C

CNEJR

Well Known Member
Fixing to order a set of Crow Harnesses for my RV6. Is there anything I need to specifiy on the harness other than color or just tell him the airplane model and let him send them? How do these compare to Van's & Hooker belts?
 
Talk to Fred Crow.

If you want any extra bubba factor in the lap belt, let him know.

Here is what I specified and a pic of what I received. I also later asked for pull tabs for the adjusters and they sent them out no charge.

They are better than Van's and as good as the Hookers in my opinion.

Review the review located here: http://www.vansairforce.com/community/showthread.php?t=30964&highlight=crows

"Two harnesses customized for use in an RV7 experimental airplane.

This is the side by side model with one cable per seat as the attach point for the shoulder straps.

I need bolt in attachment points all around for ¼” bolts

2” shoulder straps of the Y style with pull down adjustments, bolt in style (of the corrected length for RV’s it is my understanding that most have to be longer than stock by around 14” but you know best here?)

2” lap belt with pull up adjustments, bolt in style (it is my understanding that most order 55” lap belts)

2” crotch strap, bolt in style

Sewn in strap pads

Cam lock latch"


2aiek39.jpg
 
Chuck,
There are a number of options. Do you want 2" wide belts (similar to car seat belts) or 3" wide belts (better if you plan on doing acro) The 3" wide belts are less likely to cause injury during a crash. The extra width helps spread the impact forces over a wider area. The downside is they weigh more. Do you want a 4 point or 5 point belt. The 5 point are better in my opinion. You can also order "pull up" or "pull down" options for adjusting the lap & shoulder belts.
Crow also offers pads which go over the belts, as an option. I really like the exta comfort of the belt pads.
You also have the choice latch style and of 4 or 5 colors for the belts. I recommend getting the rotary style release.
The shoulder belts can be ordered with or without a Y (single mounting point). I've got an 8A, so I went with the two point mounting (no Y).
Charlie Kuss
 
One suggestion on straps

Brian,

I used your specs to order mine. I love them and they are, other than color, the same as yours. I did to talk to Fred, but he doesn't save orders. I wish he had so I could just change the colors of what you ordered. But it was still pretty easy.

I did find one problem that I feel I need to pass on. I already have my seats, they are the high backed Classic Aero seatbacks. There was not enough strap from the Y to top of the pads to make it from my shoulders, around the headrest and then back to the Y without a real tight fit on the sides of the seat back. So I had to have 12 inches added between the top of the shoulder pad and the Y (I will remove that 12 inches from the anchor strap, which now will be very short - but that's ok). They of course did it no charge and were really fast and friendly about. The strap would have been fine with low backed seats. but I needed some more strap to make it around the seatback.

Thanks for being first and posting that info. Maybe this info will help others if they are getting the tall seat backs.
 
rwhittier said:
Thanks for being first and posting that info. Maybe this info will help others if they are getting the tall seat backs.
Click to expand...

No problem on the info...Can't take credit for being first. Ironflight was the first or close to it I think....

These harnesses are truly a great value against the others. The people at Crow seem to be great people and know what customer service is!

Sorry you had a small issue with the shoulder straps!
 
anchors with 1/4" holes long enough?

A previous thread raised a question that the attachments that Crow has with the 1/4" holes are very short, and there was some possibility of chaffing the belt on the anchor strips ( the metal straps in the airplane that the belts attach to).

An alternative would be to just get the normal attachments with 1/2" holes, that have longer attachment tabs, and just make some bushings for the 1/2" holes.

But I would like to hear of more experiences with whether the belts chaff on the anchors or not before I order.

Thanks
 
scsmith said:
An alternative would be to just get the normal attachments with 1/2" holes, that have longer attachment tabs, and just make some bushings for the 1/2" holes.
Click to expand...

I sent Fred an email to see if there is a way to get longer ones with 1/4" holes. I will let you know what he sez.

The one that is the concern is mostly the crotch strap. The webbing ends up being down right next to the edges of cutout for the attach point.
 
Last edited:
scsmith said:
A previous thread raised a question that the attachments that Crow has with the 1/4" holes are very short, and there was some possibility of chaffing the belt on the anchor strips ( the metal straps in the airplane that the belts attach to).

An alternative would be to just get the normal attachments with 1/2" holes, that have longer attachment tabs, and just make some bushings for the 1/2" holes.

