Safety Equipment Thread

[Randy Chase]

Stuff you should know...

To be filled in

[Randy Chase]

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[Randy Chase]

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[Randy Chase]

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[Randy Chase]

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[Randy Chase]

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[Randy Chase]

Just another one of those totally worthless threads for now!



But it does have a sheep

[The Stig]

I have all of above except the roll cage (aftermarket) and a racing suit.

Neil

[elise_storm]

details, including pictures.

[zOOmz]

sunscreen

[sleepless]

Some of you asked for pics of my 6 point sub-belt installation. Note, we had to make the hole in the ReVerie seat bigger; theirs is just big enough for a 5 point sub-belt. We used eye-bolts through the floor with backing plates on the bottom/outside of the floor. The location was chosen by following the directions from Schroth, found here: http://www.hmsmotorsport.com/docs/Co...structions.pdf

[sleepless]

The HANS device website is here: http://hansdevice.com

Take particular notice of how the shoulder harnesses are to be mounted in terms of vertical location relative to your shoulders and the 3" spacing between them.

I just got my HANS device and have tried it on with the harnesses setup per their instructions. With the ReVerie seat the harness holes will need to be made a little bigger because now the shoulder belts touch the insides of the holes (for some reason they space their holes farther apart than most race seats).

Also, as their instructions indicate, you need some clearance between your helmet and the seatback so that the HANS device does not press against the seat's headrest. It isn't a big deal if it does, but it does put pressure on your chest which could get uncomfortable after a while. Unfortunately, many race seats, including the ReVeries, don't provide quite enough clearance so you do get the pressure on the chest. For HPDE's, this shouldn't be a big deal since I generally don't drive more than 30 minutes at a time. We've put 1/2" spacers in the front posts of the seat to tip it back; I hope that provides a bit more clearance.

I'll be using the HANS for the first time on Monday and Tuesday at Spokane Raceway Park.

[kestrel74]

Not to mention a fire extinguisher................ anyone have any slick mounting places ??? / brands ??

[babak]

There was an accident at Heartland park last weekend during a PCA club race. A race prep 944 went into a wall and the driver had a vertebral compression fracture. This got me thinking about a neck harness again. We've talked about HANS devices above and elsewhere; however, they require a regular harness. Anybody have any thoughts about alternatives such as a neck collar:
http://www.sparcousa.com/pracewear_acc.asp?id=385

[Terry]

Originally Posted by Randy Chase

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Ok, let's start the ball rolling. First of all, harnesses and restraints are related so maybe it should be the same thread. Here are the things that I've been ruminating about:
1. I bought and installed the BWR bar but I don't like the way it leads and I worry that it will rotate, regardless of the angled tabs. The 4-Tress bar looks like a better placement and a better design.
2. I bought the Schroth 5 point harnesses which turn out to be 4 point harnesses (with the anti-sub breakaway feature) with a substrap added. These do not seem a match for the Teamtech harnesses which I used in my prior car. And they are specifically not HANS compatible.
3. I bough the sub mounting bars and installed them. My drivers seat is a Reverie and the sub belt comes through the hole in the seat. However, there is so little space between the bar and the seat that the buckle must be all the way up on the mounting strap and the adjustment strap must also be tightened all the way. It works but there's no flexibility.
4. The passenger seat is still stock so the sub strap comes around the front and the shoulder harness staps come around the seat. These leads are really not satisfactory.
5. Both the substraps and the lap belts depend on the bolts which hold the sliders and seat frames to the floor. These are pretty small bolts which are tapped into aluminum. Not a very confidence-inspiring arrangement. Through-bolts with eyes and spreader plates would be better.
6. Since the windshield is not a structural member, the "broomstick" goes from the top of the roll hoop to the hood, leaving little or no room for the driver's head in a roll-over. I assume that's why the FIA approved set-up has the Petty bar in from the passenger footwell to a triangle structure at the roll hoop.
7. So I'm running the car as described but I'm a little nervous about these issues. What have you done and what do you think?

