Can My 4 Point Lap Belts Attach To The Seat Frame In My BMW E92 M3?
Customer question, 4 point harness and seat frames in a BMW E92 M3
A customer asked us this at the counter. They run a 4 point FIA harness in their E92 M3. They wanted to know which seat frames have eye bolt points, and whether the lap belts can use them or whether they are only there for the crotch straps of a 6 point belt.
The short answer is yes, on the right frame, with one catch to check first.
- PCI Racing and SW Motorsports make frames with eye bolt points, and Sparco and OMP frames do not have them
- The PCI Racing E92 sliding frame has five and six point sub belt locations built in and is £330.00 inc VAT per side
- A 4 point harness has no crotch straps, so those points are free for your lap belts
- The catch is webbing length, because lap straps are cut for anchors beside your hips and a central point on a frame can be further than the strap reaches
- The SW Motorsports E92 frame is £138.00 inc VAT and the OMP E92 M3 frame is £123.50, both per side
- The frames are handed and listed for right hand drive, so pick driver side or passenger side
Where each strap goes
A 4 point harness has two shoulder straps and two lap straps, and that is all. The shoulder straps go to a harness bar or the car’s shell behind the seat. The lap straps need an anchor on each side of your hips.
A 6 point harness adds two crotch straps. Those go to sub belt points at the front of the seat, which is what the eye bolt points on a frame are for. On a 4 point you are not using them, so the lap belts can take them instead.
Not every frame has them, so the brand of frame decides it. Our 4, 5 or 6 point guide covers the layouts, and our crotch strap question explains why a 4 point cannot be turned into a 6 point.
What the lap belts have to reach
Check the lap strap length before you buy. A lap strap is cut to reach the anchor beside your hip, and the adjuster only has so much spare strap once you are pulled tight in the seat. A central eye bolt point on a frame sits somewhere else, so the strap can run out before it gets there.
The test costs nothing. Sit in the seat in the kit you will drive in and buckle up. Measure from the buckle to the point on the frame, and leave a good tail through the adjuster.
If it is too short you have three ways round it. You can fit a longer lap belt, put an eye bolt and plate in the floor beside the seat, or pick a frame with its points in a better place. Eye bolts start at £3.90 inc VAT and a Sparco eye bolt and plate set is £7.44. Send us the belt model and we will say which way suits.
One rule to know if you compete. The FIA say a harness must not be anchored to the seats or their supports, so for competition the anchors go on the car. Our harness fitting guide has the detail.
Which way we would go
Garreth: On a PCI frame I would use the frame’s eye bolt points for the lap belts. It is the least work, nothing extra goes in the floor, and a 4 point leaves those points free anyway.
Cameron: I would measure the lap straps first. They are cut for the anchor beside your hip, and a central point on the frame is further away, so a strap can run out of length once you are tight in the seat.
Garreth: That is the catch, and it is why we ask which belt you have before we say yes.
Cameron: If the strap is short, a longer belt or an eye bolt and plate in the floor beside the seat gets you there, and we list both.
Garreth: Either works for a track day car. For competition I would put the anchors on the car, because that is what the rules ask for.
Cameron: Send us the belt model and a photo of the anchors beside your seat, and we will say which way to go.
The frames we list for the E92
These are the E92 frames we list, with what each one does for the lap belts. They are listed for the E92 coupe, which is the body the M3 uses. Tell us the car’s year and we confirm the frame before you order.
| Frame, all prices inc VAT | Eye bolt points | Seat it takes | Per side |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCI Racing E92 sliding sub frame, side mounts, slider and belt buckle clip included | Five and six point sub belt locations built in | Side mount seats | £330.00 (the pair is £660.00) |
| SW Motorsports E92 super low direct fit frame | SW make frames with eye bolt points, and we confirm the E92 frame before you order | Base mount seats, 345mm | £138.00 |
| OMP E92 M3 direct fit frame | None | Base mount seats, 345mm x 271mm or 405mm x 290mm | £123.50 |
Your seat decides which of these you can use. The PCI frame comes with its own side mounts, so it takes a side mount seat. The SW and OMP frames are base mount frames, and the OMP one also takes the 405mm x 290mm pattern that Recaro seats use. Our bucket seat mounting guide explains base mount against side mount, and our BMW E92 bucket seat guide covers the seats.
The frames in this guide: a PCI Racing frame in parts and fitted, a seat on a PCI frame in our showroom, and a SW Motorsports frame.
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How the fitting goes
The PCI frame bolts to the factory seat mounting points. Nothing is drilled and the standard E92 seats come out whole. Keep them, because a clean interior is worth money on an M3.
Tell us about side airbags in the factory seats before anything comes out. Start every bolt by hand and sit in the car. Set the seat position before you fix any anchor, then torque it all down and recheck the bolts after your first drive.
Any new anchor in the floor uses a plate under it. Our harness fitting guide has the bolt and plate sizes, and our harness and seat guide checks the belt against the seat.
One seat or a pair
The PCI pair listing is £660.00 inc VAT, the same as two single frames, so there is no saving either way. The frames are handed. You can fit the driver side now and add the passenger side later.
The SW and OMP frames are sold singly, so order each twice for a pair. Drop us an email or click to open a chat if you want it checked against your car.
Questions about lap belts and seat frames in an E92 M3
Can I attach the lap belts of a 4 point harness to my seat frame?
Yes, on a frame that has eye bolt points. PCI Racing and SW Motorsports make frames with them, and Sparco and OMP frames do not. A 4 point harness has no crotch straps, so the points are free for the lap belts.
Are the eye bolt points on a frame only for crotch straps?
PCI list them as five and six point sub belt mounting locations, so that is what they are made for. A 4 point harness does not use them, so they can take lap belts. Check the strap length first.
Which E92 M3 frames have eye bolt points?
The PCI Racing E92 sliding frame has sub belt locations built in and is £330.00 inc VAT per side. SW Motorsports make frames with eye bolt points too, and we confirm what their E92 frame has before you order. The OMP E92 M3 frame has none.
Will my lap belts be long enough?
Lap straps are cut for the anchor beside your hip, so a central point on a frame can be out of reach once you are tight in the seat. Sit in the seat in your kit and measure from the buckle to the point. Send us the belt model and we will check the lap strap length.
What if the lap belts are too short?
Fit a longer lap belt, put an eye bolt and plate in the floor beside the seat, or pick a frame with its points in a better place. Tell us the belt and we will say which suits.
Can I use the frame points for competition?
The FIA say a harness must not be anchored to the seats or their supports. For competition, anchor the belts to the car and check your class rules. Our harness fitting guide has the detail.
Is the PCI frame right for my E92 M3?
The listing is for the E92 coupe, the body the M3 uses, in right hand drive. Tell us the year and the seat you have, and we confirm it before you order.
Which seat does each frame take?
The PCI frame comes with its own side mounts, so it takes a side mount seat. The SW frame is a 345mm base mount frame, and the OMP frame takes 345mm x 271mm and 405mm x 290mm base mount patterns.
Tell us about your M3
Come and see the frames, or ring Garreth and Cameron on 0115 647 8650. Give us your car’s year, your seat, and the make and model of your harness. We will say which frame and which anchors go together.
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