Free track-day seatbelt "mod"

This is an old track-day trick that many are still not aware of.

If you have OEM setbeltbelts- not harnesses- here is a good way to stay planted in your seat. You'll stay planted better, be safer, and won't have to use a "death grip" on the wheel to stay in your seat.

The "trick" is using the centrifugal lock in the belt to hold you in place - tightly.

1. Position your seat in track-ready position. Hands and feet at the correct distance.
2. Move the seat rearward 5-6 inches. (if you have power seats, count to "three" while moving rearward.
3. Angle the seatback rearward a similar amount.
4. Cinch up the belt so that it is tight at your waist.
5. "Lock" the belt, using a quick pull on the belt. Or, with your right hand, reach over your left shoulder and "snap" the belt until it locks.
6. Now return the seat and seatback to your prior driving position. If you feel that you are held really tightly in this position, you're doing it correctly. You'll get used to the tightness. (Remember how being cinched into an Instructor's car's harness felt the first time?)

Good luck and have fun on the track.

 

+1. Simple, and surprisingly effective...

 

If you have a corvette simply pull shoulder belt all the way out and it will ratchet back in securely

 

I haven't heard of it before but the belt has gotten stuck on me a few times(just from normal seat belt pulls) and while it wasn't on the track I never thought of doing it there. It certainly would work. Thanks for the tip.

 

If you can move your seat even a quarter inch rearward while sittting behind the wheel, you must be quite a bit shorter than I am...

 

That's a cool feature! Any other cars have that?


I've done the centrifugal trick... but I find it awkward to get it tight enough that it never releases but not so tight that it is uncomfortable and still manage to get the driving position exactly where I want it to be.

Far easier is a combo of cheap toys:
= a simple belt clip that often comes with child car seats
= a torso strap that you can get from racing / autocross supply

I get my seat where I want it... put the belt on... pull the lap part tight across my hips/lap, pinch it together with my left hand, release the buckle, and then put the belt clip on to lock the lap part down. Then whenever I snap the belt in, my butt is locked in place in the seat tight... no movement.

Then I grab the torso strap and wrap it around the seat and my chest, and clip it together... holding my torso in the seat adequately (given my butt is NOT moving), without need to restrict breathing.

The net effect is far closer to a full harness (four-point support) than the three-point belts centrifugally locked, and its far more comfortable... and the two toys are easily stored in the car such that they're always available.

 

Another trick:

Take the seat-belt catch and turn it 180 degrees and inset it in the lock. Presto-done. This rotation locks the indound and outbound belts so that they don't move while you are driving.

 

Here's a photo of the Torso Harness- about $25.00 from G-Force. Has anyone else had any good/bad experience with this?
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And here is the C G seatbelt lock. I tried one but unfortunately it didn't work in my NSX (fitment problem). ~ $50.00 from CG dash Lock dot com
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