DOT said NO!!

As much as I hate so much of what the DOT does I must warn you that those seat belts will have you snap your neck if the car rolls over. Standard 3 point belts allow the body to displace sideways in a rollover keeping the head from being pinned in place as the roof collapses a little in a rollover. 4 point and up belts should only be used when a car has a roll cage in it. The cage ensures that a rolling car does not pin the drivers head if the vehicle overturns.

Cool parts and I suspect my comments will not deter their installation however what I mention is a fact that many overlook when fitting racing belts to their car for a better 'strapped in' experience.

 

Is it a good idea to post on a public website your intention to circumvent DOT regulations?

Just askin'

 

Have youy ordered your Gallardo SL yet? Any insider info other than what we already know?

 

Attention snitches, here your deal for the feds to get out of that drug bust. hahahaha

 

Thank god the DOT is looking out for us! Bunch of IDIOTS!

 

"we're from the government, and we're here to help"

 

I've rolled many times, have had cages fail, and been on the side a bunch of other times. bet you cannot find one non-crashtest dummy in DOT w/ more real-life experience in this aspect than me.

I would much rather take my chances with harnesses going inverted than standard seatbelts.

 

Surely you mean harnesses WITH a roll cage?

Nuvolari is absolutely right: "4 point and up belts should only be used when a car has a roll cage in it". They go hand-in-hand and an installed roll cage is the proper application for harness use. Sure, you can do whatever you want and take your chances, but I certainly wouldn't advise it.

Both harnesses and roll cages can fail, but properly manufactured & installed units wont. If the installation of the harnesses is for more than just aesthetic appeal, and the vehicle is used in a manner where a roll is entirely possible, youd better have a good roll cage properly installed.

Cool belts though, and as Roy points out a factory-supplied roll cage can be used in concert with them.

 

there are factory roller cage for the LP670? wow, does anyone have a photo of those? be damn sure cool, but they road legal at all? i mean u can bump ur head on those things on sudden brake weren't u?

 

Harnesses w/ cage are optimal. Rollovers are a small percentage of accidents and roof collapsing directly on driver's head (barring convertibles) is way smaller. I'm in collision industry and see lots of rollover damage of cars and SUVs. Lots of strength in pillars these days w/ boron steel. Yeah, your head can move to side w/ factory belts, ....right into lots of hard stuff. Considering all the types of accidents, being banged to hell rolling over w/ standard belts vs. being held firm w/ harnesses, I'd choose harnesses. 2 of my street vehicles w/ harnesses have main hoops and 1 does not. 1 that does not is slow and low.

Cages can fail regardless if you wack something harder than it is. Thats physics. Go land on your roof on a rock larger than the car and see what gives. In my experience, it wasn't the rock and the FIA-spec cage in logbooked rallycar collapsed at A-pillar.

The real reason DOT doesn't want harnesses is,.... their own power-tripping. For years they said no harnesses because our EMTs are too dumb to release them w/o having a red button for them to push. Now that harness manufacturers began producing them w/ red buttons, DOT is looking for another excuse. Classic example of giving people some authority and it going to their head.

 

DOT's real reasoning against the harnesses as OEM is that they do not automatically retract to fit the occupant. Has little to nothing to do with EMT's as we just pull out our knife and cut the belts when we can't reach the button anyway(I am a Firefighter in Arlington, not an EMT blood is gross).

It would make sense to allow them as a dealer installed option, as that way the buyer is theoretically making a thoughtful decision on how they will be used. But based on the reasoning for the ban, regardless of our views on government intrusion into our lives, harnesses just do not fit the bill as mandated standard safety equipment for a passenger vehicle.

 

Just make sure you drive with one of your elfs with those inflated things haha.....those should help keep the roof off your head.

 

Roy: I actually think a car with a sporty look and livery, such as the new Superleggera, with roll cage and harnesses would be the business. Your track Lamborghini, ready to go!

 

The Schroth 4 point belts have a system they call ASM, for Anti SubMarining. The inside belt has a fold of fabric sewn together. In a big accident, the fold separates, effectively making the inside belt much longer and allowing your torso some freedom of movement. The main point is so that you don't squirt out from under the lap belt, a real concern with a four point system, but it also gives you some freedom to escape the squish.

You can see the little patch sewn over the fold in Roy's picture (which has the belts reversed BTW - the fold goes on the inside belt).

I don't know where this falls on the risk/reward scale vs. traditional 3 point belts. Just pointing it out.

 

Roll cage & harnesses would turn the new SL into a nice track car.
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My SL has factory roll bars (the inverted "U" shape) along with the factory install 4 point harness...for everyday driving the harnesses are a pain in the arse so I had normal lap belts fitted as well...when the harneses are not in use they hang behind the seat with no issues, when you want them for track or the real racing sensation then you can swap at will...works well.

 

Fantastic. Color hint??

 

Something else to think about with your body securely strapped in so that it can't move.
Your head will still snap forward like a loose bowling ball. Are you going to use a Hans device when you use the harness. I would. With the 3 point belt system and air bags it's a completely different system that operates very differently.

Better yet, avoid the incident. That car is too damn nice.

Bob S.

 

I knew it!