You've got the racing harness ... now what? Here are the instructions you need to install it. Just so you know, the instructions where based on installing a Schroth Rallye 4 racing harness in a 1997 Saturn SC2. The instructions are pretty much the same for any Saturn coupe and pretty close for a Saturn four door.
Before we get started, here's a list of some things you’re going to need…
- Philips screwdriver
- Two small tipped flat screwdrivers
- Socket wrench with a three to four inch extension
- Torque wrench
- Medium sized needle nose pliers
- A wrench for bending the strap mounting brackets
- The following sockets (must fit
the socket wrench as well as the torque wrench)
- (1) T50 Torx bit
- (1) E10 "star" bit
- (1) 18mm socket
Also, "harness hardware" refers to the racing harness, "belt hardware" refers to the factory seat-belt hardware.
Ok … ready to get started … here we go…
Step 1: Installing the tail strap
- Remove the rear seat "tops". To do this, simply lower the seats, push them towards the center of the car and gently lift up at about a 45` angle. The outer side should pull out and then just move the whole seat toward the outside and the rest should come out. Repeat for both sides.
- Remove the "carpet inserts" from the rear armrest. You’ll see two plastic clips in the front of the armrest. Using the needle nose pliers and the flat tipped screw drivers, pull out the core of the clips, then the outer part (if you eat one up with the pliers, don’t worry, as long as you can them out, there about $.20 at the Saturn dealer). Then just pull out the armrest.
- You’ll see a clip on the back of the lower part of the seat in the middle of it. Just push down and out on the seat clip until it pops out. Then just pull the seat up and back to expose the seatbelt bolts.
- Undue the two lower bolts holding in the factory seatbelt (center bolt ... drivers side bolt).
- Adjust the tail strap so it is at it’s longest length. Put it around the seat and make sure everything sits just fine. Then bolt the harness down using the factory bolts. Make sure to put the harness hardware though the bolt first, then the factory belts hardware. Put the factory hardware in the position it’s supposed to be in, and put the harnesses hardware at about 90` counter-clockwise. Tighten the bolts down to about 37lb of torque. Your going to have to bend the harness hardware a little so it comes up next to the factory belt. The harness hardware should come a little bit left of the factory hardware when you’re tightening.
- Set the seat down and make sure everything fits nicely. Then just pop everything back together. Make sure that the rear shoulder harness belts go back into the original spots when you put the bottom of the seat back in. When you do the seat "tops", push in the middle, then the outer side should slide right into the bracket.
- The tail strap’s done!
Step 2: Installing the shoulder/lap strap
- Lay out the harness on the driver’s seat just like it should be sitting when you’re done.
- Loosen the drivers seat. To do this, simply use the E10 star bit and remove the bolts in all four corners of the seat and lift a little bit. Don’t pull up to high, you’ll snap the seat belt warning light wires.
- Undo the two bolts holding in the lower part of the factory lap/shoulder belt on the left-hand side of the car.
- Put the harness hardware on the front bolt of the lower lap/shoulder belt and tighten both bolts back in.
- Angle the seat toward the outside of the car to expose the right hand side belt mount. Undo the two screws holding on the plastic cover. Undo the bolt holding in the factory belt. Put the harness hardware though the bolt, then the belt hardware and tighten it down. Put the plastic back into place. If you positioned the harness hardware correctly, you should be able to fit the plastic back on. It will bend a little, but it should still be able to be tightened down.
- Now just put the seat back in position and put the star bolts back in. Arrange the harness like it should be sitting on the seat. Then loosen all of the straps and connect the back clip to the tail strap. You should be able to sit down and tighten the belt up now. Now go try it out!
