Passenger shoulder harness CSX4000

[eb911]

I am the proud new owner of a black/silver stripes Shelby CSX4000 with a 482ci Shelby aluminium block and 5 speed Tremec.

I know the subject has been widely discussed but I haven't been able to find that particular point in the several threads dealing with shoulder harness : where are the best anchor points to attach a passenger shoulder harness ?

The point is not whether I should fit a passenger shoulder harness or not, but where do they fit the best ?

Thnaks for your inputs.

[mickmate]

Right around the rear cowl brace tube. I'll find you some pictures if you'd like of the drivers side. I would not use shoulder straps for a passenger unless they have a roll bar. They hold them up in an accident.

[eb911]

Thanks for the input.

I have read that a passenger shoulder harness might not be ideal in case of rollover, without a roll bar. But I will anyway take a passenger in my car only for regular road use where the probability to have a rollover is low whereas an accident in which you are hit from behind of hit the back of a car is more likely to occur. In that case the shoulder harness prevents you from kissing the dashbord or the windshield frame.

I have already purchased a cross bar from Finishline for the driver side. Now the passenger side is another story ...

[mickmate]

I used the cowl bar like this on both sides. Unless you put the shoulder strap bar down inside the cockpit I think you'll find it too high. Check your harness install instructions, I think you'll find they need to be perpendicular to the spine.

[twobjshelbys]

If you read my posts here on this topic you will find that you should not do that. You can do it but the shoulder harness attachment points behind the passenger seat are not structural. They should only be attached to a cross member on the roll bar, so if you don't have a passenger side RB you shouldn't. There are two reasons:

1. Without a roll bar and shoulder harnesses the passenger's head is the roll bar. You'll not break your neck from the car on top of you if you do roll.

2. The attachment point of the trunk cross member is below shoulder height and thus results in compression. With our without a submarine belt you are likely to suffer more injury than without it.

Many people will counter this, as the probability of a rollover is much less than a side or rear/front collision, but note that when I asked Gary Patterson at Shelby his statement was they will NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES install them for you from the factory. You do so on your own and at your own risk.

This is a religious matter. I chose to leave mine but discouraged their use.

[mickmate]

The cowl bar behind the seats is a lot more structural than the roll bar is on these cars. My car is proof of that. It is also a perfect height to put most drivers spines perpendicular to the shoulder strap.
http://simpsonraceproducts.com/pdf/S...t_Mounting.pdf

[eb911]

Very informative, thank you.

Let me put it another way : in case of collission, and without shoulder harness, is the simple lapbelt safe enough for the passenger ?

[mickmate]

The Cobras have about as many safety features as a motorcycle except you're sitting on your butt like your on the throne with your pants around your ankles. There's some good discussion and statistics on here recently about what type of accident you're most likely to be in on the road. I believe the drivers attitude to the car, awareness, skills, practice and a good wheel alignment are more important than the seat belts. As you said you're more likely to get hit from behind than roll a car with this low a centre of gravity and the passenger shoulder straps would sure help in that circumstance.

[csx4017]

The only person to be in my 2nd seat is a track instructor. The probabilities of my wife being there in LA traffic is a given. I took out a steering wheel in my TR3 with my face because I had no Shoulder Harness and the bodies rotation point is around the lap belt. I will not debate the passenger as roll bar, but the everyday safety of a 2nd seat harness in a non-race situation is logical. I have mine wrapped as previously illustrated and I do agree that the structural acceptability of this lateral member is suspect under high G impact load. I see the tube bending and yielding, but giving adequate support for slow speed impact, enough to save my wife's lovely nose........I also understand SA's put on factory install.........Big Liability..........I know there are stress analysis guys in the forum that could do a rough calculation with material specs. load paths and load assumptions. It is up to the owner and maybe their significant other......

[mickmate]

That rear cowl hoop on a 4000 car is 1-1/4" DOM tubing. It is tied into the frame in exactly 10 places. One of those places is the side impact intrusion bars of the same material. There is a good shot of mine here Acton Custom Enterprises Custom Metal for Cobra's