How to install PRP 4-point harness in buggy?

[zanderk_98]

Looking for technical advice from fellow buggy owners who may have had the same or similar issue.

I purchased PRP Roadster seats & adjustable seat tracks for my buggy. When I placed the order, I also purchased PRP's 4.2 harness which is a lap belt / shoulder belt system.

Question is how to mount the seat belts to be safest / most effective? At this point I bolted the seats to the tracks, then made a plywood template & drilled the floor pans for holes to fit the tracks.

After a test fit, I felt the best option for the lap belts was to remove the rear seat-to-seat track bolt & use that as a location for the lap belt mount. I had to bend the mounting tabs slightly to get it fit as I wanted & mount in the correct angle.

My issue is really how to mount the 4 shoulder straps? I really have nothing in the rear of the buggy to mount to. My 'roll bar' is really only the traditional 'show bar' & it has no cross brace to mount to & obtain a safe angle. My next thought was to anchor the shoulder straps to a 6" square steel plates 'sandwiched' above & below the "rear seat area". This may work on the passenger side but I have spare tire well behind the driver, thus no fiberglass to even sandwich a plate.

The shoulder straps aren't long enough, even at max adjustment to even reach any other surface.... Included is a photo to sort of show what i'm facing. Since photo was taken, I have permanently reinstalled the room bar & repositioned the shoulder straps inside the adjustable head rests of the seats.

Suggestions?

[AMAC1680]

You’ll need to be careful how low and at what angle the shoulders straps are. Too low and too sharp and angle can create a safety issue, ie snaped spines...

http://www.crowenterprizes.com/Pages/Install.html

AMAC
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www.SEGS4VETS.org

[Q-Dog]

Either install a bar in the correct location for the shoulder belts, or install lap belts only.
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Brian

'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle

[Dale M.]

[slalombuggy]

Most belt manufacturers want you to mount the belts in a 10-15* window below your shoulder height (not the seat height). IF you cannot install the shoulder belts in this way, don not install them at all. In a front end collision having the belts down to low will compress your spine and break your back. You can mount the end of the belts down low on the rear of the tub but you MUST have a shoulder bar that the belts will go over that will keep them up higher within the desired window of angle.

When my car was tech'd to run at Bonneville they actually took a protractor reading on the shoulder belts.

brad

[zanderk_98]

Thanks for all the responses. I know incorrect installation of shoulder straps at the incorrect angle can cause more issues than they are intended to prevent in an accident.

After thinking about the options, I've decided to scrap the idea & not use the PRP harnesses at all. I ordered a simple pair of lap belts instead today. Honestly, I purchased the 4-point harness back when I ordered my custom seats because I thought they looked good & I could save on shipping to have them sent with the seats. Never intend to ever go off-road or racing with this buggy. It's a stock 1300cc single port buggy that strictly a fun cruiser for pleasure & occasional car show.

Anyone interested in the 2 harnesses, send me a PM. Literally brand new out of the box.

[cbeck]

Don't think that the streets are safer than off road.
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My cut in half and rebuild thread
www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=647779