• Registered: 2010-06-07
  • Posts: 39

Topic: Someone please explain the logic of the harness rules to me

"Five- or six-point harnesses mandatory, including fifth or fifth/sixth "anti-submarine" belt. All harnesses must be SFI or FIA approved; dated within four years of the race; and properly mounted. "

Per the SFI and FIA:
SFI approved harnesses are good for 2 years from the date of manufacture.
FIA approved harness are good for 5 years from the date of manufacture(although they're actually  stamped with a expiration year).

So why double the SFI lifespan, and reduce the FIA belt lifespan 20%?  This makes no sense.

  • From: Davis, Ca
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 1,843

Re: Someone please explain the logic of the harness rules to me

ohaythair wrote:

"Five- or six-point harnesses mandatory, including fifth or fifth/sixth "anti-submarine" belt. All harnesses must be SFI or FIA approved; dated within four years of the race; and properly mounted. "

Per the SFI and FIA:
SFI approved harnesses are good for 2 years from the date of manufacture.
FIA approved harness are good for 5 years from the date of manufacture(although they're actually  stamped with a expiration year).

So why double the SFI lifespan, and reduce the FIA belt lifespan 20%?  This makes no sense.

Lemons rules say the belts must 4 years old or less,  that is what we have to do. Period.     We don't differentiate between SFI and FIA.   

   SFI harnesses do not expire, the sanctioning body sets that amount of time: 2 years for NASA and SCCA, 5 years for most circle tracks, 4 years for Lemons, I've even seen 10 years at one dirt track. 

Harness fibers deteriorate over time and the powers that be have dictated that 4 years is all we gilve them, it makes plenty of sense.   

     -John

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3 Reply by ohaythair (edited by ohaythair 2010-06-26 07:12 PM)

  • Registered: 2010-06-07
  • Posts: 39

Re: Someone please explain the logic of the harness rules to me

Evil Genius wrote:
ohaythair wrote:

"Five- or six-point harnesses mandatory, including fifth or fifth/sixth "anti-submarine" belt. All harnesses must be SFI or FIA approved; dated within four years of the race; and properly mounted. "

Per the SFI and FIA:
SFI approved harnesses are good for 2 years from the date of manufacture.
FIA approved harness are good for 5 years from the date of manufacture(although they're actually  stamped with a expiration year).

So why double the SFI lifespan, and reduce the FIA belt lifespan 20%?  This makes no sense.

Lemons rules say the belts must 4 years old or less,  that is what we have to do. Period.     We don't differentiate between SFI and FIA.   

   SFI harnesses do not expire, the sanctioning body sets that amount of time: 2 years for NASA and SCCA, 5 years for most circle tracks, 4 years for Lemons, I've even seen 10 years at one dirt track. 

Harness fibers deteriorate over time and the powers that be have dictated that 4 years is all we gilve them, it makes plenty of sense.   

     -John

SFI certifies them for 2 years, http://www.sfifoundation.com/speclist.html 16.1/5.  If the sanctioning body decides to increase the time that's their own decision.  My point here is why not honor the full 5 yr FIA period?  It's being cut short for no good reason.

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Re: Someone please explain the logic of the harness rules to me

My guess is that it is what the insurance company says.

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  • trekkor
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  • From: Napa, Ca
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Re: Someone please explain the logic of the harness rules to me

Side point, here.

The year of the date code is what matters right?

An '06 belt made in January or October is good through the end of 2010, right?


KT

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  • From: Land Of Subarus, Colorado
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
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Re: Someone please explain the logic of the harness rules to me

You're just lucky we don't require pink harnesses.

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7 Reply by Evil Genius (edited by Evil Genius 2010-06-26 10:00 PM)

  • From: Davis, Ca
  • Registered: 2009-04-30
  • Posts: 1,843

Re: Someone please explain the logic of the harness rules to me

trekkor wrote:

Side point, here.

The year of the date code is what matters right?

An '06 belt made in January or October is good through the end of 2010, right?


KT

No,      A Jan 06 harness set is good through Jan 2010,  Feb 1, 2010 it is out of date.

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Re: Someone please explain the logic of the harness rules to me

Thanks for the follow up. I just scored a new set of belts for $35.


KT

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  • From: Craphole, NJ
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Re: Someone please explain the logic of the harness rules to me

Judge Phil wrote:

You're just lucky we don't require pink harnesses.

Pink harnesses would be better than Judge Jonny's new penalty, neck belts.

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10 Reply by ifb_mole (edited by ifb_mole 2010-06-27 10:14 PM)

  • Registered: 2009-09-01
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Re: Someone please explain the logic of the harness rules to me

Just one of those quirky Lemons rules, yup you could have  run 200+ mph in this years real LeMans with a August 2005 FIA label on your race belts but not 90 mph in a $500 POS Lemons racer, cuzz you wouldn't have passed tech. I seriously doubt it's an "insurance" issue.

11 Reply by EyeMWing (edited by EyeMWing 2010-06-27 08:54 PM)

  • From: Baltimore, MD
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Re: Someone please explain the logic of the harness rules to me

Actually, no you couldn't. The LeMans spec requires FIA. For *EVERYTHING*.

Because they're an FIA sanction.

Furthermore, no you couldn't, because SFI belts expire 2 years from manufacture by default (unless specifically extended by the sanctioning body). Bottom line, if you can't afford to buy a brand new $80 set of belts every FOUR YEARS, you can't afford this sport.

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