Re: 4 vs 5/6 pt harnessbelts

["Rich, Jack" <JRich@Kronos.com>]

<I am about to install a harness for track events (mostly Q-club) in my
<89 200tq.
<
<Choices:
<1.  Schroth Rallye 4 4pt harness, claims to have "ASM-Anti submarine
<mechanism" that makes crotch strap unessesary
<
<2.  5 or 6 pt harness from TRS or the like.  Have been told by SCCA IT
<racers that this is the only way to go for safety (and the only way
<allowed in the GCR).

Having seen plenty of 5-point harnesses installed with a stock seat, I'm
inclined to agree with what I was told by HMS Motorsports (a Schroth dealer
- grain of salt appropriate here) http://www.hms-motorsport.com/ which is
that the crotch strap is meant to go through a racing seat.  Since it is
pulled forward across your stock seat, it tends to pull the waist strap away
from your body and make submarining worse.

If you intend to compete in races or hill climbs, you need 5 or 6 point, no
questions.  With COMSCC, http://www.comscc.org/~comscc/ which does driving
schools and time trials, you can use the Schroth only in Showroom Stock,
otherwise you need 5 or 6 point.

Call HMS and they can tell you if your seat is approved by Schroth for the
4-point harness.  (The 4kq does not have and approved seat.)  The seat has
to be strong enough to prevent spinal compression, since the rear mounting
points are below your shoulders.  HMS also claims there is a decent
aftermarket for the Schroth belts if you later go with "real" competition
belts.

Jack Rich