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yeah, what really is the difference? how does the hook system work, and how does the cam system work?
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This is cam-type - you stick the 4 pins (one of the belts' pins has the cam on it) into the center cam and rotate the dial to lock them all in place.
This is the NASCAR-type latch system, where each belt (shoulder x2, lap x2, sub belt) has its own loop. Mine (R.J.S. Racing) has one for the right side and one for the left because the shoulder and lap belts are sewn together. That way it just plugs together in one quick clip rather than threading everything together and then latching it, which is a pain in the butt.
IMO, the 2 best restraint companies out there:
http://www.rjsracing.com/
http://www.simpsonraceproducts.com/
As for the S14 B-pillar/Harness bar, I know DGtrials.com carries one for the Miata, and I'm sure that they would either have something, someone on the board would have one, or someone there could tell you where to look for one. www.lokarmotorsports.com has a modular locking bar system, called the G-bar, that I think might fit an S14.
This is the "Pillar Cross Bar" which can be found at http://www.lokarmotorsports.com/pillarcrossbar.html. From the picture, it looks like the mounts are on threaded holes so that the total width could be increased or decreased, which might be enough to make the bar fit an S14. They are pretty cool down at Lokar and might also be able to tell you if it would fit granted that you know the distance between the B-pillars, or who might carry one if it doesn't. The harness bar is just a bar that locks on to the seat belt mounting points, so it's not like there's some kind of crazy bolt pattern that it needs to match - it just has to fit the width.
What's even cooler about the B- and C-pillar (on cars with hatches) bars is that they're not only a safety inprovement but they'll also serve to stiffen up that stamped-steel frame for a bit more mountian-cutting power!!!
If none of those work, try looking around at www.bulletproofautomotive.com, www.racerwholesale.com, or even www.nopi.com (as much as I dislike them, safety is more important than brand loyalty).
I hope all this helps!
-MRLast edited by mranlet; 06-15-2004, 12:39 PM.Comment
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The rear strut tower brace is also a good place to mount the shoulder straps, and it's up high enough to keep the angle on the straps small enough. Here's a pic of my setup:
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hey ralli art
wish i could drive against/with you since we share the same passion, again great car!
oh how i wish i could cut the braces from my hood!!Comment
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That bar looks like it's not bolted to much, I don't know if I'd trust that. The strut tower bolts can withstand a lot of load, so they make a good mounting point. I had my shoulder straps hooked up to the rear seatbelt mounting points before, but if the car was subject to an impact in the left rear panel, it would pull the belts tight. If the shoulder belts were already tight, then there's nowhere for them to go, effectively breaking your collar bones and giving you some heavy internal damage. Thanks for the compliments street dreamer.Comment
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I have an almost identical belt but in black and 3" for both shoulder and lap. This is the design that I'm talking about, but I know that my belt was FIA-approved when it was made (probably 7-10 years ago)...
It looks like this car might be a 'rolla, and if that bar is locked in to where the rear seatbelts bolted you ought to be fine, but the mounting looks sketchy at best from this picture.
It isn't a sure-fire way to estimate loads because there are so many variables involved in collisions, but a good rule of thumb is that if you could imagine whacking the mounting location with a 30-lb sledge a few times in a row and not have it more more than a fraction of an inch, you'd probably be alright. The strongest mounting points are those in corners and along edges rather than in the middle of everything.
Another point is that if you mount straps to the middle of a bar it will have more mechanical advantage against the bar than it would if it were fastened to the very end of the bar. For this reason, strong and dependable strut bars seem to work alright as long as the belt is mounted close to the strut tower. You really just need to make sure that the mounts will be able to cope with a massive momentary load.
FORCES IN A CRASH ARE GREATER THAN YOU WOULD THINK:
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/carcr.html
At 30 mph, a 160 lb driver will have 3,000 lbs of force for an instant.
