Interesting note about Schroth is that they also now sell a version of thier
competition harnesses with a modified cam lock that also can be released by
pressing a large red button in the center of the cam lock. This allows it to
be DOT approved for street use and provides a real, separate shoulder straps
type harness.
John Moore
1993 Toyota MR2 NA
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rocky Entriken [SMTP:rocky@tri.net]
> Sent: Tuesday, October 05, 1999 2:27 PM
> To: Joshua Hadler
> Cc: Moore, John; Autox List
> Subject: Re: Harnesses
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Joshua Hadler <jhadler@rmi.net>
>
>
> >Rocky Entriken wrote:
> >>
> >> What I will never understand is why anyone would buy the Schroth system
> >> described above for $219 -- which has a skinnier lap belt and an
> >> illegal-for-anything-but-Solo-II Y-type shoulder strap -- when you can
> get a
> >> legal-for-anything complete system from Simpson for $89.95?
> >
> >Probably because they:
> >
> >A] look real cool.
> >B] are easier to get into and out of than a conventional harness.
> >C] are comfortable enough that you can use them in a daily driver.
> >
> > I fully agree with you though, that for competition only purposes, they
> >are a waste of money. But if you're going to use them in a daily driver,
> >they start to make a little more sense.
> >
>
>
> (other good points snipped)
>
> I dunno, never thought it was that important to spend spend 3 times the
> $$$
> just to look cool. :-)
>
> But actually, Josh does raise a good point with B] and C] in that the
> stock
> belts in most cars today are worthless junk. I think the only reason they
> are legal for Solo II is the incredible problems it would create, and the
> major effect it would have on attracting new drivers, if they were not.
> But
> the fact is, they are total crap flopping loosely around you that mostly
> serve no function whatsoever until AFTER the accident begins to happen. We
> know the value of a harness sytem that holds you in place so you can
> concentrate on driving the car (instead of concentrating on holding
> yourself
> in place) so you can drive around the accident and avoid it entirely. Been
> there, done that. Glad I had the belt on.
>
> Last time I bought a new car (10 years ago) the one item that decided us
> on
> buying a Ford -- a Mercury, actually -- was that it was the only marque
> sold
> here that came with a lap belt that locked down positively. All the GM and
> Chrysler products, as well as all the locally-sold imports (Salina is a
> small town) had belts that sat loose until some impact made the latching
> mechanism lock up. With all the other features different cars had,
> seatbelts
> were our deciding factor.
>
> And how stupid is it that the dealerships are forbidden by law to change
> out the OEM belt for something that works better?
>
> Back to Josh's points, a clunky full-race harness is probably overkill in
> a
> daily driver that will never see a race track, and the Schroth may well be
> a
> best alternative.
>
> --Rocky
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