Just wondering If anybody has fitted 4 point harnesses to a S1 Elise with standard seats, I was thinking of using some seat gromits and adding cutouts in the standard leather seats for the harnesses’ to run through. Any Ideas?
Definitely go with the grommets. Lots of people do without but doesn’t make sense to me. If I’m wearing a harness I want it to hold me in the seat, not slip off my shoulders.
Just wondering If anybody has fitted 4 point harnesses to a S1 Elise with standard seats, I was thinking of using some seat gromits and adding cutouts in the standard leather seats for the harnesses’ to run through. Any Ideas?
I was reading some of the Scroth website earlier this week - cutting holes in seats is a big No-No. Seats with holes were designed to be strong enough with holes. Those without probably weren’t. Would you take the risk ?
FWIW, if you cross the straps behind the headrest before they fit to the bar, they can’t slip sideways along the bar and slip off the shoulders of the seats. That’s how mine were in my Elise before I fitted Motorsport seats. Not ideal, as the straps aren’t pulling square, but I think I’d prefer that over cutting holes.
While cutting holes in the seats seems like it could be a big problem I doubt that Sector 111 in the litigious old USA would recommend it if it wasn’t safe. And MSAR here in the UK also carry them.
If you want an expect opinion instead of my ramblings suggest that you give MSAR a call and discuss. http://www.msar-safety.com/ for contact info.
Let us know what they say.
I was reading some of the Scroth website earlier this week - cutting holes in seats is a big No-No. Seats with holes were designed to be strong enough with holes. Those without probably weren’t. Would you take the risk ?
Found it - Home - schroth.com | SCHROTH Safety Products [EN]
(WARNING box at the top of page 31)
I E-Mailed MSAR, very helpfull and this was the answer,
I suppose it’s up to you but, anybody got any opinions, thoughts?
1: No company will recommend that you change or adapt OEM equipment in
any way. We can never advise that you make any modifications to your
car at all.
2: We are absolutely certain (and have testing to back this up)that it
is unsafe to use a multi-point harness with an integrated head-rest
seat.
There is no testing that we know of that has been done on seats that
have been fitted with grommets. However there are any number of cars
that have been modified in this way and this is popular in the USA and
here.
You have to look at this and reach your own decision but for my part I
would never drive a car with stock Elise seats and a 4 point but would
happily drive one with seats fitted with grommets. If you look at seat
crash tests the points of failure are not where the harnesses pass
through but much lower down.