harrydirty

I searched for this but did not come up with much........I'm getting my C6Z ready for the track and wondering what needs to be done to keep all the car's computers happy once the stock seats are removed. I know Pfadt makes a harness that keeps the air bag light off and keep the telescopic feature in the steering wheel, but are there other issues? For example, when the passenger seat is removed, are there potential problems? I heard there might be an issue with g-force sensors. Can I remove the two boxes under the driver's seat if the Pfadt harness is installed or are there other issues? I'm assuming when I remove the driver's seat that I'm also removing the power seat base; I'm also assuming that no one typically uses the power seat base with a side mount race seat.

Appreciate any guidance from the collective on these issues.

rfn026

Make sure your new seat is FIA approved, is HANS compatible and that you install your belts properly. I just finished up a column for Vintage Motorsport magazine on race seats.

btw - Hendricks has the state-of-the-art seat. One like JJ uses will only cost you $14,000.

Richard Newton
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Cloaked323

I have this harness, it works, however,my bag light stays on. I've heard the newer ones the airbag light is goes out. I've only seen one black box under the drivers seat dunno where the 2nd one is. I do know that the black box under the seat is placed under the aftermarket seat and the Pfadt Harness plugs into the black box. No other creature features will work with a real racing seat nor do they need to. You'll need a race seat and mounting bracket to go along with the Pfadt Harness. The good thing is you can swap them out without any issues. I don't know anything about the passenger seat I saw no need to change it out for track events.

BEZ06

If you aren't carrying anybody over there - no problem.

However, many/most sponsoring organizations are requiring an equal setup on the passenger side if you'll be carrying an observer/instructor/passenger over there.

Bob

Cloaked323

Really Bob, that's crazy that's not happening over here but I'm only referring to HPDE not anything sanctioned on a competition formant.

BEZ06

If you're running W2W competitive racing you'll probably have your cool-suit cooler over on the floor where the passenger seat came out!!!

I'm assuming that you're running a 5 or 6 point harness setup with your race seat (most race seats won't allow proper use of the factory 3point system - the side bolsters usually restrict the lap belt portion of the factory belt from fitting across the hips properly). And, like it says below, you can't run a harness system at most events unless you have a seat with pass-through holes for the harness shoulder straps, so that would preclude using a harness for the right seat passenger unless your factory seats have pass-through holes in them.

I run HPDE's back east, and here's an excerpt of info for prepping your car for the Nat'l Corvette Museum HPDE at VIR this summer:


That is about identical to the requirements of any PCA event around the country. BMW and Chin Motorsports events also have similar language.

So.....if you're running in a class that you don't need an observer or instructor and you won't ever be carrying any passengers, then you're fine.

If you ever will need an instructor or observer (e.g., to upgrade run groups, run with a new organization that might require an instructor to ride with you before putting you out solo, take a passenger out for a couple laps, etc.) and you haven't needed to meet the "equal restraint rule" yet, get ready because it's already SOP with many groups that sponsor track days.

Edited: Here's some info from NASA:


You can read above that NASA also has the "equal restraint rule" in effect. Like it says above, the passenger side doesn't need to have the exact same stuff installed, but at a minimum it must be at least as safe as the driver's side.

BTW, most all organizations already have in effect, or will soon (like the NASA April date this year), a rule that won't allow any 4 point harnesses to be used. They'll require 5 or 6 point harnesses.

Bob

rustyguns

$$$$$$$14,000

slo_z28

You can get one custom made for you out of carbon fiber for about half of that.

harrydirty

If you refer to the sticky from Dreamin' on installing aftermarket seats, you will note there are two boxes under the seat. You are right in that there is only one black box, the other smaller one is brown.

So you mentioned that the Pfadt harness plugs into the black box......do you mean that the harness plugs in between an existing harness and the black box, or is there an unused socket on the black box that the Pfadt harness plugs into?

In re-reading Dreamin's how-to article, he is reusing the stock seat power base. I assume for side mount race seats the power base motors, air bag, and seat heaters are left disconnected and the black and brown boxes are reconnected (along with the Pfadt harness connected to the black box)......is that what you did?

BEZ06

You're asking about how to hook up the Pfadt cable.

Do you have one????


If you don't already have one, I'm not sure you'll be able to get one - they're not shown as being available on their site.

Take a look at:

http://www.vetteworksonline.com/cata...roducts_id=198


It sounds like those plugs do pretty much what the Pfadt cable does.

Good luck!!

Bob

mfquinn

I am not sure what this black box and brown box is that you are referring to. Under my seats I have to plugs coming out from the floor board. A black/purple plug/harness that is the power and a yellow plug/harness that is for the airbag restraint system.

