NEHA

Hello everyone,

I'm coming with a friend and new-to-hillclimb member to Ascutney. We have just finished his Evo VIII and are wondering what Don/Walter's opinion and ruling will be on using a fresh (new date) Willians 6 Point harness with an Autopower Roll bar. It's not a full cage.

We know he will be subject to breakout.


Sometimes people have been told "you can run a harness, but you have to also have the stock restraint"

In this situation with a roll bar, the harness is properly attached and it is a real harness. Will we have to re-install the silly road harness for him to pass tech?

Thanks,

Alex

I can't see why he would be required to install stock belts when he has properly installed harness. I think he will be subject to the break out rule however.

Back in the old days.... when SP4 did not require a cage (only P required cages), I ran a roll bar with harness. But, let's look at the current Technical rules....

2. An SFI or FIA approved 5-, 6-, or 7-point harness assembly is mandatory
for all cars with roll cages, and strongly advised for all cars.

Allows for harness in any car; needs to be a min. of 5 points (don't forget that the crotch strap needs to be present also... hole in seat)

3. All harnesses must be properly mounted and adjusted.

A roll bar would be a properly mounted location.

The car is not required to have a roll bar (or cage). In short, it seems to be that there would be no issue running a car that does not require a cage to have a properly mounted harness.

Steve

The rules strongly recommend an approved and properly mounted multi-point harness with no mention of a pre-requisite for the presence of a roll cage. Personally I not feel a harness is a great idea without added rollover protection because of the possibility of the roof caving in and the driver being held upright by the harnesses. While a rollbar is not a cage, it does make me more comfortable with the confinement of a harness since it adds significant protection above the driver head. I cant speak for Don on this. The fact of the matter is, neither of us make the rules we just enforce them. And the written rule as I read it does not explicitly require a cage or rollbar before harnesses can be used. Indeed it seems to say the opposite.

One minor caution. If a car is driven on the street, technically very few multi-point harnesses are legal for road use because they do not have DOT approvals. So to be truly street legal a licensed car must still have the original factory seat belt system installed. This is not something we enforce at hillclimbs but inspectors and state troopers may.