[Moog] In this episode of Mighty Car Mods we're gonna show you guys how to install a racing harness.
[INTRODUCTION THEME]
[Moog] Welcome to another episode of Mighty Car Mods.
[Moog] Now when it comes to safety, you can't really put a price on it.
[Moog] And even though we DIY hack like a couple of backyard bosses.
[Moog] One of the best things about doing Mighty Car Mods.
[Moog] Is when we get some awesome expert to help us out.
[Moog] And today, we've got one of the best and he's gonna run us through how to install a mad racing harness.
[Moog] Now this is Adam, hello Adam.
[Adam] G'day buddy.
[Moog] Um, Adam is from AGI Sport, also they make roll-cages. They've made roll-cages for the 180.
[Moog] For 2SEXY, also for uh Mod Max. But they also have a motor-sport team.
[Moog] So I thought Adam was probably the best person to uh, teach us. I'm assuming you've installed a few seat belts in your time?
[Adam] Yea I certainly have mate, we've built a lot of race cars over the years and um, you have seat belts in all of them.
[Moog] OK, well can you give me a quick rundown before we kick off.
[Moog] What are the different sorts of seat belts and harnesses, what they do, what they don't do. Starting from just your standard factory seat belt.
[Adam] Yea that's right, it starts with the factory seat belt for sorta club days, track days and whatnot.
[Adam] And then it steps up to a racing harness so, that racing harness starts with a four point. So two shoulder straps and a lap strap.
[Adam] From there it goes to a five point so, one between the crotch and then to a six point which is the ultimate in safety with two between the crotch.
[Adam] No, no racing harness is legal for the street. It's a bit of a strange one. But um, yea because they are very safe.
[Adam] Yea so, the standard belt is legal for road use. But once you get into competition work, it starts to become a racing harness is needed then.
[Adam] So depending on the level of motor racing you do is, you know the more belts are involved.
[Adam] So the highest level of motor racing in this country, say racing at Bathurst or one of the tarmac rallies. It's a six point for sure
[Moog] Before we kick off, I wanna mention that this 180SX came with a four point racing harness.
[Moog] And in some circumstances, these can actually be more dangerous then an OEM belt.
[Moog] Due to something called "Submarining", which is where the driver can slip down under the lap belt during a collision. Which can cause serious damage.
[Moog] At the same time, it's worth mentioning that a four point harness is a technical requirement for some competition driving.
[Moog] So as always when it comes to safety, you need to do your own research based on your needs and speak to a professional.
[Moog] OK so we're gonna be installing a four point harness in the 180SX.
[Moog] On these belts they literally say, um that this belt is is not valid for use after 2003.
[Moog] Now Adam, unlike cheese I'm assuming these don't go off. Why do they have an expiry date on them at all?
[Adam] Yea look there'd be a couple of reasons. Uh, one would be wear and tear over a number of years. So you know the scrutiny is after a certain amount of time they'd wanna see new belts put into a race car.
[Adam] The other would be standards improve. So what was relevant safety wise 15 years ago, they may have made improvements by now.
[Adam] So they want to see the latest safety equipment introduced into race cars like this one.
[Moog] Alright so these ones here, up to 2020. So we've got a few years out of that.
[Adam] Uh, I mean the roll cage you've already got in your car has already got the eye bolts in there. So you can simply undo this and clip the harness on it's ready to go.
[Adam] The other way around is a lot of the rally guys do this method, is to wrap the shoulder strap around the bar and back in through this bracket here.
[Moog] Oh, which is how it's been done on the car already if we have a look at this.
[Moog] It's probably a good time actually to show those two different options, back here.
[Adam] You can see they've wrapped the shoulder straps around the harness bar there.
[Moog] Is there a preference of whether you use eyelets or whether you use the wrapping method?
[Adam] Look both are allowed, it seems to be a personal preference. You know, a lot of the drift sorta guys will go for a clip-on because it's easy to install.
[Adam] Rally guys and I guess race cars are a little more serious, they'll go for a wrap around style.
[Moog] OK, is there some benefit to wrapping as opposed to clipping?
[Adam] Look some of the manufacturers do recommend the wrap around, but they also provide the clip-on.
[Moog] So like a lot of things, it's confusing. Alright, what do you think we should do?
[Adam] Uh, look the eye bolts are there. So why don't we use them.
[Moog] Great alright, good answer. OK let's get to it.
[Marty] So these are the tools you're gonna need. You're gonna need imperial spanners, the reason for that is in most cars the seat belt systems are imperial, even if the entire rest of the car is metric.
[Marty] You see it in Subarus, lots of Japanese stuff as well. You do have imperial bolts.
