I seem to recall seeing something about a clearly labeled red button for seat belts for road use...

Can anyone confirm if aircraft style buckles on harnesses are acceptable for the IVA and also do VOSA/MOT accept them for road use when retro fitted to a saloon car?

Cheers

I'm not sure what you mean by an 'aircraft-style buckle'.

Proper E-marked harnesses will pass without question, assuming that they're fitted correctly. These are the ones that have red buttons. Racing harnesses are accepted if they can be undone easily with one hand - this covers most of the ones to FIA standard. These tend to be released with a twist knob or a lever.

The ones with a large buckle and individual strap ends, normally releaed by turning a lever or twisting a knob as opposed to the ones with a seatbelt style buckle and only one tang which leave loops around your arms you cant get out of upside down.

This:




As opposed to this:




Cheers

[Edited on 16/5/11 by alistairolsen]

whatever type you have doesn't it need to be able to be undone using only 1 hand? From my expereince with those types the examiner may feel it isn't easy enough to undo easily with 1 hand.

I dare say someone who knows the full score will be along in a minute.

Certainly they're not a problem for MOT (passed a few times with them) but I chose to fit them post SVA....

Ahh - I understand. I'd call that a racing harness!

I passed SVA with a set of E-marked 4-point harnesses, so no problem at that time.

I've now got a set of these on the driver's side...



They are easy to undo with one hand, but I couldn't say with hand on heart that they'd be OK for IVA - I just don't know one way or the other - you'll have to wait until someone says that they've passed with similar ones.

all FIA approved harnesses are now accepable for IVA. its as acceptable as E marking.
if they're FIA approved, then they're fine

ah looking at the buckle they're different to the type I was thinking of. I was thinking of the aircraft type where you need to rotate the buckle then depress to release the straps hence the one handed operation concern.

They're ok with one hand, you just twist the knob, but I recall something about having to have a labelled red button etc.

I want to fit a set to a saloon used on road and track hence the retrofit question, and also to my locost as I have very real safety concerns about the other type as they leave closed loops around your arms....

The loops are very loose once the buckle is undone - a quick breast-stroke arm action and you're out.

I don't think you need to worry about the 'red button' bit...

quote:

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Originally posted by David Jenkins
The loops are very loose once the buckle is undone - a quick breast-stroke arm action and you're out.

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