Harness bar: Grassroots Motorsports forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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Oct. 8, 2008 4:49 p.m. 96DXCivic Reader

I am thinking about building a harness bar. Any tips, suggestions, etc. It is for a 96 Civic DX if that is any help.
Oct. 8, 2008 6:36 p.m. skrzastek Reader

don't use a harness unless you have a rollbar in the car.
Oct. 8, 2008 7:24 p.m. Apexcarver SuperDork

make sure that you check out the bending deflection for the strength of impact that it may experience. multiply by 3 for safety factor. (you DONT want that sucker bending)

oh yeah.. think about what happens in a rollover if you have harnesses that hold you upright and your roof caves in. you may think, "oh, ill never roll it" but I didnt figure id end up on my roof in an aborted attempt to avoid bambi.

AH! finally found it!
Oct. 8, 2008 7:37 p.m. noisycricket New Reader

Well, if you're tall in a small car, you're screwed anyway.

I'm tall. I have a small car. I figure that if I get in any kind of wreck or rollover, I will be dead. I accept this.

I'm still going to wear a harness.

That said, make sure that it's no more than 15 degrees from horizontal from your shoulders.
Oct. 9, 2008 12:10 a.m. 96DXCivic Reader

I was kinda going to use a harness bar as a temporary fix until I got a roll bar with harness bar on it. B/C I got a great deal on a Ultra Shield seat but it won't work with the stock seatbelts. And I am not bolting the harness to the floor like some idiots do.
Oct. 9, 2008 6:14 a.m. 914Driver HalfDork

96DXCivic wrote:

I was kinda going to use a harness bar as a temporary fix until I got a roll bar with harness bar on it. B/C I got a great deal on a Ultra Shield ....

How much is a harness bar vs a roll bar? Smoking deal on a seat doesn't mean you have to install it right away, save a few bucks and do it right.

Safety First!
Oct. 9, 2008 7:22 a.m. walterj HalfDork

Its your neck... literally. I'm not going to preach safety but I will tell you that if you are going to a track event you might not be allowed to run.

A friend of mine did what you suggest at a PCA event at NJMP and the safety stewards sent him home. So... would the smokin' deal on the seat be good enough to spend $100 on a hotel, $50 on gas and then have to go home w/o turning a wheel?
Oct. 9, 2008 4:26 p.m. 96DXCivic Reader

Ok so I'll go with a roll bar. Y'all convinced me. Now should I go weld in or bolt in? I am leaning towards bolt-in since I don't have the skill yet to weld together my own bar. How about the Autopowers anyone have any experience with those roll bars?
Oct. 9, 2008 4:52 p.m. Salanis SuperDork

If you have a relatively common sports car (you know, something like a mustang... or maybe a civic) you can probably find a good bolt-in bar or cage, and then have someone weld it in place for a good price.
Oct. 9, 2008 4:54 p.m. 96DXCivic Reader

It would be going in a Civic. Is there anything wrong with doing a bolt-in one?
Oct. 9, 2008 5:00 p.m. Salanis SuperDork

I know it would be going in a Civic. I was being sarcastic.

There's nothing necessarily wrong with bolt-in. But welding it in is superior. The rollbar in my Miata is bolted, and I know lots of other people have done the same thing.

It can be difficult to drill the holes properly to bolt in. I've heard it said that welding rollbars in is actually quicker and easier.

Just because you buy a "Bolt-In" bar, doesn't mean you have to use bolts to attach it. You can save money by buying a pre-fabbed bar, but then have it welded.
Oct. 9, 2008 5:03 p.m. 96DXCivic Reader

Oh right that makes sense. If I had a lot more welding skills I might have built my own but I have this racing seat calling me name and I want to get it installed.