I'm changing the way my belts are mounted and was wondering if snap in belts with grade 8 hardware is legal?

They should be fine. I use snap hooks on waist belts and crotch belts and wrap the shoulder belts.

For added safety, many snap-in belts have pre-drilled holes on the pivot for a cotter pin to help prevent an accidental release. It would be worth checking for and using if you get belts that have this feature.

I believe that tech will require a cotter pin to ensure the snaps can not come loose during a crash.

You want them in any event because of the above. Remember, safety is a lot of small details that go with the obvious big ones.

Big Dog