Lotus Elise Harnesses Buying Guide

Click here to explore the full selection of Lotus Elise Harnesses

Click here for our Lotus Elise Harness Comparison Table

Equipping your Lotus Elise with the right harness is a critical step towards optimising your car’s performance and safety. Lotus's have compact interiors, requiring harnesses that provide a perfect fit without unnecessary, excess webbing, while still offering easy adjustment.

For proper installation, the shoulder straps in a Lotus Elise must be secured around a harness bar or roll bar specifically designed for the vehicle. All of our harness options feature shoulder straps without pre-fitted fixings, making them ideal for a wrap-around setup.

Please note that our harness listings are primarily intended for the series 1, 2 and 3 Lotus Elise. They are also suitable for the 340R and Evora.

Where should you start?

Consider whether your Lotus will be used predominantly on the road, for track days, or in FIA racing events.

Road Use

For road-approved harnesses for your Lotus, you can choose between 4 point and 6 point options.

The 4 point harness is a popular choice for road use, featuring a standard buckle similar to OEM seat belts and 2 inch-wide webbing. As noted earlier, the shoulder straps are designed for wrap-around mounting.

Examples of road-ready harnesses include:

If you prefer an upgraded release mechanism, consider an FIA-approved 4 point or 6 point harness, which will also be road-legal (note that some FIA models are designed exclusively for use with HANS devices and are therefore not road legal).

Examples include:

Lotus Road Harnesses

Track Day Use

For track-day enthusiasts, TRS and Willans offer excellent harness options for the Lotus Elise. If your Lotus will also be used on the road then please choose a model that is road-legal or FIA-certified.

We also provide harnesses built to meet FIA specifications but not officially certified yet. While these aren’t FIA-approved or road-legal, they are perfectly suitable for track days.

Examples of track-day harnesses:

The Willans Lotus 4 Point and 6 Point Quick Adjuster Track Day Harnesses are an excellent fit for owners with racing seats. These harnesses feature easy-to-use lap strap adjusters, ensuring swift adjustments. Although these models are pending FIA certification, they remain a popular choice for track days and occasional road use.

FIA Approved

FIA-approved harnesses for your Lotus Elise fall into two categories:

  1. FIA-approved harnesses without requiring a HANS device
  2. FIA-approved harnesses designed exclusively for use with a HANS device

FIA Use Without a HANS Device

FIA-approved harnesses not labeled as "HANS only" are versatile; suitable for both track and road use. These harnesses are ideal for Lotus drivers who need FIA certification but do not use a HANS device:

FIA Use Exclusively With a HANS Device

For competitive racing events requiring a HANS (or FHR) device, FIA-approved harnesses are tailored to meet this requirement. These typically feature shoulder straps that are 2 inches wide or 3 inches tapering to 2 inches for compatibility with the HANS device. Examples include:

The TRS Lotus International 6 Point Quick Adjuster Harness is an excellent choice for those using racing seats. It offers seamless adjustments with lap strap adjusters integrated into the quick-release buckle. These harnesses are FIA-approved for competitive racing but can also be found in road-driving applications, although their design is primarily intended for track use with a HANS device.

FIA Harnesses

Wrap Around Shoulder Strap Fixings

The shoulder straps on our Lotus Elise Harnesses are designed to wrap around a harness or roll bar. Here's a bit more information on how this works. Please note that for the best fit and safety, always follow the installation instructions provided with the harness and your car’s roll bar or harness bar manufacturer.

- Keep the length of the strap as short as possible
- Optimum angle of -10°, never an upward angle
- Keep the 3 bar slide snug up against the tube
- Always remember to loop back on yourself when threading up
- Leave at least a 10cm tail
- Cross over shoulder straps if the tube is more than 50cm
behind the seat
- Use book end stoppers to prevent lateral movement
- Wrap around helps save weight

When wrapping harnesses around the roll cage there are several safety considerations to be aware of. Always make sure that the webbing passes smoothly through the seat opening and is not chaffing on any seat mounts or sharp edges. Sharp edges can cause the webbing to abrade or cut. Always make sure that the 3 bar slide is as close to the harness bar as possible. This is important because a lose 3 bar slide can cause slippage. When wrapping around the roll cage always make sure that you remember the final locking loop. Once you have done the final locking loop make sure that you have at least 10-15cm of web as a tail. Excess webbing can be neatly rolled up and cable tied out of the way.