Additionally, one consideration that you must take into account is the distance from you that the anchor points are located - in off-roading and in really low-torsionally rigid vehicles, it's important not to have the straps be too long because if the frame twists or bows the straps are likely to pinch you into the seat similar to what Ralli///Art was saying. It's not really a problem on any of the unit-body construction cars, but if you were drifting a 1955 Chevy Bel Air that had nothing but the origional chassis rails for frame stiffness and had a harness mounted to the C-pillar you could be in for some discomfort.
I'm no safety analyst by any means, but being around speed and high-performance stuffs I do have a pretty good idea of what will hold and what will not, and have learned (the hard way in some cases) that there really isn't such thing as being too careful, especially during dangerous activity (referring to motorsport in general).
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With regards to other topics within this discussion:
I'd love to see what people weild as their weapons of the mountian. RalliArt's looks like a R-S13, but it could be a Probe for all I know - both are respectable on the twisties.
Just sitting here typing about, I really like how Touge is so open to different drivetrains and layouts and vehicles with the only criteria for what is "good" being what the driver likes and cuts fast times.
I'm going to try and take some pictures of my CRX soon here, especially since it's going to be getting a camoflaguing of flat-black over it's grotesque Porsche Mint Green skin, new dampers, coilovers, interior, and maybe even a turbo!
-MRComment
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Re: hey ralli art
Where are you? Probably cali, hahaha. If you're anywhere near me bring your wreck up and I'll cut the goddamn hood FOR you.Originally posted by StreetDreamer
wish i could drive against/with you since we share the same passion, again great car!
oh how i wish i could cut the braces from my hood!!
I feel kinda lame for crossposting this picture, but here's my rig...
It's actually sitting a little too low right now...i'm a little bit past horizontal with the front swingarms, but I like the stance so I kinda hate to raise it. It's a small enough amount so that the effect on hanlding is minimal, but it still irks hahaaha.
my previous monster:
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A little past horizontal is good - you don't want it to be constantly changing from positive camber to negative camber anyway...
I like the wheels
-MRComment
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tecnomagnesio 16's. Really light... I can hold them at arms reach even with the rubber on them :-D
I've got a front strut tower brace, and I'm going to fabricate up a rear soon. I'm working on it :P
Get pictures of your CRX. I've always liked those, I'd be interested in seeing it. Probably out-handles even my golf...you're lighter, even if I start stripping it.Comment
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Don't forget the double wishbone suspension!
I have a ton of pictures on my camera, but no way to upload them yet - I'm going out pretty soon to buy a cable and they will be HERE!
-MRComment
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double wishbone....
you bastid
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The double wishbone is cool, but on a 15 year old car that is being used as a touge [and soon a drift] car, there are a lot of things that need upkeep. For starters, there are twice the number of joints that need to be keps in good shape, plus having the car lowered makes for crazy negative camber (although not as bad as some strut designs) and adjusting out that camber can be a hastle with the anchor-bolt replacement kits that most companies produce. I'd like to find a replacement upper control arm rather than just a stupid set of anchor-bolt relocators, but maybe that is asking too much for too little...
It IS nice that the road-gripping ability is so superb
The funky trailing-arm rear suspension on the CRX's is cool as well, but not nearly as cool as the rear suspension on S13s and all their control-arm-ness. It can be a little tough trying to keep the car under you when your front suspension is gripping like a banshee and the rear is starting to go under extreme cornering and heavy body roll, but I guess that's what the adjustability of the dampers, camber, and anti-roll bars is for.
From one standpoint, I'd never give up the gornering power of the complex Honda suspension on this car, but at the same time, I wish there wasn't as much crap to have to mess with. It's just one more reason I miss the MacPhearson setup on my Subaru - understeering? Turn up the rear dampening. Too much roll causing inner tire lift? Bump it up to the next anti-roll setting. Maybe it's just me being whiny about suspension setup...
-MRComment
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Aye, I hear you. The mk2 VW suspension isnt' bad... not much to go wrong :P
As far as inner tire lift...You can three wheel like a fiend in these cars.
Some random guy three wheeling:
It would take a land mine to get mine to do that though, lol.
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