I also have been concerned with the equal passenger rule. I just installed Corbeau TRS seats and am running a 6 point harness installed per schroth's instructions on the drivers side. I will be doing the same on the passengers side but for now I still have the OEM 3 points belts functioning. That way if I do have to have a check out ride I will just not use my harness. I am hopeing that this will pass the rule. I will have the passenger side complete before the NCM at VIR event as they are very picky and I don't want any problems.

BEZ06

Hey Mike

Did you find a Pfadt cable, or did you get the VetteWorks plugs???

Bob

Gman57

Pfadt no longer makes this setup
I got mine from VetteWorks and not sure Dan is still making them
Good luck

harrydirty

I got my Z06 a month ago and am in the process of getting it ready for the track, thus my many questions of those forum members more experienced. Therefore, I do not have the Pfadt/Vetteworks harness and it sounds like it may be too late to get one of these harnesses, which may be problematic; I could live with the air bag light being on, but I would hate to lose the telescopic feature of the steering wheel. I'm doing several things for safety and handling and part of that is to understand what to do so the car's electronics do not interfere and surprise me on the track (Active Handling, etc).

Any advice from forum members on how to keep the electronics from complaining would be appreciated. I assume one critical part is to keep the box(es) under the driver's seat plugged in. I assume they will not complain even if the power seat motors and seat heaters are not plugged in? With the side air bag it sounds like the Pfadt or Vetteworks harness is needed, so I will see if I can get either. If it's just a matter of a specific value resistor simulating the presence of an air bag, I can do that, but it's probably not so simple?

Thanks again for any help from forum members.......

danbo56

Caravaggio corvette in canada makes race that bolt to the factory mounts and preserves all functions execpt the side air bags and seat heaters. no yelllow lights no codes... even get to keep the power sliders

http://www.caravaggiocorvettes.com/

95jersey

I have an 06 C6Z and have a Sparco race seat (driver side only). I know many clubs require equal, but that is usually for novice and intermediate drivers. One you get advanced or become an instructor you don't need the equal seats (at least that has been my experience). Not sure where you experience level is...but for economy reasons, I only did the driver seat. My airbag light comes on and I do not worry since I have 5 point and Hans. Thank God for those devices, my head and body will never touch the airbag, so it is worthless anyway to get the plug. The telescoping issue is easy. Before you remove the seat, put the steering wheel where you would like it for track days (meaning much closer to you). Set it in place, then remove the negative cable from the battery terminal, this will leave the steering wheel in place permanently until you reconnect the stock seat. I simply have my track steering wheel set up on option 2. I press the button and disconnect the battery terminal, install my seat and I am done.

The car doesn't have an issue with the seat motors or heaters being unplugged. I can't speak for the little box under the passenger seat.

I remember when I first got the car in 2006 and did an event (as an advanced driver already) with the very strict BMW club and they mention something about it, and I said there is a computer under the seat that makes the car run and no one has figured out how to fix the issue since the car is so new. I told them I was already an advanced driver, didn't nerequire an instructor according to club regulations, and there was nothing I could do about it. My point to them was that I didn't want to sacrafice my safety knowing I am not going to have any passengers. They said fine, np.

Since then, not a single organization has had an issue with it, but that could also be because I instruct for serveral of them.

Cloaked323

Correct

Bill Dearborn

I pull both seats and replace them with Ultrashield seats. Once the stock seats come out I have to remove the driver seat control module that is attached to the seat springs and use it with the Pfadt Air Bag Harness. I usually tape it to the floor. Even though both seats are out the Pfadt harness does turn off the air bag light. I doubt the light being lit actually disables the front air bags since they only have one light to indicate a problem and I really believe GM's lawyers would tell them its OK to turn off the front air bags if there isn't anything wrong with them. I suspect the main thing the harness does is allow the driver to adjust the steering wheel. If you are going to use the Pfadt harness and have to remove the module from the bottom of the stock seat make sure you raise the seat all the way up before you pull the power plug. As the Service Writer and the dealer tech told me I am taking a risk continually unplugging/plugging the air bag connectors as they are not designed for multiple insertions and may have a short life cycle.

You can get by without the harness if you do some pre-planning and set the steering wheel position before you remove the stock seat. On 2008 and older Zs the On Star module is under the passenger side seat so you need to have the front of the replacement seat high enough to clear the module. I think GM moved the module on 2009 and newer cars. I am pretty sure it fills up the space used by the drive system of the power seat.

Bill

928nomore

I don't really care about the weight but want to use my Hans device so I am installing new 5pt Gforce belts thru the back of the seats ( belted to a bar that mounts to the A pillars at the seatbelt mount) This is what I did on my c6 and now I am doing the same for the Z06. This way I keep the 3 pt for daily driving and have the harnesses and the side air bags for the track. Last time I used an upholstery shop and they cut the holes for me ( and used inserts for the cut outs) was thinking of doing it myself this time. does anyone know how hard it is to get thru the plastic in the seat back just left and right of the seat latch?