But I would like to hear of more experiences with whether the belts chaff on the anchors or not before I order.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Steve,

I was one of the very early adopters of the Crow belts, back before they knew that they were going into an airplane rather than a race car. The attach fittings came with the large holes, but I found that two AN washers fit perfectly into the holes when pressed in with my pneumatic squeezer, and then fit the bolts perfectly! I've been using them ever since, and when I take the belts out for maintenance (of other stuff, not the belts), the washers stay put where they were pressed, They fit great in the -8 - have never had any chafing problems.

Paul
 
Paul -

Crow belts came with the -9 project that we're getting ready to fly. They look very nice. These also have the large holes in the attach brackets. Do we need to put a bushing in as you describe with the washers? Any problems with just installing them with bolts that fit the airframe, but are too small for the belt bracket?
 
Crow knows!

I just ordered my harnesses today from Crow. It seems that there is a guy down there who is the self described "airplane guy". I asked him about incorporating as many of the suggestions that I found here on VAF. His responses were 100% "yea, we do that now", or "yep, no problem, been there, done that". Sounds like they are listening to us!

I couldn't decide whether to get the sewn on pads or Velcro style. He told me to pick one and if I didn't like it I could send it back and they'd change it for free. He also said if there is anything I didn't like about it, they'd fix it for free.

Good people!
 
JDRhodes said:
Paul -

Crow belts came with the -9 project that we're getting ready to fly. They look very nice. These also have the large holes in the attach brackets. Do we need to put a bushing in as you describe with the washers? Any problems with just installing them with bolts that fit the airframe, but are too small for the belt bracket?
Click to expand...

I think a bolt that is the wrong size for the hole is just bad practice, especially when it is so simple and inexpensive to use washers for a bushing, or simply ask Crow to put the right ends on - I have heard them do so many things for free for people, I'd just give them a call.

Paul
 
Emailed Fred Crow....

He does have mounting brackets with more room between the hole and the slot for the webbing.

He offered to swap mine out.

Call him if your wanting yours swapped.

If your ordering new, I suggest asking for these longer attach brackets.
 
Thanks for all the replies. Makes me fee good about what I ordered. Really getting close. One day everything is just going to be done.
 
On ordering the Crow Harness

one option is having the shoulder pads sown on or velcro'ed on the strap. Question is to wear a parachute harness comfortably do you folks in 3/4/8s remove the shoulder pad or not? If the para has a pad, and all I've used and jumped with did, does the secod "unremoveable" pad get in the way? Going to order a set of grey Crows today if I get a good enough answer. Hope to hear from you, Bill RV-8a Nearing done
 
Parachute or not, I like the Velcroed pads, because I can slide them around to wherever I need them for whatever jacket (or not) I am wearing at the time. It also makes them easy to change if they get worn/faded (I just put a new set of Crow pads on my harnesses to replace an old set I had from a different company - they had started to disintegrate from sun exposure - NOMEX will do that....).
 
Lengths

Bill Phillips said:
one option is having the shoulder pads sown on or velcro'ed on the strap. Question is to wear a parachute harness comfortably do you folks in 3/4/8s remove the shoulder pad or not? If the para has a pad, and all I've used and jumped with did, does the secod "unremoveable" pad get in the way? Going to order a set of grey Crows today if I get a good enough answer. Hope to hear from you, Bill RV-8a Nearing done
Click to expand...


Bill I too am building an RV-8A and had contacted Crow about belts. They did not seem to have any setups for any RV models. If you would not mind posting or PM me the Lengths for the belts. I don't know if they are different from front to back. I don't have my seats in right now and can't really get a good measure of what I need, so I thought I could use yours as a starting point.

Cheers
 
Mike,
Bill and I are ordering our harnesses together. I just spoke with Fred at Crow and he was very familiar with RV's. I didn't have to specifiy any lengths. He just wanted to know which RV I am building, what color, and what size bolt. He said 85% use the standard 1/4 inch but there is apparently a slight problem with the distance between the hole and the webbing. It was noted earlier in this thread that he had a fix for this, but he indicated to me just now that there wasn't. Apparently the volume was too low or something. Fred said about 15% of the people order the larger hole which gives more distance.

Anyway, the point is, call and ask for Fred. Perhaps who you spoke with before just wasn't familiar with RV's.
 
I got a set of crow belts for my 8 about a month ago, and the mounting tabs with the 1/4 holes don't work without trimming. Make sure they send the 1/2 hole style.

I talked to Fred, and he had all the info. You just need to choose your options. They are a nice belt, but they don't have as much padding as a set of Hooker belts. The rotary buckle is great.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.