I know there are some of you that have 5-point harnesses in you jeep. I am beginning to research my options and the 5points I am running across explicitly say they are "NOT DOT LEGAL". Why not? Aren't they safer? Also, what kind of fab work do you need to do to install it? Pictures would be nice. I know the seats need to be changed. As I'm hopefully implying, it's for a '97 TJ. The wife gave me the 'go' so I'm not sitting still.
Years ago I saw a 5 point in a Mustang magazine (5.0 I'm sure) that was electrically activated. It operated like a regular seat belt and then when you flipped a switch it locked it up. Don't remember who made it but you may want to poke around a little bit.
Factor in your comfort.
think: not being able to move except for turn your head from side to side becasue the harness will keep your torso from leaning around or turning to check blind spots or whatever.
tell your wife to get back in the kitchen and leave automotive advice to men.
Your best bet would be getting an inertia-reel system. Loose when you want to move around, tight when you need it. Yes, they do make them in 5-point systems. I use them every time I put my belt on and go to work in the Jet. I also use a ratchet-type aerobatic harness in a plane I fly that likes to go upside-down. Only problem is that it's always tight. Good when you want to hang upside-down, not good for comfort all the time.
Who makes them? Hooker Harness. Call them up and tell them what you're looking for. Tell them you're looking for an inertia-reel system 5 point harness.
Best I can tell most people just buy a full 3/4/5 point system and only use the lap belt however; you may just be able to go to a big truck store (Kenworth, Peterbilt, etc.) and pick one up, that's what they used to use and they have the easy release buckle, similar to planes.
On that note: I was on a plane a while back sitting next to a plane mechanic and I was asking him where I could get some (like the planes have) and he just looked at me funny and said "you know, they're not bolted on, they just clip right off"! I laughed, gave him my card and said, well if you ever have any extras give me a call. Doubt I'll hear from him...
Yeah, that mechanic was an idiot or just yanking your chain. The belts are held in with AN bolts.
A 5-point harness is a great thing when other saftey systems are involved like a full roll cage, helmet, and a car that's designed to break apart to save the driver. When you're strapped in, you're not going anywhere, even if the roof crushes around you. The nice thing about a harness is that you can leave any part off for comfort like the shoulder harness and the crotch belt.
As for your subaru needing a 5-point? Tell the wife to stay off you-tube for a while. Unless it's a full-race WRX STI...
We are in the process of building the new cage now. I will post pictures once it is done but it will have harnesses attached...
For street driving keep the OEM belts though. A cop will issue a ticket for no seat belt because the harness is not DOT approved and the mounting places vwill not be DOT approved.
She was watching a crash test of 3pt vs. 5pt. and the 3pt slid under and got strangled. I'll have to wait until she gets home to list the videos she watched.
It amazes me. 3" webbing and 5 pts, with 3 of them attached to factory locations. Motorsports have been using them for years.... they obviously work better.
Actually the mounting point may be bolted but the belt itself just clips on that mounting point. Trust me, I fly over 100K miles a year and every since that trip with the mechanic I've looked...
It amazes me. 3" webbing and 5 pts, with 3 of them attached to factory locations. Motorsports have been using them for years.... they obviously work better.
If they're not DOT tested and approved, it doesn't matter because they are illegal for street use.
Personally, even if someone offered to properly install 5-pt harnesses and seats into my TJ for free, I would turn the offer down. As mentioned above, they are uncomfortable and very confining. Unless you are participating in racing or other extreme events, I would pass on a 5-pt. harness. I wore them in aircraft and they were not comfortable at all, plus I had to loosen them to reach various controls. Their "coolness" wore off pretty quickly.
Most offroaders install them just because they are cool, not because they actually need them. For those parts of trails that are steep enough to lock the factory retraction mechanism up, a good quality 3" aircraft style lapbelt works well as an auxilliary belt. I have a 3" belt in my TJ and it is handy in those circumstances but otherwise, I use the OE 3-point belt as it works fine for my offroading needs.
It amazes me. 3" webbing and 5 pts, with 3 of them attached to factory locations. Motorsports have been using them for years.... they obviously work better.
Yes, it's incredible. 5 point harness (and a helmet) gets you state of the art protection far surpassing anything that airbags can do.
Anyone out there riding around with 5 points on the highway--how constricting do they feel? How much hassle is it to get buckled in?
Just curious about how difficult they'd be to live with day to day.
Yes, it's incredible. 5 point harness (and a helmet) gets you state of the art protection far surpassing anything that airbags can do.
Anyone out there riding around with 5 points on the highway--how constricting do they feel? How much hassle is it to get buckled in?
