0David_Yu

I want to install a harness in my Z06, but don't necessarily want to go to the trouble and expense of changing the seats.

With a decent harness on tight, how is lateral location under track loadings? Do those of you who've kept the stock seats still wish for a race bucket other things being equal?

I always find my left knee bruised from bracing myself against the speaker grille after a track session!

Also, how well do the shoulder harnesses route around the stock seat back?

Thanks in advance.

Ruf-Racer

key word = sternum strap.


Cheers

R

jvp

David -

I agree with Ruf-Racer: sternum strap. Not entirely required, depending on your style of harness bar. But it's extra security that won't hurt. I added them to my Simpson harnesses, combined with my C6 Sharkbar in my Z06.

With the harnesses snug, I don't move in the stock seat. I find the seats completely unimpressive, but I don't want to replace them with race buckets. I DO want to replace them with stock C6 seats, and when I find an electrical genius that can help me, I'll do just that.

But in the mean, I'm happy to use the stock seats. Combined with the harnesses, I'm nice and snug and don't have a problem with using the steering wheel as just a steering wheel (vs. using it as a brace as well).

jas

AU N EGL

Lets HIGHLIGHT THAT ONE AGAIN

STERNUM STRAP is a must

Unless you have holes in the back of your seat for your shoulder straps to go though, a sternum stap is required for saftey.

allanlaw

Next key words - TeamTech Rampac 6-point.

Short-Throw

David,

Regardless of what harness system you put in your car, there's only so much you can do with stock seats. Sternum Strap or not, you will definitely be more secure and be able to focus all your attention on driving as opposed to bracing your elbows or legs through turns. However, to get true protection from a serious mishap, the stock seats will not provide the same safety as a recaro or sparco etc.. no matter what you do to them.

BTW...when I gutted my C6 donor car, I couldn't believe how heavy those darn things were.


Mike

2006c6keller

I hate the basic seats, you slide around because they are so slick, this has been a common complaint about them. I thinking about laying a rubber cabinet or rug liner on the seat to prevent sliding. I use this for my Lhasa Apso on the center counsel with her cat bed with dog seat (chest) belt harness and anchor belts to rear top base in the coupe trunk. She is really strapped in, a very fast little dog, she has some fast times and high G forces. I don't see many dogs out running her! She hasn't lost a race yet!

jvp

Click here to see what I'm talking about. I find the Coupe/Vert 3LT seats to be vastly more comfortable and supportive than the Z06 seats. They have more butt support, and the adjustable lumbar and bolster support is priceless, in my opinion. Yes, it's extra weight, but I'm OK with that.

I had Mr. Caravaggio whip these up for me. They're out of a wrecked 3LT C6, so they have all of the adjustments, air bags, seat heaters, etc. He cut openings for the harness belts, and then re-skinned the seats with nicer leather.

The challenge: they're out of a 2005 C6. In 2006, GM changed the way the Vette's airbag system worked with relation to the seats. The change includes sensors to tell how far forward the seat is (both seats) as well as whether there's weight in the passenger seat. 2005 didn't have any of that. So there's a massive incompatibility between these "aftermarket" seats and my 2007 Z06's computer.

I tried to put them in last year. I even got the lumbar and bolster adjustment working in the driver's seat with a little electrical jumper. But the SRS threw all sorts of codes and it was impossible (at the time) to figure it out. So I put the stock seats back in and am waiting for someone who can help me work through this (I'll even pay money for said help... ;-))

jas

AU N EGL

Bet that is frustrating.

Good Luck on figuring something out

jvp

Many interesting combinations of my favorite four-letter words were yelled. A few times. "Frustrating" doesn't even begin to describe it. ;-)

Thanks. The first step is to get the 2007 Helms, which haven't been printed yet. From there, I'll look up the 4 codes (as stated in the "Recaro" thread) and see if they're just a matter of a resistance value not being read by the car. If that's the case, easy fix. I'll just need to figure out which pins on the main seat connector the car is trying to read that information from.

