Racing seat, no harness, no airbag = death sentence?
04-30-2008, 08:39 AM
#22
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Originally Posted by moforeynolds
I of course remember cars with no airbags, but I'm going to assume your initial post wasn't in response to me since I didn't mention mortality in relation to airbags. What I DID mention is the consequences of removing one of the most important safety devices in your car--both from a safety standpoint and a legal one.
Airbags greatly reduce the amount of serious injury incurred in the event of an accident, that much I'm fairly sure we can all agree on (I know their pitfalls, but a busted nose or a bruised forehead is many times better than a fractured skull). However, if you get in an accident and have serious injury indicitive of someone that was not protected from an airbag, your insurance company is going to be asking questions. First would be why it didn't deploy, in which case they would bring lawsuit to the car manufacturer to cover your medical bills. When they realize that you purposely removed the airbag, they may revoke their responsibility to pay your medical bills and will likely drop you from their services. So while you are in the hospital with serious injury that could have been prevented by leaving your airbag intact, you also are now going to have to find a way to pay for the medical care out-of-pocket.
4-point harnesses are also cause for concern on a street-driven vehicle if mounted to the floor; floor-mounted harness straps will pull your body down in to the seat (instead of back) as the momentum of an accident carries you forward, which will cause serious back and shoulder injury. If the force of impact was strong enough it will actually rip the chair out of the floor, sending your entire strapped body flying in to your dashboard and windshield. The only safe way to run harnesses is to match them with a formidably-strong, rear-mounted shoulder-height harness bar to anchor the straps.
I already mentioned how unstreetable a cage could be; as said before, cages are meant for cars whose occupant(s) are wearing helmets. Your head will split open like a melon if knocked against one with any force at all.
Personally, the farthest I would go would be to install reclinable racing seats that still allow me the use of the factory seatbelts--or if that's not possible, run harnesses with a properly installed harness bar. It is up to you if you would like any other parts (or combination of) that have been mentioned in this thread; I am not going to preach and tell someone NOT to do anything, but I WILL throw out the ramifications of making those decisions.
Airbags greatly reduce the amount of serious injury incurred in the event of an accident, that much I'm fairly sure we can all agree on (I know their pitfalls, but a busted nose or a bruised forehead is many times better than a fractured skull). However, if you get in an accident and have serious injury indicitive of someone that was not protected from an airbag, your insurance company is going to be asking questions. First would be why it didn't deploy, in which case they would bring lawsuit to the car manufacturer to cover your medical bills. When they realize that you purposely removed the airbag, they may revoke their responsibility to pay your medical bills and will likely drop you from their services. So while you are in the hospital with serious injury that could have been prevented by leaving your airbag intact, you also are now going to have to find a way to pay for the medical care out-of-pocket.
4-point harnesses are also cause for concern on a street-driven vehicle if mounted to the floor; floor-mounted harness straps will pull your body down in to the seat (instead of back) as the momentum of an accident carries you forward, which will cause serious back and shoulder injury. If the force of impact was strong enough it will actually rip the chair out of the floor, sending your entire strapped body flying in to your dashboard and windshield. The only safe way to run harnesses is to match them with a formidably-strong, rear-mounted shoulder-height harness bar to anchor the straps.
I already mentioned how unstreetable a cage could be; as said before, cages are meant for cars whose occupant(s) are wearing helmets. Your head will split open like a melon if knocked against one with any force at all.
Personally, the farthest I would go would be to install reclinable racing seats that still allow me the use of the factory seatbelts--or if that's not possible, run harnesses with a properly installed harness bar. It is up to you if you would like any other parts (or combination of) that have been mentioned in this thread; I am not going to preach and tell someone NOT to do anything, but I WILL throw out the ramifications of making those decisions.
I'm running reclinable racing seats with factory belts right now. It's a good/comfortable combo...