Just curious about how difficult they'd be to live with day to day.
I'm only using my 5 point harness right now in my TJ. The factory belt stopped working a few months ago and I don't feel like replacing it.
Now, my TJ isn't my daily driver anymore, But I do take it out and drive it about once a week.
For off-road, having a 5-point harness is the only way to go. It's way more comfortable then the stock seatbelt. I normally just wear the lapbelt on easy parts of the trail and put the rest of it on before any hard obstacles.
It doesn't continually get tighter and tighter, like the factory belt. And you don't have to worry about it locking up and not being able to put it on when you get it out of your jeep on an off camber section. Or not being able to unbuckle it when your hanging upside down after you roll your jeep.
For daily driving around town, it's a bit more of a hassle. It definately takes longer to put on then the factory belt. I wouldn't say it's uncomfortable, but you are definately strapped in. In a TJ, with mirrors, you can turn you head enough to check your blind spots and change lanes. I don't mind it, but I wouldn't want to have to wear it everyday.
That said, there is no reason you can't have both a 5 point harness and your stock seat belt in your jeep and have the best of both worlds. Then you wear what works best for any given situation.
I am about to put Corbeau Baja SS's in my jeep and I don't have a harness bar yet. I am waiting for my full cage to install the harness bar but for the mean time, will I be able to use my stock seat belt? Is there a way to remove the female end of the seat belt from inside the seat? Where would I attach it if I can remove it? Sorry for the Hijack.
She was watching a crash test of 3pt vs. 5pt. and the 3pt slid under and got strangled. I'll have to wait until she gets home to list the videos she watched.
Put the 5 point harness in her DD and I bet she will say the hell with 5 point harness seat belts.
I have flopped twice and did a 360* roll in my jeep, all with a lap belt (paid $16 from Q-tec a few years ago) and it worked fine. Now keep in mind my flops and roll were at low speed. With a slow speed roll you have enough muscle to move your body in a safe position, in my case I had time to get my body leaned into the center of the jeep (ya and get my leg inside too). If its high speed stuff then a 5 point is going to be more effective as you will not beable to control your body movement. But when you factor in comfort, safety and your driving conditions the 5 point harness is just not necessary and usually overkill. My last build has the Mastercraft Rubicon seats and 5 point harness. I am only using the lap belt but have the 5 point if I really feel its necessary. For those with the stock seat belts that hate the shoulder strap you will love a lap belt for trail use. I donot recommend the lap belt for hwy driving.
I'm running the factory belts for the street and harnesses for the trail. On the mild stuff I'll run 3 points (lap + crotch), and on the rougher stuff I'll put the shoulders on.
One thing I really appreciate using all 5 points is that the harsh trails are so much less stressful to your body. No bouncing, flailing, leaning, or getting tossed about. You just strap in and you're along for the ride.
If you have all your controls within reach, mirrors covered, a real good feel for your rig (and/or a trustworthy spotter), it's much more comfortable.
I am about to put Corbeau Baja SS's in my jeep and I don't have a harness bar yet. I am waiting for my full cage to install the harness bar but for the mean time, will I be able to use my stock seat belt? Is there a way to remove the female end of the seat belt from inside the seat? Where would I attach it if I can remove it? Sorry for the Hijack.
I had some Corbeau seats in my last car so I hope I can offer some insight. I'm assuming you're using the Corbeau brackets with your seats and they came with a hole tapped for the female seat belt's bolt, so it bolted right onto the bracket. It was actually better than stock because it wasn't restricted the way it was on my stock seats. Hope this helps.
the Schroth harnesses are DOT approved that is why I use one in my car. easy setup and quality materials.
look into that brand some if you really want a safe and road legal harness setup.
but on a daily driving basis with harnesses you realize that it is nice to be able to move to turn up the radio or back into/out of a parking space. on the other hand they do look kinda cool when you have them.
the Schroth harnesses are DOT approved that is why I use one in my car. easy setup and quality materials.
look into that brand some if you really want a safe and road legal harness setup.
but on a daily driving basis with harnesses you realize that it is nice to be able to move to turn up the radio or back into/out of a parking space. on the other hand they do look kinda cool when you have them.
I'm young and still flexible, so turning my head is not an issue. Safety is the whole reason behind this. I have a radio, but it has to be turned up so loud I hardly use it when I'm naked Jeeping.
I have a 1969 AMC Rambler. You want to talk restrictive? It's a bech front seat with a 3pt lap/shoulder. The lapbelt is not retractive and neither is the shoulder. You buckle the lap through a slot in the shoulder strap. Heaven help you if a short person is driving.
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