Sprints and hill climbs safety equipment

[av4625]

I am just starting sprints and hillclimbs this year. I got a clio 197 and will be in the road going class. I have the helmet, suit and gloves and a sparco sprint seat. The seat belt is threaded through the seat and doesn’t sit high at the shoulder, actually fits very snug. So am ready to go according to the road going class rules.

I would rather run a harness though.
In the future I would also like a hans.

I know you can’t run a hans harness with no hans. My local motorsport shop said they are thinking of bringing in a rule that says you can’t run a standard harness with a hans.

I would like to buy the things one at a time and build it up as its expensive.

Is my only option to buy a harness, hans and cage all at once?
Or what is the best way or other ways to do it?
I feel like I would be safer with some of the equipment rather than none of it (I could be wrong, which is why I’m asking)
Or maybe you could point me to the correct information.

Thanks in advance, its a nightmare starting out as information changes everywhere you look.

[shirt]

I am not aware of your series regs sorry, but i would start there.

Unless the regs from the governing body state you can’t use hans harness without hans then you absolutely can. On safety issues, Scrutineers and series organisers are there to look after the welfare of competitors not catch you, so speak to them. There is a school of thought that the thinner belts could cause more damage than wider ones, but surely has to be better than an inertia reel.

I would absolutely advocate the use of a hans device. I was unfortunate enough to have a significant impact on my motorsport debut including cracked ribs and other muscle damage, but my head and neck were A ok. Recommend the schroth fhr evo, very light and reasonably priced.

[av4625]

I felt the same as you, i feel a harness is better than the standard belt until i can afford a hans. Is it also wrong to run these without a cage?

[df76]

av4625 said:

I felt the same as you, i feel a harness is better than the standard belt until i can afford a hans. Is it also wrong to run these without a cage?

Running with a harness without a rear cage isn't ideal, and there are roll over issues to think about. You also unlikely to get the HANS angles right without a cage also. Tbh, if you're just starting off I'd just use the standard belt if it sits properly. Assuming that the airbag is still there anyway??

Or if a harness is needed, I'd look at the Scroth ASM road harness as a starting point. You don't need something FIA approved for the road going class, and designed to be fitted as a four point without a cage.

[e21jason]

Simson Hybrid

Fit the seatbelt in the normal



https://www.motorsport-safety.org/forum/ask-ambass...

[dunc_sx]

e21jason said:

Simson Hybrid

Fit the seatbelt in the normal



https://www.motorsport-safety.org/forum/ask-ambass...

Exactly, and it'll be all good with whichever harness you fit in future as well, it also offers side support as well as frontal support

[df76]

dunc_sx said:

e21jason said:

Simson Hybrid

Fit the seatbelt in the normal



https://www.motorsport-safety.org/forum/ask-ambass...

Exactly, and it'll be all good with whichever harness you fit in future as well, it also offers side support as well as frontal support

Wasn't aware of the potential benefits of the Simpson system even with a 3 point harness. Obviously a Simpson promoted video, but something to think about.

[GTBob]

As you're doing hillclimbs I am assuming they are run under MotorSportUK regs. If so, I don't see an issue with threading the shoulder strap through a hole in the seat as long as by doing so you are not affecting the way it tightens or retracts. If you were not to thread it through the hole, it's unlikely it would sit across your chest properly as it would have to clear the 'wing' of the seat. However, you say it does not sit high. I'd check that it still works as intended.

While it's permissible to change the seat in series production class, you do need to ensure that it is fitted according to the regs and I'd be just as worried about that as the belt.

The regs can be found here:

Common Regulations for Competitors (Safety)

and

Specific Regulations for Sprints, Hill Climbs and Drag Racing

I've raced in this class for some time in caged and uncaged cars with and without harnesses. I've concluded that a caged car as everyday transport is a real pain and dangerous too as you have lots of hard tubing around you and your passenger's heads when you're not wearing helmets and wearing a harness at a T junction is very frustrating since you can't lean forward to see what's coming. So personally I'd save your money for entering events and if you decide to go fully caged with a harness, get a trailer. But I know not everyone will agree with that.

Good luck for the coming season,
Bob

[av4625]

By sitting high, i meant that the seat belt doesnt sit away from my chest. Like it doesnt “float” on the “wings” of the seat. Sorry i didnt describe that very well.

The seat is mounted using FIA approved subframes using standard bolts and 10.9 tensile bolts