Submarine belt mounting help

Ryan Holton · **Posted:** Mon Dec 31, 2007 6:03 pm

Working on installing the 5 point belts in the 240 yesterday and ran into a snag.

I know the sub belt needs to be in line with your spine, problem is that is right smack dab in the middle of the frame rail.

What would you do?

-Move the mounting point to one side to allow for the 4" x 4" backing plate?
-Mount it thru the frame rail?
-Take a Beefy flat bar bolt it to the floor pan on either side of the frame rail with 4"x4" backing plates. Weld mounting tab in center of beefy flat bar and connect.
-Start collecting stamps?
-Other?

Wes Eargle · **Joined:** Mon Oct 27, 2003 9:47 am **Posts:** 3683

Any reason why you couldn't make the 5 point into a "6 point" with the connecting portion in the middle? I'm not explaining it well, but make a triangle instead of a straight belt; the ends would go on either side of the frame rail and the resultant point would be in line with your spine. That's how my car came from the Messenheimer/Stone era.

Kevin Butler · **Posted:** Mon Dec 31, 2007 7:43 pm

What about a u-bolt wide enough to straddle the frame rail with doubler plates on either side?

Or...get a lower 6 point belt.

"-Take a Beefy flat bar bolt it to the floor pan on either side of the frame rail with 4"x4" backing plates. Weld mounting tab in center of beefy flat bar and connect." - I'd be worried about weld failure.

steve remchak · **Posted:** Mon Dec 31, 2007 8:11 pm

i think i heard where most sanctioning bodies are headed toward six point belts.

Ryan Holton · **Posted:** Mon Dec 31, 2007 11:20 pm

The new set of belts can be made a 6 point for about $30.

The older ones cannot (Corbeau Harnesses) AFAIK.

MikeWhitney · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:15 pm **Posts:** 4724

Wes Eargle wrote:

Any reason why you couldn't make the 5 point into a "6 point" with the connecting portion in the middle? I'm not explaining it well, but make a triangle instead of a straight belt; the ends would go on either side of the frame rail and the resultant point would be in line with your spine. That's how my car came from the Messenheimer/Stone era.

+1

Ryan Holton · **Posted:** Wed Jan 02, 2008 8:24 am

MikeWhitney wrote:

Wes Eargle wrote:

Any reason why you couldn't make the 5 point into a "6 point" with the connecting portion in the middle? I'm not explaining it well, but make a triangle instead of a straight belt; the ends would go on either side of the frame rail and the resultant point would be in line with your spine. That's how my car came from the Messenheimer/Stone era.

+1

I don't get what Wes is trying to say here. Can someone else take a stab at explaining it?

Sorry I'm slow

steve remchak · **Posted:** Wed Jan 02, 2008 9:49 am

i think he is saying get a two strap subbelt (6 point) and mount it on both sides of the frame rail.

Wes Eargle · **Joined:** Mon Oct 27, 2003 9:47 am **Posts:** 3683

MikeWhitney · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 9:15 pm **Posts:** 4724

steve remchak wrote:

i think he is saying get a two strap subbelt (6 point) and mount it on both sides of the frame rail.

Or just use the one-strap subbelt, and add a second adjuster and end bracket.

Wes Eargle · **Joined:** Mon Oct 27, 2003 9:47 am **Posts:** 3683

MikeWhitney wrote:

steve remchak wrote:

i think he is saying get a two strap subbelt (6 point) and mount it on both sides of the frame rail.

Or just use the one-strap subbelt, and add a second adjuster and end bracket.

Ding.

Charlie Guthrie · **Joined:** Thu Aug 28, 2003 8:14 pm **Posts:** 832

Quote:

Mike wrote:

steve remchak wrote:
i think he is saying get a two strap subbelt (6 point) and mount it on both sides of the frame rail.

Or just use the one-strap subbelt, and add a second adjuster and end bracket.

A quick word of caution if I am understanding this correctly. If you use two mounting points for the sub-belt, you should attempt to keep the triangle legs as long as possible. If the pair of straps gets short and the angle between the two belts gets much larger than 60 degrees there is a point of diminishing returns based on the tension in the belts. This is a "vector addition" problem (The tension in the belt is inversely proportional to the Cosine of the angle between the belts.) This explanation is probably too brief to make sense, but what the heck. Flames anyone?
Charlie G

KendtEklund · **Joined:** Tue Mar 27, 2007 7:29 pm **Posts:** 1204

After reading this over, it looks like it'll be worth doing the same thing on my car so I'll be 6-pt legal.

Just to make sure I'm planning things right - does this sound like everything I need:

- Autopower 4-point race bar (1.75in DOM tubing)
- Corbeau FX1 Pro seats
- Seat-back braces for both seats (required b/c the FX1's arent FIA approved, right?)
- G-Force camlock belts - modified to 6-point base

I was considering paying extra to get a removable diagonal brace and removable harness brace to save weight at AX's, but wonder if it is really worth the trouble.

The $$$ adds up fast...

Wes Eargle · **Joined:** Mon Oct 27, 2003 9:47 am **Posts:** 3683

Removable bracing from a racing safety device pleases Mr. Darwin.

KendtEklund · **Joined:** Tue Mar 27, 2007 7:29 pm **Posts:** 1204

Wes Eargle wrote:

Removable bracing from a racing safety device pleases Mr. Darwin.

Asked, answered, thanks

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