04-30-2008, 08:40 AM
#23
Originally Posted by Z1 Performance
because the angles at which buckets are constructed, is based around a belt fitting through the seat, not around it. Can it be done? Sure, I am sure tons of people have done it. Would I recommend it? Absolutely not
I honestly feel more secure in the bucket than the stock seat. If I were get in a side impact collision in the stock seat, I'd get my *** tossed side to side pretty bad since there's so much width and weak side/shoulder bolsters. In the Buddy Club, I'm snug as a bug all the way from my thighs up to my shoulders.
04-30-2008, 10:05 AM
#24
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Originally Posted by moforeynolds
Well, that's the decision you made by running paddles. Personally I think that's a poor one and you are just asking for injury (and possibly no insurance to pay for it), but weigh those pluses and minuses yourself.
Well there may be another option soon. There is a thread with another member working on getting the paddles to work with the stock wheel. If that ends up happening chances are I will switch back. Im more worried about other people on the road then myself, Im turning 27 this summer and the last crash I caused was at 16 when I 1st started driving... Although you never know what may happen.
04-30-2008, 02:41 PM
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Originally Posted by vo7848
Good info..
I'm running reclinable racing seats with factory belts right now. It's a good/comfortable combo...
I'm running reclinable racing seats with factory belts right now. It's a good/comfortable combo...
Got the Vorgas in yet Vo??
Oh and on the topic, I run aftermarket wheel (no airbag), cage/harness bar, aftermarket seats and harnesses. Dangerous? sure, but for the amount of time the car is actually driven and where its driven, I don't worry to much about injuring myself.
Oh and I think the type of driver plays a part in the chance of a accident and there is always a chance. You could get t-boned by a semi going 55 and none of the safety features in the car would probably matter at that point.
T
Last edited by TayTaythatsme04; 04-30-2008 at 02:45 PM.
05-20-2008, 12:31 PM
#26
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Originally Posted by TayTaythatsme04
Got the Vorgas in yet Vo??
Here's a $hitty camera phone pic with bad lighting. It really doesn't do it justice though...
Last edited by VO...; 05-20-2008 at 12:33 PM.
05-21-2008, 07:52 AM
#27
I love how everyone is an expert on forums. Unless you have scientific data to prove your point that a racing seat is unsafe with a stock 3 point harness your data is null. I had a sparco fighter seat in my z with the stock 3 point and it worked fine. Not everyone wants a 4 point in a daily driven car. I now have the sparco in my track car with a 4 point harness and a roll bar. It's not comfortable but it works great for the track only.
05-21-2008, 07:55 AM
#28
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Originally Posted by 97supratt
I love how everyone is an expert on forums. Unless you have scientific data to prove your point that a racing seat is unsafe with a stock 3 point harness your data is null. I had a sparco fighter seat in my z with the stock 3 point and it worked fine. Not everyone wants a 4 point in a daily driven car. I now have the sparco in my track car with a 4 point harness and a roll bar. It's not comfortable but it works great for the track only.
05-21-2008, 03:03 PM
#31
Originally Posted by 97supratt
I love how everyone is an expert on forums. Unless you have scientific data to prove your point that a racing seat is unsafe with a stock 3 point harness your data is null. I had a sparco fighter seat in my z with the stock 3 point and it worked fine. Not everyone wants a 4 point in a daily driven car. I now have the sparco in my track car with a 4 point harness and a roll bar. It's not comfortable but it works great for the track only.
JET
05-21-2008, 03:04 PM
#32
Originally Posted by 97supratt
Here's another great example, GT3RS with a roll bar, no harness, race seats that don't recline with 3 point oem seat belts.
JET
05-21-2008, 03:19 PM
#33
Originally Posted by JETPILOT
How many people are going to remove the seatbelt and thread it through the seat if it could even be done?
JET
JET
05-21-2008, 04:28 PM
#34
Originally Posted by JETPILOT
That pic shows the seatbelt threaded through the seat correctly allowing it to contact the hips. That's a Porsche factory roll cage. How many people are going to remove the seatbelt and thread it through the seat if it could even be done?
JET
JET
Looks like mine was fitted exactly the same way, with a 3 point.
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