Well; Been looking into the whole harness bar idea lately.
Leaning more to fabricating my own, seeing as my new job gives me unlimited material and shop time.
(For now, this will be used more to structure the car, than to hold a harness. Also going to mount my HDSLR to it for some track vids.)

Quickly browsing ebay to get ideas for how to form the piping, i came across this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/49-BLACK-STEEL-BOLT-RACING-SEAT-BELTS-HARNESS-BAR-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQfitsZModelQ3aCavalierQQhashZitem19c78f9c7dQQitemZ110722260093QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTru ckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

Looks to be about universal; But here come my questions:
Is this design SAFE. (Having the hinges, etc.)
Is this the correct way to MOUNT a bar. (I was thinking 6 points of contact)
Are those dimensions even CORRECT?
Is that piping LARGE enough? (Im thinking 2 inch pipe when i fab mine up)

What do you guys think?
would that design be structural? (The hinges make me believe that there would be too much flex.)
and on top of that,
Is it EVER safe to assume that safety/stability can be had for under 100 dollars?

Feed in guys. I'd like to hear opinions.

If you reply to this post calling me an asshole for thinking about buying an ebay harness bar, I will LEGIT LOL all up and down your face for not being able to read. I know how Jbo works. Keep the drama in another thread.

Seems legit. I can buy a 6 point cage for my car through Summit for $200 bucks, so $100 for a bar with some hinges and some hardware seems right. As far as structural rigidity, I'd imagine a bar going from one side to the other would definitely add some strength even if it is hinged for chassis flex.

Mike wrote: The secret ingredient is purple..it brings out your natural porch inhabiting, people watching tendancies

Go pick up a book on chassis and rollcage design and fabrication before you do anything...

2 inch is WAY too big... under 3k grvw inch and a half is good for most racing organizations... typically you will never see more than 1.75" 0.090" wall tubing... smaller with chromemoly.

I would not trust that ebay bar...Not for something like seatbelts.

You may also want to look into rules and regs for racing orgs you'll be participating in first before you do anything.



Buildin' n' Boostin for 08' - Alex Richards

Alex Richards wrote:Go pick up a book on chassis and rollcage design and fabrication before you do anything...

2 inch is WAY too big... under 3k grvw inch and a half is good for most racing organizations... typically you will never see more than 1.75" 0.090" wall tubing... smaller with chromemoly.

I would not trust that ebay bar...Not for something like seatbelts.

You may also want to look into rules and regs for racing orgs you'll be participating in first before you do anything.

My main thing for having a bar is going to be a camera mount, and structural stability.

Like i said. im not looking at that bar, but the big thing that threw me, is that it says it requires NO modification for our cars; but it's 49 inches.
I measure 44 ALL DAY LONG.

jamie fix wrote:

My main thing for having a bar is going to be a camera mount, and structural stability.

Like i said. im not looking at that bar, but the big thing that threw me, is that it says it requires NO modification for our cars; but it's 49 inches.
I measure 44 ALL DAY LONG.

Duh, cheap ebay parts... just because they say it does does not mean it does...

Thats why generally you don't go to ebay for bigger prebuilt things... you almost waste more time making it work then you would have just building your own.

And I meant 0.190" wall... not .090... Left out the 1... before someone calls me on it.



Buildin' n' Boostin for 08' - Alex Richards

Alex Richards wrote:

jamie fix wrote:

My main thing for having a bar is going to be a camera mount, and structural stability.

Like i said. im not looking at that bar, but the big thing that threw me, is that it says it requires NO modification for our cars; but it's 49 inches.
I measure 44 ALL DAY LONG.

Duh, cheap ebay parts... just because they say it does does not mean it does...

Thats why generally you don't go to ebay for bigger prebuilt things... you almost waste more time making it work then you would have just building your own.

And I meant 0.190" wall... not .090... Left out the 1... before someone calls me on it.

=p

good thing you caught yourself. You know how people on this site are.

Make sure your harness angle is right, last thing you want is a compressed spine.

Also make sure you pad the @!#$ out of it, or dont let anyone in your back seat who values their teeth.


