Joe RX-8

iTrader: (1)

Since I seem to be in the business of resurrecting old threads this week, has anyone come up with or seen a solution to the problem of the attachment points for the shoulder harness belts? It's cold and snowy up here hence time to work on the car while I drive the truck.

Concerning VividRacing's Takata mounting pictures (post #4 in this thread), I came across this article:

http://www.triplezoom.com/news/publi...nter_110.shtml

The picture seems to imply that Mazda is using a similar mounting scheme and it sure looks like they have the shoulder belts attached directly to the lower LATCH (child seat) connectors. At least I don't see anything that looks like a guide bar behind the seat.

The roll bar does look nice (though I would have expected at least 1 diagonal brace behind the seats). Wonder how big of holes they had to drill to attached it to the frame?

AlexCisneros: Are you sure they welded the eyes to your old bolts and didn't just give you new bolts with eyes on them? I would think the heat from the welder would destroy the "grade 8" strength rating on the bolt (since the strengthening is accomplished by heat treating the steel). Grade 8 eyebolts are available, but not easy to find especially in metric threads (hint: you won't get them at Home Depot!).


Joe

AlexCisneros

I'm quite positive

...I watched them do it :D

Remember that my set up is for autoX speeds. It is not safe to use at road course speeds

leo69

Hi AlexCisneros,

I have installed a harnes in my RX-8 in France, but I'm little bit stuck with right fixation point.
Could you give me the reference of the eye bolt you used for this point?
We are not very famillar with US units in Europe

Somes pics of my installation :
http://www.rx8france.com/forum/viewt...?p=27568#27568
Thank you very much for the inspiration you gave me!!! :D

Imp

Merci!

expo1

Not sure if this helps

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/wescoper...e/boltkit.html

AlexCisneros

3/8 est à peu près equivilant à 10 mm

ceci est alors coupé et soudé au boulon de fabricant d'origine

vous avez utilisé monter pareil indique j'ai utilisé

mon français est très pauvre si j'espère que ceci a aidé :o

leo69

You've welded an eye on the stock bolt?
Damned I'm equiped to do that...
I though you've found a 3/8" eye bolt

Yes! And thank you again for the idea!
But there is not many solution in the RX-8, not to much place to play!!!

Don't worry about your French, I think my English not so good!!!!

Imp

I think you're both doing OK.

I can read French, just have a hard time writing it. (Have a hard time with English too)

--KC

leo69

I finally found a solution with my Mazda dealer...
An old Mazda 3 stock belt attach a little bit modified!
Just hav a look there : http://www.rx8france.com/forum/viewt...?p=27901#27901
Thank you again for the idea, and your help!
Cheers
Louis

AlexCisneros

that's interesting! but at that angle, I would hope that it doesn't bend under load.

leo69

I'm a little bit worried about it too...
I'll test it on track in two weeks (keeping stock belt on!!! )
I'll let you know...

AlexCisneros

actually, when I meant under load it was in a crash scenario... I really hope you don't test that :o

Also, you should not use the harness without a rollbar if you are running on a track (or over 60mph). For AutoX or Gymkhana (sp?) they're fine (don't hold me to that).

On a track you should use the factory belt and, to hold you in, a lap belt like the one made by G-Force

leo69

I surely do not want to test a crash!!!...

Interesting the G-Force belt

Don't worry I'm largely under the capacity of the car, and day tracks are just for fun, not for racing
Thanks!

KAtC10

OK, here's my contribution finally:

I have a
G-Force H-Type 3" 5-point harness . I am using the main 4 belts, not the 5th crotch belt, because I am using my stock seats, not racing seats, so there is no hole in the seat for the 5th belt.

Word of adivce: Make sure your shoulder straps are long enough for this installation. Those of you who are taller might not have the same problem, but i'm only 5'-0" (female) and the first one I ordered was too short (shoulder straps adjustable to 60"), so I had to reorder one that adjusts to 80".


For clarification: I am using my belts criss-crossed. You can use them straight through or crossed, I just chose to cross them so they don't tend to bunch or anything.

DIAGRAMS WITH NOTES:

KAtC10

For the number 1 and 2 belts, I removed the stock bolts from the stock seatbelt mounts, and replaced them with eye bolts. I'm not sure if the size is 1/2" or 3/8", but they are the same size as stock. Some harnesses come with the hardware, but I got mine at my local racing store (Dave Turner Motorsport in San Diego) and they said they were like a one-size-fits-all, that all cars use the same size sizes for seatbelt hardware. They make long and short bolts, and if I remember right, I used 2 long bolts for belts #1 & 4, and a short bolt for #2 because a long bolt doesn't fit in that location. You could just use short bolts all around.

Belt #1


Belt #2

KAtC10

For the number 3 bolt, the process was more difficult. The bolt here is not the same size as the rest, so I had to use a different method. I used a angled bolt end (see photo in first post), laced the belt thru it, sandwiched it between the floor and the seat bracket, and then re-attached the stock bolt.

Belt #3




For the number 4 belt, the process was the same at the first two, simply remove the stock bolt and replace with the eye bolt, and use the snap hook to attach the belt.

Belt #4

KAtC10

And just incase anyone is wondering, no I don't use them during daily driving. I just throw them back behind the seats (as shown), clip them together so they stay put, and use my stock belt.









Also worth noting: You can re-install the rear seat again once they are in. You just have to massage it in real well, I didn't think it would fit at first, but I got it after I fought with it (you have to unhook #1 & #2 from the eye bolts first).

ENJOY!

leo69

Yes you can!
I do the same like you to fix my rear belts, and I'm able to put the rear seat in place leaving the eye-hooks.
My english vocabulary is a little bit poor, to explain you correctly, sorry.
I'm trying :
Put the rear seat with angle of quite 45°, and push it to pass the rear piece of metal of the rear seat beyind the back of the seat. Help pushing with your second underneath. If you can push the rear seat at bottom, it ok!!!
A friend of mine do exactly the same, so it's possible ;o)

If you really don't understand what I mean, let me know and I will post some pics!
Sometimes pics or drawing are better than words...!!!

Here my the post on our French RX-8 forum, in french of course...

KAtC10

Maybe I just wasn't forcing it enough. =\ Thanks for the input!

AlexCisneros

holy back from the dead posts batman!

KAtC10

It was by request.

savedsol

Your pics aren't working and would be much appreciated.

KAtC10

Oh, yeah I think I accidentally deleted them from their host location, so let me fix them tonight (I'm at school now, pics are on the home PC). oops!

KAtC10

There you have it, pictures restored! =D

visitor

If you happen to roll your probably unrollable rx8....would you want to be held upright in a car without a cage?



and a harness bar with stock seats....ooo, hope you don't hit a wall backwards when losing control, or get rear ended by a semi at a stop sign.