even or slightly lower than your shoulder), or some other form of secure attachment to a rigid member of the car at that height.

 

Gotchya, thanks a lot. I just read your FAQ thread. Good stuff.

Question (noob) - is it possible to remove the softop, and fashion brackets that are placed in the back of the softop bay, and attach the harnesses there? You can see that the angle from the [aftermarket] belt holes is only a slight incline from the back of the softop bay. I don't know if there is the necessary structural integrity back there, but perhaps?

 

IMO, the only way to securely mount the shoulder straps of a multi-point harness in an S2000 is attaching them to a harness bar on an aftermarket rollbar. I described a method in the FAQ that I wrote that attaches one of the shoulder straps to the bulkhead, but it's not a method I endorse any more.

 

Why? I understand the second part. Please explain the first.

 

A harness holds you in position more than the stock 3-point restraint. I think the concern is that you are more likely to bash yourself on the roll bar if you aren't in a harness.