Harness (5 or 6 point) and Seat Standards Update for 2013
PCA National has revised the Harness Systems section of the Minimum Standards for DE. The PCA Milwaukee Region is adopting the national standards for driver education events conducted by our region. The following rules will be in applicable to all DE Groups of the PCA Milwaukee Region and be effective January 1, 2008.
Harness and Seat Standards Specific to PCA Milwaukee DE Events:
· I-Novice Group may run with factory seats and belts
· II-Intermediate Group may run with factory seats and belts
· III-Advanced and Race Car Group requires 5 or 6 point harness, with a proper race seat and must be equipped at a minimum with a roll bar
· Instructor – May run with factory seats and belts, but if equipped with race seats then they must comply with group III recommendations.
Roll cage with SFI compliant padding is recommended. Roll bar or roll cage must have a harness bar for mounting of shoulder straps.
· Groups I and II may upgrade to Group III seat and harness requirements. Roll bar or roll cage is optional. However, a harness bar is required for mounting of shoulder straps. Upgrading to Group III seat and harness requirements does not advance a driver to a higher Group.
· The proper race seat is defined as having proper routing holes, as supplied by the seat manufacturer, for the shoulder and anti-submarine straps. Single piece proper race seats are recommended. Proper race seats that are hinged for reclining articulation are approved for DE only.
· Roll bars that use factory belt mounting points are approved for DE only. Harness Standard Amendment (for non-Porsches)
In addition to the standard FIA approved 5 or 6 point system, the standard will allow for a 4 point system (non-Porsches) that meets the following requirements:
1. Meet the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 2009
2. Attaches to the floor seat belt mounting points
3. Each belt is designed to work in a specific vehicle and that vehicle tag must be attached to the system. An example of a system that meets the above criteria is the Schroth Quick Fit System. Note: If vehicles meeting the above Harness Standard Amendment do not have a roll bar or roll cage, they will be limited to Groups I or II.
1. Equal Restraints: Both student and instructor shall have a similar restraint system. All vehicles must be equipped with a properly installed restraint system.
2. Harness Systems: If the participant chooses to install a 5 or 6 point driving harness several changes to the automobile must be made to create a safe occupant restraint system. Harnesses must include an antisubmarine strap and be mounted in an approved manner consistent the manufacturer’s instructions. The Harness system must be used in conjunction with a seat which has the supplied routing holes for the shoulder and anti-submarine belts. All pieces of the restraint system must be installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
Each shoulder strap must be mounted independently. This means that a seat is required to have the proper routing holes for the harness as supplied by the seat manufacturer for the shoulder and anti-submarine straps. The shoulder straps should be mounted at 90 degrees to the axis of the occupant’s spine or at most 40 degrees down from horizontal. Because the addition of the harness system means that the occupants are fastened upright in the vehicle, a properly padded roll bar or roll cage is strongly encouraged to complete the SYSTEM. The use of one without the other may result in an unsafe environment and is not a COMPLETE SYSTEM. Due to UV degradation and wear, the harness webbing must be replaced every five years.
Convergence of shoulder straps to a “Y” single mount point is not allowed.
Harness Bar Requirements: Group I and II vehicles with 5 or 6 point harness systems, without a roll bar or roll cage with an integrated harness bar installed, are required to use a harness bar to mount the shoulder straps. Mounting shoulder straps to factory rear seat belt mount points is not allowed due to extra length of shoulder belts and resulting excess stretch upon impact.
Note: 914 model Porsches and other models or marques, having similar space limitations aft of the seat back, do not require a harness bar.
The PCA National Minimum Standards document, in its entirety, is available online on the National PCA Web site (www.pca.org)
The PCA Milwaukee Region Safety / Technical Inspection form is available online on the PCA Milwaukee Region Web site (www.porschepark.org)
Helmets for 2013 events must have Snell 2005 or 2010 specification stickers. Your helmet will be checked during the check-in process at the track.
Questions: Contact us at: MilwaukeeDE@aol.com.
