Harness Engineering Help

**kypez** · 07-06-2012, 08:35 PM

Hi All,

Did some searching and couldnt find a topic similar. Not sure if this is meant to go in the Seats section (cause its a Harness question) but I couldnt find similar topics so mods please feel free to move.

To the issue. I have installed a new seat in my car and fitted a 4 point Harness as well. Long story short, I broke my standard seat and figured that I'd get a proper seat since I'll be doing more track days and am looking to enter APCC and Improved Production Racing.

So here is the problem, I didnt realise the seat belt "clicker" (for want of a better word) is connected to the drivers seat and with the new seat, it doesnt have a place for the clicker. I've installed the Harness instead now and know that it wont meet ADR. Its a Sparco 4 point Harness and has an easy release feature. How can I get this engineered and can I even get it engineered?! I'm in NSW and want to still keep it road legal.

Thank you for any help guys.

Cheers,

Kieran.

xisled · 08-06-2012, 11:33 AM

My understanding is racing seats and harness is not road legal and you can not get engineered. But ring the RTA and get a list of approved mechanics/ engineeres and take it to one.

cobramania · 08-06-2012, 03:00 PM

I asked this question years ago of the RTA inspectors (before doing it). The removable harnesses are not road legal, they can only be used on track & then removed when you go on the road & using the factory seat belt. You can use a race seat as long as the factory seat belt is still in working order & can still be used. The only way to get a full harness passed engineering & the RTA, is to have a non-removable harness fitted, & have the right rear door welded shut so it can't be opened, & then have the seating capacity, officially reduced from 5 seat passengers, to 4 seat passengers, ie. so you can't have anyone travel in the right rear seat position.

**kypez** · 08-06-2012, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cobramania

I asked this question years ago of the RTA inspectors (before doing it). The removable harnesses are not road legal, they can only be used on track & then removed when you go on the road & using the factory seat belt. You can use a race seat as long as the factory seat belt is still in working order & can still be used. The only way to get a full harness passed engineering & the RTA, is to have a non-removable harness fitted, & have the right rear door welded shut so it can't be opened, & then have the seating capacity, officially reduced from 5 seat passengers, to 4 seat passengers, ie. so you can't have anyone travel in the right rear seat position.

So if I had a Hyundai Veloster I'd be right! Damn it! What have I done?! I wish the guys who fit it told me this before killing me seatbelt buckle. Might have to get a custom clicker added!

Thanks for the replies!! I still am trying to figure out what to do about the Airbag now that the sensor for the seat is disconnected since the old seat was disconnected. Might need to speak to an Auto Elec.

foxtrot3 · 09-06-2012, 12:01 AM

Hi. The airbag light is on because the seat belt buckle pre-tensioner is missing. The thing to do is see if the new seat can be mounted on the genuine ford base and include the ford buckle with it. You should be able to mount the harness buckle to the floor using a 7/16 high tensile bolt and a suitable reinforcing plate on the other side of the floor pan. Cheers MD

**kypez** · 09-06-2012, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foxtrot3

Hi. The airbag light is on because the seat belt buckle pre-tensioner is missing. The thing to do is see if the new seat can be mounted on the genuine ford base and include the ford buckle with it. You should be able to mount the harness buckle to the floor using a 7/16 high tensile bolt and a suitable reinforcing plate on the other side of the floor pan. Cheers MD

Thanks MD. Problem is the seat is already in with a custom job cause they couldnt get it to fit the seat rails. Does this mean the airbag will still deploy and that its just the pre-tensioner that is spitting up the error message? I just want to make sure the airbag still works (as per law).

Am I allowed to make a custom seatbelt clicker connection to the floor using a similar high tensile bolt and reinforcing plate similar to the harness?!

Thank you for your help. I'm trying to salvage this situation!

foxtrot3 · 09-06-2012, 12:30 AM

Hi. You may be able to replicate the mounting of the original ford buckle to the floor using the same bolt as the harness but the buckle may then be too low to reach easily, If you cant use the original ford buckle and pretensioner assy you could trick the airbag system in to thinking everything is OK by fitting a test resistor across the plug. While the airbag light is on the airbags may not deploy if needed. Cheers MD

**kypez** · 09-06-2012, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by foxtrot3

Hi. You may be able to replicate the mounting of the original ford buckle to the floor using the same bolt as the harness but the buckle may then be too low to reach easily, If you cant use the original ford buckle and pretensioner assy you could trick the airbag system in to thinking everything is OK by fitting a test resistor across the plug. While the airbag light is on the airbags may not deploy if needed. Cheers MD

Many Thanks MD! Going to try and see what I can come up with over the next week!

**GasoLane** · 09-06-2012, 06:04 PM

Don't forget that, in NSW anyway, if you change the seat from standard you still need an engineers cert for the new one.