The shorter the strap the better. This is because polyester webbing has a typical elongation of 3-5%, and the shorter the strap the less elongation during crash conditions. If the roll cage is more than 50cm behind the seat, we recommend that you cross the shoulder straps over. This increases stability during a
crash.

The optimum angle for wrapping around the roll cage is -10°. Any angle between 0° to -30° is acceptable, but never an upward angle. To prevent lateral movements of the shoulder straps whilst going around a corner, bookend the location of the straps with stoppers. This will stop the belts sliding along the tube when you go around a corner.

Adjusters

You can upgrade your Lotus Elise harnesses to Superlite or Ultralite versions. As standard TRS harnesses use steel anti-creep adjusters. Also available are premium aluminium alloy adjusters, which in addition to being lightweight, offer a smoother and faster adjustment. The Superlite harnesses use these lightweight aluminium adjusters on the shoulder straps, and the Ultralite harnesses use them on both the shoulder and lap straps.

They are highly recommended for vehicles being shared between multiple drivers, and in general we always recommend upgrading to the aluminium adjusters due to their premium look and feel.

Standard Steel Adjusters
TRS 50mm Steel Adjuster

50mm (2") steel adjusters

TRS 75mm Steel Adjuster

75mm (3") steel adjusters

Premium Aluminium Adjusters
TRS 50mm Aluminium Adjuster

50mm (2") aluminium adjusters

TRS 75mm Aluminium Adjuster

75mm (3") aluminium adjusters

Pull Up or Pull Down Lap Strap Adjusters

Lap straps for Lotus harnesses are available with either pull-up or pull-down adjusters.

We generally recommend pull-down adjusters. These are positioned approximately 12 cm from the buckle, making them easily accessible and ensuring the adjuster stays within the seat area.

Pull-up adjusters are located about 12 cm from the lap strap's fixing point. While they are less accessible, we can provide custom lengths for pull-up adjusters to match specific seat configurations.

For ultimate convenience, some harnesses, such as the TRS Lotus International 6 Point FIA Harness with Quick Adjuster (HANS Only) and Willans Lotus 4 Point Track Day Harness with Quick Adjuster, include integrated adjusters to maximize ease of use.

Shipping Costs for Lotus Harnesses

We provide free shipping within the United Kingdom, including the Highlands, Islands, and Northern Ireland. We also deliver to the following international destinations:

Shipping charges for these locations can be found on the harness product pages or our Shipping Charges page.

For export orders, including deliveries to the Channel Islands, UK VAT (20%) is deducted automatically at checkout.

Delivery Times

All of our Lotus Elise harnesses are manufactured in the UK, with fast turnaround times.

Estimated delivery timelines are provided on each product page. Once ready, harnesses are sent via next-day service for UK mainland or express shipping for international destinations.

Willans or TRS?

Still deciding between Willans and TRS? Choosing between these two premium brands is like comparing luxury car brands - both offer unparalleled quality, with slight differences to match your preferences.

Willans is renowned for its deep motorsport roots, dating back to racing legends like Jackie Stewart. TRS, on the other hand, is known for its cutting-edge designs and modern racing expertise. Both brands offer exceptional products, ensuring you can't go wrong with either choice.

At the Cobra Seats Shop, we’re proud to recommend both, based on your unique needs.

For more insights into TRS options, click here: TRS Harnesses Explained

Why Buy From Us?

Click here to explore the full selection of Lotus Elise Harnesses

Click here for our Lotus Elise Harness Comparison Table