Then I need to power the passenger seat. There IS electricity running to the stock Z06 passenger seat, but it's only for the butt warmers. I'm reasonably confident that I can jumper it across to the seat motors and air pumps for the lumbar/bolster adjustments.

That's a secondary concern, however. Convincing the computer that the airbags are, in fact, OK, is the primary one.

jas

0David_Yu

Thanks for the replies guys. Given the issues there are with replacing the stock seats I think I will start off with the harness AND THE STERNUM STRAP!

For the 90%+ time the car is not on track, I don't mind the stock seats TOO much, although I think they would be better with alcantara centre sections for more grip.

Mako7

1. Stock seats are the single biggest failure of the C6Z. They belong in Pontiac G6 or something.

2. Harness bar simply helps you concentrate on your driving. At first they will hair you out because your range of motion is restricted vs. stock.

3. Wear the stock belt over your 6-point setup.

4. If you are are reasonable sized guy, the shoulder straps are not going anywhere so do not worry about a sternum strap. I am just under 6' 210.

5. Check with your local race track/HPDE clubs to make sure they permit sternum straps. Many ban them. Talk to some good race suppliers such as Northstar Motorsports out of Minnesota about this issue. I run a Sans Belt 6-point which is what they recommend.

Have fun!

0David_Yu

2. Harness bar simply helps you concentrate on your driving. At first they will hair you out because your range of motion is restricted vs. stock.

Thanks, but I am familiar with harnesses having raced for a couple of seasons!

3. Wear the stock belt over your 6-point setup.

Why? I've never heard of anyone doing that.

5. Check with your local race track/HPDE clubs to make sure they permit sternum straps. Many ban them. Talk to some good race suppliers such as Northstar Motorsports out of Minnesota about this issue. I run a Sans Belt 6-point which is what they recommend.

What are the safety concerns against wearing a sternum strap?
I don't think many people use them here in the UK.

Spit's07C6Z

Use the TeamTech RamPac. A little pricey, but well worth it. Best harness.
Sternum Strap + pads are already there. Only harness I would use w/C6Z.


Stock seats will work, but as everyone else has reccommened get some race seats.

Mako7

#3--Safety

#5--do a search on the Corvette forum; call vendors.

RichieRichZ06

Even with a sternun strap, if you hit the wall head on, you will most likely end up on the hood. that little piece of velcro and nylon will not make you completely safe compared to any type of belt that goes through the seats and keeps your shoulders from slipping through the belts. NASA will not even let you run stock seats with harnesses. They insist on you having holes ini the seats to hold your shoulders in the event of a crash.

RichieRichZ06

That is about the only setup that would be close to a full race seat and harnesses. I would almost feel completely safe in that harness.

Bill Dearborn

You can get Simpson Shoulder Belts with sternum straps sewn into them with latch/link buckles to hold them together ( http://www.simpsonraceproducts.com/p...7&prod_id=1585 ). They will not come apart. However, sternum straps themselves are dangerous. If the sub belt isn't installed correctly or not tight the sternum strap becomes a nice hangman's noose upon a hard frontal impact. Just to be clear, a sub belt that runs over the front of the seat is not installed correctly. On a stock seat the only kind of sub belts that can be used are the ones you sit on and they have to be tight. Another problem with using racing harnesses that go around the seat Vs go through it is the reduction in effective strength that occurs when the belt is twisted. Upon twisting the belt width is reduced to the smallest non twisted width. A 3 inch belt fastened to a harness bar that goes around a seat may have no more than 1 inch of belt that is non-twisted so the strength of the shoulder harness could be reduced by 2/3. Before you buy belts you should make sure your investment actually provides more protection than the stock system Vs less. Proper belts are a serious matter, in 2005 a Boxster driver was killed at Watkins Glen because he wore a harness setup that went around the outside of his seat and he had nothing to keep the shoulder belts on his shoulders as his body was thrown around after hitting the guardrail. He might have survived if he had just worn the stock 3 point system.
Bill

2006c6keller

Thanks for the info, will keep in mind all the problems.

Robert56@RNS

Can you guys do this with your C6 Z06 seats?

The C5 Z06 seat mod.



Robert