[lotus270]

Terry,
Have the same concerns. Just installed the 4tress bar which does seem very solid mounted directly to already tapped holes in the rollbar. Also have a Teamtech harness I'd like to mount but both lap belt mounts and more importantly, sub mounting options seem limited. Laps can mount to stock seat belt mounts BUT as these are mounted to the seats and the seat rails screw into aluminum with relatively small bolts, not sure this is the best way. Sub is even more limited. Could try to mount beneath the front seat rail and floor but ideally you want sub mount farther back. Even with backing plate, directly through the floor does'nt look too sturdy. Will sliders still work with eye bolt up through floor?
Still have stock seat. Reverie seats look gorgeous but an awful lot of money for track seat. Spoke to someone about modifying my stock seat with slots for shoulder harnesses and sub belt and I'll likely go this way.
Probably safest way to do all this is to overlay 3/8 inch sheet aluminum to floor beneath seat then holes through this and floor with backing plates to mount eye bolts for laps and sub. As I think about this, would likely fit between F & R chassis rails so could still use sliders.
I'm no engineer, anyone with any thoughts?? ALL OF US NEED TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT THE SAFEST WAY!!!

Jim A.

[lucien]

SAFETY is an important part of preparing a car for track days. I have made a few modifications that add to my sense of safety without adding a lot of expense.
HARNESSES
My Sparco shoulder harnesses are attached to a BWR harness bar and were loose on the shoulders until I installed Corbeau race seat harness inserts in the stock Lotus Elise seats. The Corbeau inserts are the right size and shape to fit the Lotus seat back. The harnesses now fit snug. I installed a SS bar for the anti submarine belt from Sector 111 that attaches to the underside of the stock Lotus seat. It works well without modifying the stock seat.
FIRE BOTTLE
I installes a 2lb Sparco fire extinguisher on the top of the passenger foot rest. It fits perfectly in a tight space and is out of the way. A large E sticker was placed in a visible location to make it easy for a corner worker to find.
TOW HOOKS
I installed front and rear tow hooks for safe towing. I made a 2 inch powder coated tow hook for the front because the tow hook supplied with the car is too small for most tow straps on track tow vehicles.
NON SLIP FLOOR
HPDE track rules require that you remove floor mats and carpets leaving a slick aluminum floor that doesn't help heels stay put while driving. I installed Pirelli floors with a Longacher heat shield pad at the base of the pedals which provides a great surface on which you can plant your heels without slipping.
WINDSHIELD VISIBILITY
I have removed the sun visors allowing a much larger field of vision.
BATTERY KILL SWITCH
An outside battery kill switch was installed on the right (less heat from exhaust) rear perforated vertical shield above the diffuser marked with the lightning bolt sticker to make it easy for a corner worker to find.
ROLL UP TOOL KIT
A few strategic track tools like metric sockets, spanner, metric Allen wrenches, tire gauge, tire tread depth gauge, Locktite, 4 way screwdriver, measuring tape, flashlight, wire ties and a few others assure that you check tire pressures, fluids in reservors, tighten things, monitor tire wear, replace brake pads and other trackside tasks.
INSTRUCTION
HPDE's with a good head instructor and in-car instructor help make going fast safer.
ATTITUDE
Courteous driving and living life as though there IS a tomorrow while on the track make high performance driving more fun for everyone.

[andykeck]

Originally Posted by lucien

...until I installed Corbeau race seat harness inserts in the stock Lotus Elise seats. The Corbeau inserts are the right size and shape to fit the Lotus seat back. The harnesses now fit snug. I installed a SS bar for the anti submarine belt from Sector 111 that attaches to the underside of the stock Lotus seat. It works well without modifying the stock seat.

Got pics?

[babak]

Where did you get the tow hook? Pictures would be greatly appreciated. I see several things you have done that I would love to emmulate, firebottle, tow hooks being the two top ones.
Thanks for the info.

[sleepless]

Originally Posted by babak

Where did you get the tow hook? Pictures would be greatly appreciated. I see several things you have done that I would love to emmulate, firebottle, tow hooks being the two top ones.
Thanks for the info.

Sector111.com sells front and rear tow hooks.