[Marty] You're also gonna need the nut that matches, now these are a specific thread also they are not metric. If you use a metric nut on it, you will ruin the thread and potentially that's not safe, so make sure you get the right thing.
[Marty] The eyelets often come with the fitting kits, as do plates which sit under the car. That these then sandwich into, you may need to drill a hole to do it. In our case we're lucky its already been done.
[Marty] But it should come with the entire kit and that is all you need to install your mad harness.
[Moog] The first thing you need to do is drill a hole for the front eyelets with a steel plate on the underside.
[Andy] The required underside plate is a 50mm x 75mm x 3mm thick plate with a 7/16 UNF nut on the underside.
[Andy] So you drill it from the top, put the eye bolt through, put the plate on the underside and tighten it up.
[Moog] For somebody who doesn't have this setup then. There's only going to be for a drivers seat, there's only going to be two holes that need to be drilled. And that is obviously on either side.
[Moog] Are the locations of those specific to where the entry point for the belt is on the seat?
[Andy] Yea, the preference is 5 to 15 degrees sloping backwards from the driver.
[Moog] While some harnesses require a roll cage, a four point can be installed without a cage. By using a harness bar.
[Moog] Some people also use eyelets in the rear seat OEM belt holes.
[Moog] This may be considered acceptable as long as the angle is not greater than 45 degrees from the top of the drivers shoulders down to the mounting location.
[Moog] 0 to 10 degrees is considered optimal which is why a roll cage is usually going to be the best option.
[MUSIC]
[Moog] We're pointing the unlocking latch of the cam lock downwards.
[Moog] If it's pointing upwards it's possible that your body could inadvertently unlock the belt. Which is not what you want, so we're keeping it pointed down.
[Moog] Now the belts simply clip onto the eyelets that you've already installed.
[Moog] Alright, so that's in. How do we set it up?
[Andy] OK, so we want to look at the lengths to begin with. I mean obviously this is going to be way to long.
[Andy] So we'll need to step into the back there and adjust the belts from the back first. The smaller adjustments can be done over the shoulder with this.
[Andy] But yea, the first step would be to shorten up this length here.
[Moog] At this point it's probably worth mentioning that you'll likely need to get a new seat with openings for the harness.
[Moog] Most OEM seats where not designed to run this kind of belt system.
[Moog] Set the approximate length on the rear of the harness, then you can fine tune them on the front.
[Moog] Always tighten the lap belt first low and tight, and then you want to tighten the shoulder straps equally.
[Andy] It secures your body in via more points. So you've got your shoulders locked back, you've got your waist locked in.
[Andy] In terms of if you had a five or six point it'd lock the lower half of the body in. So, it's securing you to this seat and keeping you safe.
[Moog] So there it is. That is how you install and setup a four point racing harness.
[Moog] Remember safety first, so always follow the manufacturers installation instructions and then get out there on the track and do some mad skids.
[Moog] Massive thank you to Adam from AGI Sport, I know how busy you are with your racing team and all your things. So thank you so much.
[Moog] Next up Marty, your turn. 2SEXY.
[Marty] That's right. The current milk crate situation or seat that's only just bolted in from the last time we drove it needs to be fixed.
[Moog] There was talk about just getting a couple of milk crates, ratchet strapping the driver in. But that didn't seem that safe.
[Moog] And speaking of which every country and region has their own rules and safety standards so of course follow the guidelines in the region you're in if you don't know exactly what you're doing.
[Moog] There's no price to be put on safety. Is that a saying?
[Andy] You can't put a price on safety.
[Moog] You can't put a price on safety. So make sure you check with someone who's qualified. Like this guy.
[Marty] PS, your lap times might actually go up if you're interested in that stuff. Because being held in the car and not being thrown around is actually massively helpful.
[Moog] And saves you not hitting your head on stuff, and the other point Marty is depending on what kind of motor-sport you're in there's different rules right?
[Marty] Exactly, what might be right for one may not necessarily be OK for another. So just check the rule books, they always come with guides.
[Moog] Awesome, there it is. Adam thank you very much. Martin thank you very much. You keen for a snack? We always like to finish our videos with a snack.
[Marty] Would you guys like to eat, my nuts?
[Moog] I'd love to. Oh, they're just almond kernels.
[Marty] But they're healthy man, they're all healthy and that.
[Moog] Would you like a great snack and a source of protein?
[Andy] Oh of course.
[Moog] Here you go.
[Marty] I quit chocolate and replaced it with almonds.
[Moog] Martin did quit chocolate.
[Marty] It's terrible, I would not recommend that.
[Moog] And uh, cya later everyone. I didn't even get 1, not even 1.
[Marty] Wait go again.
[Moog] OK, go!
[LAUGHTER]
[Moog] Not even 1. What if I just throw 1 up?
[Moog] There we go.