I’ve used two kinds on my own cars. The camlock on my track car. And the push-button on my old street/track toy. Same brand, same bright green straps, very different feel.
If you want the step-by-step teardown with extra photos and torque specs, I put the long-form story up on PDV Racing—read it here: I ran a Takata racing harness buckle—here’s how it treated me.
Let me explain.
My cars and my messes
- Track car: a dusty E36 M3 with a Takata Race 6 camlock (six-point). Harness bar, proper mounts, the whole deal.
- Weekend toy I sold last spring: a BRZ with a Takata Drift-style push-button (four-point for fun days and autocross).
I’m not fancy. I wrench in the driveway. I eat gas station snacks. I do tech lines at Buttonwillow and Willow Springs, and I always forget sunscreen. That’s the vibe.
The click that calms me (camlock)
On the camlock, each tongue slides into the round center buckle with a clean click. Shoulders, lap, sub. No guesswork. I tug the belts, and they don’t creep. That calm click before a lap? It’s weirdly soothing.
With gloves on, the big knob is easy to grab. A quick twist and everything pops free at once. I’ve done hot pit stops with shaking hands and sweat in my eyes. The buckle never stuck. Not once.
One time in July, Turn 8 at Willow, the car hit a bump mid-corner. My head moved; my chest didn’t. The buckle held tight and quiet. After the session, the tech guy did a hard yank test. Still quiet. I love quiet hardware.
But dust and heat are real
Buttonwillow throws sand at everything. After three weekends, the camlock felt gritty. Not stuck, just sandy. I rinsed it with warm water, let it dry, and hit it with gentle compressed air. No oil. Oil attracts crud. It went right back to smooth.
Also, summer sun turns any metal part into a frying pan. The buckle gets hot. I now toss a small towel over it when I park. Silly trick, big win.
Push-button vs camlock (I’ve lived both)
- Push-button: Felt natural on the street. Like a normal seat belt. One finger, click out. But with winter gloves, I had to poke around to find the button. And in a five-point sit, the button sometimes pressed on my belly when I leaned forward. Not painful—just annoying.
- Camlock: Better on track. Easy with gloves. Fast egress if I need it fast. Bulky, yes. It can bonk your console. I got a scuff. I didn’t cry, but I did sigh.
Takata’s current Race 4 Snap harness captures that same push-button feel in a fresh FIA-dated package.
Between sessions I keep my reflexes sharp in a home sim rig—if you’re planning your own build, my cockpit how-to over on PDV Racing lays it all out: I built my sim racing cockpit—here’s what I’d tell a friend.
If you mostly daily drive and do the odd autocross, the push-button is simple. If you chase lap times or do real coaching days, the camlock just feels right.
Fit matters more than bragging rights
I messed this up once. My shoulder belts were too flat off the seat. They pulled up on my chest and felt wrong. I fixed the angle down to the harness bar, and the buckle sat where it should. Night and day.
If you can, have a shop check your install. Or at least follow the manual like it’s grandma’s recipe. The official competition instructions PDF is free to download right here. And yes, use the sub strap with the camlock. It keeps the lap belt low. No “slide under” drama.
Wear and tear after seasons
- The green webbing faded a bit in the sun. Still looks cool, just less neon.
- The buckle face got small scratches from the tongues. Normal stuff.
- The action stayed crisp for three seasons. No play. No weird wiggle.
- FIA dates matter. Mine aged out before it wore out. I replaced it because rules are rules.
If you geek out over how materials age and colors shift under natural light, you’d probably enjoy seeing how photographers work with the same challenges on skin tones and textures—browse the tasteful, high-resolution gallery at Instagram Nudes for a quick study in real-world lighting and composition that might even inspire the way you shoot progress photos of your own build.
On the flip side, if that same open-minded curiosity extends from the lens and the paddock to after-hours social adventures, the local lifestyle resource at Athens Swingers offers event calendars, venue reviews, and newcomer etiquette guides that can help you decide whether the vibrant Georgia scene is the kind of adrenaline you want off track.
A couple things I wish were different
- The camlock is heavy. It can flop around and make a little rattle if it’s not strapped down.
- The push-button wasn’t as glove-friendly for me. Quick, yes. Fumbly with thick gloves, also yes.
- Price. It’s up there. You pay for real motorsport grade gear.
Small care habits that helped
- Keep food, soda, and sunscreen off the belts and buckle. Sticky equals gritty later.
- Rinse dirt with plain water. Let it dry fully. No oils.
- Cover the buckle when parked in the sun.
- Check the tongues for burrs if you drop them. A tiny file can save the buckle face.
Real moments that sold me
- A late spin at Buttonwillow, lap 3. I went off, caught it, breathed. The buckle didn’t move. That still sticks with me.
- One rushed pit exit, I mis-fed a tongue. It wouldn’t latch, which was good. The camlock refused a bad lock. I fixed it, got the solid click, and rolled out.
- A novice ride-along day: student tugged the belts hard out of nerves. Zero slip. We both laughed after.
If short-wheelbase chaos is more your flavor, my day wheeling a Bandolero racer was wild from flag to flag—catch the whole story here: I drove a Bandolero racing car—here’s the real story.
Who should get which
- Track rats, HPDE folks, and time attack people: camlock, six-point. You’ll thank yourself.
- Street plus casual events: push-button can work, but please use proper mounting and know your rules.
- Anyone with a harness: check your dates, and check your fit. Comfort isn’t soft; it’s safe.
For a closer look at current harness options and FIA-dated inventory, browse the catalog at PDV Racing before you pull the trigger.
Quick hits: the good and the gripes
Pros
- Solid, confident clicks
- Fast release under stress
- Stays smooth with simple care
- Feels “race car” without drama
Cons
- Pricey
- Heat on the buckle in summer
- Push-button can be fumbly with gloves
- Camlock weight can scuff trim
My take, plain and simple
I trust the Takata camlock buckle. It’s steady, predictable, and friendly to real track life. The push-button is fine for light duty, but the camlock owns the hot lap feel. If you’re spending real time at the track, get the camlock, set it up right, and baby it a little.
You know what? That clean click before pit out—every time—it still settles my nerves. That’s worth a lot.