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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Harness fitting

I'm going to re-site the shoulder strap belts on my racer. Previously they've bolted on to the back panel behind the seat giving nearly 180 degrees pull! I need to have less of an angle on them. I want no more than 20 degrees.

Frogeye & Mk1/Mk2 midget drivers have no problem as they bolt down through the top deck. I was thinking of bolting into the vertical part of the coaming - you know, just below where the hood poppers on, there's a flat vertical pressing that carries a trim piece. Strengthened suitably of course. This would give a straight pull in the event of an accident which may or may not be good.

Failing that it's a bar welded to the roll bar, but IIRC that invalidates its certificate and may see me chucked out at scrutineering.

Any thoughts or better suggestions?

Cheers
Max T

Big bar between the 2 wheel arch tops with another bar between the new bar and the forwards egde of the rear shelf to brace it in the fore-aft plane?
rob multi-sheds thomas

Not much help, but here was mine..


rob multi-sheds thomas

Hi Max,

Your trouble is you are too tall.

The steeper the angle the greater the pain in the event of a heavy frontal deceleration (be sure to go in backwards?).

Depending on the roll cage you have I suggest an option might be to have a bolt on lateral link (full or part depending on the bar - like does it have a diagonal) that might not necessarily invalidate it's certificate (you do have the certificate). If you got the roll bar manufacturer to do the work I wouldn't expect you'd have a serious problem at scrutineering. Maybe if you could use bolt on brackets for a lateral link - again something for the manufacturer to advise you on.

Your coaming suggestion sounds reasonable if it was suitable reinforced but ultimately sounds like more work and a less likely positive outcome.

Do stick with doing something as it's a very worthwhile safety modification even though the blue book reg for belt angles is not particularly clear or useful (from memory I think it's advisory)

Daniel - I use an inclinometer in scrutineering S.
Daniel Thirteen-Twelve

Thanks Daniel. Yes, "Midgetmax" isn't exactly the right screen name for me! It does add difficulties getting me to comply with the regs.

I want to use a HANS device next year and that only works with the lesser angle. Lots of us have survived pretty heavy decelerations with the belts bolted through the rear shelf.

Thanks Rob, your pic is what I'd like to do but can't on a standard body. Regarding a bar across the car, over the wheel arches is still to low for me.

Daniel, my cage has a diagonal. What would the scrutineering world think of a (braced) bar across the car at coaming height, with the belts wrapped around it like the touring cars? What diameter would be suitable?

Cheers

Max



Max T

materials spec to Blue Book for cages and you can't go wrong.
David Smith

Max,

Ideally I'd like to see a photo with the mod overdrawn in biro, scanned and then as a photo.

If a bar/cage is certificated (most manufacturer supplied: Safety Devices (Aley)) are then you need the manufacturer to comment and approve the mod or run the risk of non-compliance (albeit very unlikely in my opinion as you are adding rather than taking away. The welding however does have to be absolutely first class)

If the bar/cage is non-certificated and home built (most aren't) then the mod doesn't present a problem as nothing has been taken away, only added.

No problem with belts looped around a roll tube bar and it's a lot more common than just touring cars. Note that some belt sets can have the eye bracket removed to facilitate this whereas others can't as the eye bracket is stitched in.
Daniel Thirteen-Twelve

This thread was discussed between 22/09/2008 and 24/09/2008

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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