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I am going to buy harnesses and seats for my in-progress Spec E30. I am still driving in DE’s with an instructor. I understand the instructor must have the “same” level of safety as the driver. My question: Can I buy a less expensive seat and harness for the instructor than what I will use? IE: can i buy a 5pt out of date harness for the instructor seat while i will buy a current 6pt harness for me? This would only be for DE’s.
Thanks
Dan
RacerDan wrote:
[quote]I am going to buy harnesses and seats for my in-progress Spec E30. I am still driving in DE’s with an instructor. I understand the instructor must have the “same” level of safety as the driver. My question: Can I buy a less expensive seat and harness for the instructor than what I will use? IE: can i buy a 5pt out of date harness for the instructor seat while i will buy a current 6pt harness for me? This would only be for DE’s.
Thanks
Dan[/quote]
As an instructor, I’d be a little miffed if a student shows up with a nice Raceteck halo seat and I’m left with a 15 year old kirky. Officially you’d be fine.
Not sure about NASA but PCA you need current dates on both passenger and driver belts or not less that 5 years old I think.
as long as the pass accommodations were “comparable” i wouldn’t have a problem with it. make sure the seat is properly mounted, braced in the back if necessary, and the harnesses are in good condition and properly installed. i’ve never heard anyone complain that they had “only” a 5pt instead of a 6pt.
mahoneyj wrote:
That isn’t true in NASA. There are no restrictions on what belts you can run when in DE. I am currently using out of date driver and passenger harnesses with a 6 point for me and a 5 point for the instructor in DE. I have the same seats for both, and I haven’t added the required brace for racing yet.
I wouldn’t recommend this, but NASA only requires a stock seat and stock belts in good condition for the passenger even if the driver has a racing shell and harnesses.
thanks,
bruce
leggwork wrote:
[quote]I wouldn’t recommend this, but NASA only requires a stock seat and stock belts in good condition for the passenger even if the driver has a racing shell and harnesses.
thanks,
bruce[/quote]
What Bruce left unsaid is that the reason he doesn’t recommend it is that a lot of instructors won’t get into a car where the driver has a real seat and harness and the passenger gets a 3 point. I wouldn’t. Our part of the nation has already had one KIA and one (badly) WIA instructor this year. If I got killed because of some bonehead student, my wife would have my ass.
I agree with similar safety stuff for driver and instructor. My stock seats are shot and need to go. Problem now is OG Racing and SAFERACER are both OUT OF STOCK on the EVO 3/XL seat for my fat a** and Sparco is out of stock too!! Any recomendations on an alternative larger seat or a source?
I went with two Corbeau FX1s in my car and mounted them with Corbeau sliding brackets. They fit my 270 lb fat ass and with the sliders it makes it easy to get any driver/passenger comfortable. They aren’t certified by anybody so they need a seat back brace and center net to race with. Originally I was gonna go with a Sparco Evo as well, but you can get 2 of these for the price of a Sparco. I know some of the SpecE30 guys run Corbeaus.
I waited until I got to de3 to take the original seats out so I wouldn’t need to buy 2.
Two seats are not a bad thing with the weight requirements. Do you have a rollcage or at least a back half cage? If you do, I would recommend two aluminum seats like Kirkey Road Race Intermediates. Shop around, you should be able to get them for about $400 each and they are great quality, but you need the main hoop in the car for a back brace. But if you value your safety, you should have some type of cage, perferable weld-in. If you can fabricate, then you can use the original sliders for the seat installation.
seams like everyone is agreement about lowering the minimum weight so hopefully by the time I actually start racing that wont be an issue.
When I get my logbook inspection will my harnesses, suit, helmet, h&n get checked. I don’t plan on having a suit, h&n, current harnesses or ra1s until I’m ready for comp school.
don’t be too sure about the min weight dropping… hasn’t happened 2 years in a row as I recall. the annual inspection is supposed to cover personal safety gear. Just do your inspection right before comp school.
Back to the original topic. I just had delivered an OG Racing 6pt. camlock FIA approved for the driver ($154.99) and 5pt SFI latch-lock for instructor (69.99) all from Apex Performance. Corbeau FX-1 seats are on the way. Thanks for the info from everyone