Edited 1 time(s). Last edited Monday, August 01, 2011 12:22 PM

1994 Saturn SL2 Home Coming Edition: backup car
2002 Chevy Cavalier LS Sport Coupe: In a Junk Yard
1995 Mazda Miata R-package Class=STR
Sponsored by: Kronos Performance

WPI Class of '12 Mechanical Engineering
WPI SAE Risk and Sustainability Management Officer

Leafy (Club Jeffie FEA man) wrote:Make sure your harness angle is right, last thing you want is a compressed spine.

Also make sure you pad the @!#$ out of it, or dont let anyone in your back seat who values their teeth.

Like i said above, i wont be using it for racing.
As for people in the back seat-

What back seat? =P

Arent harness bars bad in a rollover because the seat belts go slack and allow the people inside to hit the ceiling? Maybe Im thinking of something else but definitely something to keep in mind.

TheSundownFire wrote:Arent harness bars bad in a rollover because the seat belts go slack and allow the people inside to hit the ceiling? Maybe Im thinking of something else but definitely something to keep in mind.

Thats something else. A properly installed harness bar is the only way to run a harness. You can run it back to the rear deck, but there's a couple issues there. But you should never ever run it to the floor. ANd honestly if you're doing something that you want to mount a go-pro to a harness bar for, having a well fitting harness will make it easier/more enjoyable. I wish my car didnt need to use the back seat once and a while or I would have a 5 point harness (only using the 4 points unless racing body makes me use the nut crusher) to keep me in the seats better.


1994 Saturn SL2 Home Coming Edition: backup car
2002 Chevy Cavalier LS Sport Coupe: In a Junk Yard
1995 Mazda Miata R-package Class=STR
Sponsored by: Kronos Performance

WPI Class of '12 Mechanical Engineering
WPI SAE Risk and Sustainability Management Officer

Leafy (Club Jeffie FEA man) wrote:

TheSundownFire wrote:Arent harness bars bad in a rollover because the seat belts go slack and allow the people inside to hit the ceiling? Maybe Im thinking of something else but definitely something to keep in mind.

Thats something else. A properly installed harness bar is the only way to run a harness. You can run it back to the rear deck, but there's a couple issues there. But you should never ever run it to the floor. ANd honestly if you're doing something that you want to mount a go-pro to a harness bar for, having a well fitting harness will make it easier/more enjoyable. I wish my car didnt need to use the back seat once and a while or I would have a 5 point harness (only using the 4 points unless racing body makes me use the nut crusher) to keep me in the seats better.

At this point, im ready to just zip tie a tripod into my car. =P

Just go on-line (amazon) for a panavise 809 suction cup camera mount, then call panavise for the free arm extension (you'll have to supply the numbers off the mount you bought). Install the extension arm then attach the mount on your windshield. Or, If you want you can even mount it (no extension needed) on the roof or hood or door, wherever there's a clean smooth surface. Go Pro uses the same mounting brand.





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NCR-SCCA

Also, if you want a harness, email or call up Schroth Racing about their Rallye 3 ASM (Anti-Sub Marining) harness. They'll tell you what will work with your car.

Good luck, and let us know what you plan to do.





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NCR-SCCA

Oh hell yes, schroth makes some very nice harnesses. I would only ever run a cam lock, screw that latch thing, I've had way too many problems with them not coming un-done. I've used G-Force, they suck the cam doesnt re-set all the way. Simpson, better but could be improved. I still managed to get out of the formula car in 2.34 seconds in the egress test (6 point harness, wrist straps, 1 double layer piece suit, neck brace, helmet, quick lock wheel in place with your hands in the driving position) in Michigan, which was one of the fastest times of anyone at the comp. But the schroth is really nice, real nice all around.

Make sure all your straps are quick adjust and that the submarine belts and the lap belts are the pull up style and not the pull down.


1994 Saturn SL2 Home Coming Edition: backup car
2002 Chevy Cavalier LS Sport Coupe: In a Junk Yard
1995 Mazda Miata R-package Class=STR
Sponsored by: Kronos Performance

WPI Class of '12 Mechanical Engineering
WPI SAE Risk and Sustainability Management Officer