Safety belts must be tight and correctly installed if expected to do their job

Safety harnesses for racers have come a long way. Back in the '60s, I recall seeing a driver tied in with a big rope. I never knew what kind of knot was used, but I'll bet it was not a quick release. Another ancient device was the Sam Brown belt. It consisted of a belt worn higher than usual, with a strap running from one side in the front over the opposite shoulder. Rollbars (not 'cages) were often about as high as the driver's neck. The Sam Brown belt was supposed to allow him to duck in a rollover. He would usually stay in the car (i.e., if his legs didn't break too badly).

In today's racing world, most of us pay more attention to our personal safety than ever before. The five-point harness has become the standard today. A six-point harness is an improvement. If you are building a new race car, you should consider using the six-point harness. A sternum belt is not a bad idea, either. This attaches the shoulder belts across the chest and keeps them from spreading during an impact. If the shoulder belts spread on impact, the sternum (which holds your ribs together) is unsupported and may become fractured as a result.

One other thing to consider is the mounting hardware itself. The conventional lever latch has been around for many years, and it works well. The other is the snap-in, turn-to-release type. This is a convenient system that does not lend itself to accidental unlatching. I've used both, but I don't really have a preference. Use what is comfortable for you.

Once the restraint system has been selected, the thought process should turn to installation. It is easy to install a restraint system the wrong way. There are simple rules to follow for doing it right.

RJS Quick Release Five-Point Belt

If your race car is subjected to the elements for much of its life, then consider clip-in belts. These belts have a double hook that can be released, allowing the belts to be removed and stored inside.

Bolt-in belts stay with the car. You won't forget to take them with you. They are also more difficult to change. Many sanctioning organizations require belts to be replaced at certain ages. Sometimes belt attachments are located in a position difficult to reach once the car is complete. In this case, replacement with newer, stronger belts can easily be overlooked. If the belts are bolted in, the car should be garaged or otherwise kept out of the weather, avoiding continuous sunlight.

Belt attachments should always be fitted with Grade-8 hardware. There are six marks on the head of a Grade-8 bolt. Grade bolts will have two fewer marks on the head than the grade number.

Crow Five Point Belt

Where the belts are attached is as important as the hardware used to attach them. Any bolt used to secure a belt tab should be bracketed so that it is 90 degrees to the direction of pull. The belt tab should never pull where it would stretch the bolt in length or put a bending load on the tab.

Belt attachments should never be directly fastened to floor sheetmetal. Of course, the seat mounting should be a part of the rollcage so that you move with the 'cage in the event of a crash. If some of the belt attachments are mounted to the 'cage while others are attached to the car body, you could get squeezed when one moves and one doesn't.

Mount the lap belts so that they are positioned across the lap, holding the pelvis. They should be at a 45-degree angle to the welded-on mounting tabs. Pay attention to where the belts cross through the seat. There should be an opening for the belts, and the belt should not rub against a rough edge when you are seated.

I do not consider a seat to be safe when the belts lap over the top of the seat side. In an impact, the seat sides can cave in and effectively loosen the lap belt. If you are very slender, the belt might not even tighten against you. I have modified this type of seat with openings in the sides and positioned the belt mounts accordingly. I was not altogether satisfied with the result. Get a good seat!

The anti-submarine belt should not be tight against the driver. The real purpose of this belt is to keep the lap belt in place so that you don't slide through. Mount it slightly behind the chest line.

The shoulder belts are often improperly mounted. Yes, they always go over the shoulder, but the way they are mounted might determine if they stay there. With separate, parallel shoulder belts, the mounting could be too wide. In the violence of a crash, one could slip off the shoulder with dire results. These belts should be mounted so they fall about the width of the neck as they cross the shoulder.  The shoulder belts should extend rearward off the shoulders, and be level to a solid mount or at least a 'cage bar. They can also be at a slightly downward angle.

Shoulder belts should not be used to hold the driver down in the seat--this is the job of the lap belt. The shoulder belt keeps the driver's torso from moving forward. If the belts are mounted to pull down on the driver's shoulders, they can also allow him to pivot forward. Pulling down on the shoulders during a crash could lead to compression injuries.

Lastly, think about the use of separate, parallel shoulder belts and the Y belt. The Y belt was in vogue some years ago. Remember, with this there is only one belt to secure your torso in a crash, and belts do stretch.  The Crow five-point harness is a standard type for stock car belt systems. There is a Velcro cover to keep the latch handle from being accidentally released. The belt tabs are stacked on the left and then latched to the right. Image by Crow Enterprizes