Any of you running a harness bar in your trucks?

[muthstryker]

Was wondering if any of you are running a harness bar in your trucks. Going to be getting bucket seats and wanted to pick up some simpson racing harness' but was wondering if any of you are using one, or harnesses for that matter.

[383Ram]

If your talking using a 5 point harness in your truck on the street, my opinion is don't do it. Years ago i put a set in a car i had and found it a true PITA everytime i got in (street/strip car that shared equal time doing both). Yea, could have just gotten the away with the lap part alone on the street, but that wouldn't have been any safer than the stock lap belt. So your forced into a decision, wear the whole deal because it IS safer, or don't and take your chance IF something happens. Then not to mention they expire every two years, so if you go to the track, they may not let you run--even if its a slower street car--I know our track was that way. The second set I put in the car expired while I made some "updates" to the car which ended up taking almost 3 years to do--so that was a waste.

If i still had that car, i would have retro-fitted in a later model 3-point set and avoided the inconvienence of latching up all the time and the expiring tags. Funny how NHRA is ok with 30+ year old stock belts but makes you keep updating 5 point harnesses all the time.

I won't ever run them again unless i need them per the rules..... and i don't ever plan on going that fast again.

[muthstryker]

More for looks then anything, dont plan on ever taking the truck to the track. Basically would be using a 4 point harness. They fall into the look and feel im after, obviously saftey is a concern, thus why I asked about the harness bar because Ive heard/read attaching them to the floor is a no-no, And that they need to be at a specific angle to reduce injury in the event of a crash. Thanks for the info and your opinion on them, much appreciated.

[383Ram]

You are correct, you can't mount them to the floor and have them work properly, the shoulder harness needs to be just below the top of your shoulders.

I did not mean to down your post with my opinion, I just wanted you to consider what i considered aggrivation of buckleing all five sections into the latch everytime I got into the car. Yes, they certianly have a look, but it is so much easier with one click of the buckle on a stock type 3 point setup.

Do they make a bar to bolt into these trucks for the harnesses? Just wasn't aware of anything like that.

[78 Chevyrado]

You might have trouble with the cops if they ever pull you over. While the racing harness's are better then the stock 3-point, they're not DOT approved so you may get a ticket for not having approved seatbelts, which is the same as having none at all.

[motornut]

after cutting the roof off a car,
i got pulled over quite a bit to see if the belts were stock
they were,
not sure about rules there but here,
i was told if they were moved/modified it would have to be "inspected"
or put it back to stock

[Psycho71]

Yep, I know a fella that got a decent ticket here in Tx for having them in his barely street legal drag car. Something about "altering factory safety equipment". Check the law first.

but I also agree with 383ram, they are a pain for DD'ing.

[muthstryker]

They don't make a harness bar for our trucks, but know a couple of cage builders so having one made up wouldn't be a problem. You didn't down my post at all, I love all points of views! Thats how you learn.

I don't DD the truck now and don't foresee it happening in the future. Right now it sits in the garage and I don't even drive it on rainy days, kind of my summer fun truck. I have considered the cops and being pulled over for it, I do know a few guys that have street legal drag cars and haven't ever been harassed with having the harnesses. Might just have to try it out and see what happens.

[78 Chevyrado]

That's all you can do. never know you may never have a problem if you're truck looks fairly "regular" from the outside.

I'm not downing you at all as I know the 5 point stuff is better than 3 point stock stuff, and I'm all for living through whatever I drive into...

[TheWhiteElephant]

I had some Simpsons on a '79 K5. They worked fine, but I had the shoulder "straps" mounted on the horizontal bar behind the seats (I had a rollcage in it). They were okay, not a pain to use all the time, but they are not as comfortable as the OEM belts. I don't remember how I passed inspection, but as has been mentioned, they are not street legal. Of course it all depends where you get your inspection here in Texas.

[muthstryker]

Might just go for it, hell Im gonna try and run no windshield wipers since I dont drive in the rain.. Ha

[N2TRUX]

Originally Posted by muthstryker

Might just go for it, hell Im gonna try and run no windshield wipers since I dont drive in the rain.. Ha

That's just asking for trouble. Defeating safety equipment is never a good idea.

[muthstryker]

Originally Posted by N2TRUX

That's just asking for trouble. Defeating safety equipment is never a good idea.

I get what your saying, but the way I look at it, their are so many unsafe cars out there. Im more scared about someone not having insurance over having wipers, besides there is people out there running old wiper blades and even when there is a light rain have zero to no visibility!

Im not promoting "Hey its cool to run without wipers!", something im doing myself as a nice clean custom look to the truck ie shaved and smooth wiper cowl. And something im going to risk myself. (Just wanted to put that out there so this thread doesnt get locked.)

[mongoose]

I drove my car with no wipers daily... no problem at all... rainx works wonders in the PNW.

[Hulk Will Smash]

One quick suggestion... Sit in the seat as if you were belted in with the harness and make sure you can reach everything you might want to reach while you're driving.

Something I never thought of, but my bud had a 5 point in his 69 Camaro and got an unpleasant surprise the first time he went to turn down the heater as he was driving. Said it became a major annoyance...
Posted via Mobile Device

[383Ram]

Originally Posted by Hulk Will Smash

One quick suggestion... Sit in the seat as if you were belted in with the harness and make sure you can reach everything you might want to reach while you're driving.

Something I never thought of, but my bud had a 5 point in his 69 Camaro and got an unpleasant surprise the first time he went to turn down the heater as he was driving. Said it became a major annoyance...
Posted via Mobile Device

Oh yea, i forgot about that one too. My car was a stick, never realized how much foward i put myself when i was clutching and shifting---like you said, a big surprise the first time. All of the points I and others said here are what made me NOT want to use them ever again unless I built something that truely needed them.

But in the end, its your call. I agree, they certianly do have a look, but i think your going to find them a HUGE PITA in the end. If you do go foward with it, make sure they put reinforcment plates on the cab where the bar is welded in---just like you do on a unibody roll cage---6"x6", 1/8" thick plate. Welding the bar directly to the cab is just a disater waiting to happen if a crash ever occured. Do it right the first time if your going to do it.

[muthstryker]

Kind of up in the air now about the harnesses, The comment about not being able to move around really well is what did it...