Would it be unsafe to replace my steering wheel without first installing a racing harness?

 

As long as the steering wheel is installed correctly you'll be fine.

 

Well the airbag is in the wheel isn't it?
(I was planning on getting a detachable wheel)

 

yea you just wont have a driver side air bag. make sure you can pass inspection with out the air bag before doing it tho. i did it on my 94 but it didnt have a air bag. and it isnt much to take apart the wheel. You will have a airbag light on if you have one in your dash tho

 

So if I crash am I getting a face full of wheel? haha

 

pretty much haha you deff aint gettin a air bag. I've done it before, but i know someone for inspections at the time. fun why it lasted haha

 

He wont have either airbag. Loose the driver side, and you loose both.


Anyways, you don't need to have race belts, just to have a quick release wheel. Although it's considered unsafe to remove the airbag, also, it can be considered illegal in some states to remove the airbag.


If your wearing your seat belts, and asuming they are working correctly you wont take a face for a steering wheel.

Basicly, wear your damn seat belts.

 

Thank you so much!

 

Not installing the race harnesses, from what I've heard, is safer than installing them.

The racing belt (and racing seats sometimes) make your body sit up straight in the event of a roll over, where three point belts that are standard in cars and standard car seats don't do that. So if you roll and the roof buckles you can become injured or die.

As far as the steering wheel goes, remember that many cars still legal on the road don't have airbags and even cars in general didn't have them until fairly recently.

 

Oh yea, good points thank you.

 

95 and newer should have airbags

 

Yes, but I plan to replace it with a racing style wheel.

 

I am against the idea of not having an airbag in a street car. A racing wheel should really only be used with fixed back racing seats, harnesses, and roll cage.

Oh and those who think you wont hit the wheel in a crash. Look at some crash test videos your body will move a good couple feet before the belt stops you. Its not worth it just to have a cool looking wheel.

 

Lessee. Remove a safety device, making the vehicle less safe, and you ask if it is unsafe? People do it. I have. Doesn't mean it's smart. A racing harness is no replacement for OEM safety equipment.

 

... however, there were plenty of markets (incl. Canada) that did not have airbags in Civics in 1995.

 

When the Model T came out it didn't have any form of safety devices. In 95 and prior I would guess that the need was not deemed important at that time. Subsequent years of car tend to have more, rather than less, safety equipment.

 

As I understand it, airbags (like some other safety equipment found in cars) were feared as being dangerous. Not to mention that for awhile they were likely still "experimental".

Wikipedia says the first airbag was patented in Germany in 1951. They weren't introduced to the US until the 1970s.

As you can tell, Honda tried using automatic seatbelts in some of their US models instead of airbags. You can see this implemented in Honda models such as the '89-'91 Civic, '89-91 CRX (not the '89 HF though... hmm - I wonder if they were produced first?) and '88-'91 Prelude.

Basically auto makers don't put this stuff in until it has a high enough success rate and they think it will improve sales (or becomes the law). I'm sure I'm not the only one to believe that some more modern cars in particular have far too many safety features. Toyota recently came out with rear curtain airbags and rear center airbags even. There's a reason newer cars are so heavy and cumbersome.

 

Instead of being promised to be surrounded by a cushion of clouds, I've always wondered what a large spike at the centre of your steering wheel would do for safety. Bet you you'd drive safely then - at the risk of getting impaled! Wouldn't stop the suicidal types from ramming you, though.

 

I daily drive an '88 CRX, so that's basically the same thing.

 

Hahaha epic!

 

I agree. SRS. Safety Restraint System. keyword: system. each component is designed as part of a system and works well that way.

check out this article "Five-Point Belts Will Paralyze You and Other Fun Safety Facts" by Jack Baruth. Informative on the topic being discussed and an enjoyable read.

I am of the mind that we should all be given the opertunity to make our own decisions, even if they are bad ones. But just be aware of the consequences, good and/or bad before you make that decision. Ask yourself, "is it worth it..?"

 

Well, If I go wheel, I'm going seat, harness, cage as well

 

...and a helmet too, right? haha just kidding. sort of...

 

In the event of an accident,just pop off the wheel becuz u don't wanna damage it..just take a face full of HUB !!

 

Actually, what I've heard is that if you have a cage you should wear a helmet. Your head can hit the bars and even foam padding doesn't help that much.

So if you have a 4 point (or more) harness or a fixed racing seat you should have a cage. If you have a cage you should have a helmet.

Not really what most people want just to drive the daily to work or to the grocery store. I can imagine you pulling up to get gas at the local Shell station with a helmet on.