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IVA legal harnesses
SteveWallace - 23/10/12 at 11:15 AM

Just a quick question about IVA approval for seat belts/harnesses. I know that they will accept either an appropriate BS mark or FIA standard, but does an FIA approved harness have to be in date for it to get through the IVA test? Has anyone any experience of this before I go and waste my money buying slightly out of date harnesses.

Steve

Mr Whippy - 23/10/12 at 11:20 AM

the FIA has nothing to do with IVA tests, your buckle must be like a car seatbelt with a red button, not a race type

loggyboy - 23/10/12 at 11:37 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
the FIA has nothing to do with IVA tests, your buckle must be like a car seatbelt with a red button, not a race type


You can fit harnesses, its the buckle that must be:
'7.
The lock mechanism must be able to be released easily, both in normal use and when the belt is under load.

Not all harnesses have a aircraft style twist lock. But im unsure what part of the twist locks doesnt comply with the above?


Each seat belt must bear the appropriate approval marks or have the equivalent characteristics to that of a belt approved for the same category of vehicle to ensure the belt meets the required approval standards.

So an FIA approval would be fine, however if they are out of date then it could either be argued either way that being out of date, they still meet the 'equivalent characteristics'.
I would suggest a call to your/email to your choosen station to see if they can advise.

[Edited on 23-10-12 by loggyboy]

Mr Whippy - 23/10/12 at 11:41 AM

iirc the issue with the twist lock was it required two hands to release (apparently)

sdh2903 - 23/10/12 at 11:41 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
the FIA has nothing to do with IVA tests, your buckle must be like a car seatbelt with a red button, not a race type


Not true, I passed with the aircraft style buckle, FIA approved is now fine. Date not an issue according to my tester, date is for racing only.

See here:
http://www.primamotorsport.com/prima_motorsport_products/kit_car/kit_car_harness.html

coyoteboy - 23/10/12 at 12:10 PM

Indeed, if my car failed because a twist release buckle wasn't good enough, I'd call in official adjudication.

If they can't release the catch with one hand they haven't adjusted the belt tight enough.

matt_claydon - 23/10/12 at 03:57 PM

FIA belts have been acceptable for quite a while now. See page 218 of the current manual:

"Note 1: A British Standard BS3254 Part 1 1988 or evidence of FIA 8853-98 approval for a harness belt is acceptable"

It does not specify whether it has to be in-date so best plan would be to contact your local IVA station.

BobM - 23/10/12 at 07:55 PM

I think whether the FIA buckle is OK or not may well come down to the individual inspector's view, and if so ditto on the out of date issue.

I didn't risk it and fitted 2 sets of these. In the end the insppector said he'd probably have been happy with the FIA harness! If you want them you're welcome to them for beer money + postage.

SteveWallace - 24/10/12 at 03:22 PM

Hi Bob,

Thanks for the offer, but I think that I will check with my local VOSA and then buy new with twist buckles if out of date FIA is not acceptable. It turns out that the second hand out of date ones that I was considering do not have the right FIA approval reference, so I need to keep a look out again, but I want twist buckles (for the bling factor!)

sdh2903 - 24/10/12 at 04:08 PM

quote:
Originally posted by SteveWallace
Hi Bob,

Thanks for the offer, but I think that I will check with my local VOSA and then buy new with twist buckles if out of date FIA is not acceptable. It turns out that the second hand out of date ones that I was considering do not have the right FIA approval reference, so I need to keep a look out again, but I want twist buckles (for the bling factor!)


If you are in the market for a new set then look at the ones in my link above from Titon, they will make them exactly to your spec ie adjustment direction and buckle side etc, they are 3 inch aswell so very comfy and their customer service is excellent. Mine were with me within 5 days exactly as i requested them.

cheers
Steve

SteveWallace - 24/10/12 at 04:39 PM

I did have a look at them and they are the sort of thing that I am after, so I may well give them a call in due course.

There are a number of other cheaper ones on e-bay, but they do not have the right markings and therefore will not pass IVA. I guess that I could get some second hand red buckle ones with the right markings and then swap to unmarked lowcost e-bay harnesses, but as my life may well depend on them, I would rather have ones with the proper BS or FIA markings like the ones in your link.

Ca £200 for a couple of harnesses that my life and the life of my passenger might depend on seems reasonable

These guys look good as well

linky

FamilyGuy - 13/11/18 at 11:45 AM

quote:
Originally posted by matt_claydon
FIA belts have been acceptable for quite a while now. See page 218 of the current manual:

"Note 1: A British Standard BS3254 Part 1 1988 or evidence of FIA 8853-98 approval for a harness belt is acceptable"

It does not specify whether it has to be in-date so best plan would be to contact your local IVA station.


Resurrecting an old topic here but I'm wondering whether my harnesses will be ok for iva?

They are 4 point FIA harnesses with FIA 8854-98 marked on them. The IVA manual only states 8853-98 in note 1, which I assume is the 3 point version.

Doest this mean mine will be no good for iva?

Any advice appreciated

jps - 13/11/18 at 02:50 PM

quote:
Originally posted by FamilyGuy
quote:
Originally posted by matt_claydon
FIA belts have been acceptable for quite a while now. See page 218 of the current manual:

"Note 1: A British Standard BS3254 Part 1 1988 or evidence of FIA 8853-98 approval for a harness belt is acceptable"

It does not specify whether it has to be in-date so best plan would be to contact your local IVA station.


Resurrecting an old topic here but I'm wondering whether my harnesses will be ok for iva?

They are 4 point FIA harnesses with FIA 8854-98 marked on them. The IVA manual only states 8853-98 in note 1, which I assume is the 3 point version.

Doest this mean mine will be no good for iva?

Any advice appreciated


Taken from the FIA document itself available here https://www.fia.com/fia-standard-885498-safety-harnesses-updated-28092012 on p.68

"The strap on which this label is attached is homologated for the harnesses FIA D-999.T/98 (standard 8853/98, six straps in contact with the driver's body and equipped with a turn buckle) and FIA B-000.T/98 (standard 8854/98, four straps in contact with the driver's body and equipped with a turn buckle)."

I am not sure you can get 3 strap harnesses (although I have seen some where the two upright straps join behind the seat).

I would be amazed if IVA only accepted FIA spec harnesses if they were 6 point straps, but I don't think you'll get a definitive answer without asking the IVA centre (and even then it may be down to individual inspectors view...?)

ttalps2000 - 13/11/18 at 03:03 PM

i went through IVA with center twist release buckles with no issues. They were FIA approved belts, but this did not come into it at all. They are more concerned with how they are mounted etc and looked at this very closely on the roll bar and the chassis.

FamilyGuy - 13/11/18 at 03:19 PM

Yes it looks like the FIA 8853/98 is for 5 and 6 point harnesses. I just assumed it was 3 point, I.e two shoulder straps on the one fixing, because of the 3 in the number.

I wondered if there was anything in writing that would give them an easy pass incase the IVA inspector rule them out as that exact spec was not listed in the manual.

I guess a call to the test centre might not be such a bad idea before the test but the last post is reassuring at least.

[Edited on 13/11/18 by FamilyGuy]

ttalps2000 - 13/11/18 at 04:37 PM

ensure you use at least grade 8.8 bolts and that the heads are visable upon inspection. This was a concern on my test and i provided a certificate from my bolt supplier stating the exact specs etc and the inspector was more than happy

FamilyGuy - 13/11/18 at 06:44 PM

I have 8.8 eye bolts supplied with the harnesses for the clip in waist straps and I'm going to use some long 8.8 bolts to fix the top bolt in shoulder straps through the chassis rail.