Author Topic: Helmet Support Rule  (Read 8862 times)

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Offline maguromic

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Helmet Support Rule
« on: August 18, 2011, 06:09:16 PM »
I noticed a lot of coupes were having problems in tech with their seat extensions for the head.  I looked through the rulebook and can’t seem to find it, but thought it was 3’ past the helmet. Does anyone know what is the exact rule on this? Tony
“If you haven’t seen the future, you are not going fast enough”

Offline 38flattie

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Re: Helmet Support Rule
« Reply #1 on: August 18, 2011, 06:21:15 PM »
Tony, no 3" rule for the head. The 3" is for the front hoop of the cage- 3.b.1

" At a minimum extend to the forward most portion of the helmet"
« Last Edit: August 18, 2011, 06:23:27 PM by 38flattie »
With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine. However, this is not necessarily a good idea. It is hard to be sure where they are going to land, and it could be dangerous sitting under them as they fly overhead. -- RFC 1925

You can't make a race horse out of a pig. But if you work hard enough at it you can make a mighty fast pig. - Bob Akin

http://www.flatcadracing.org/
http://youtu.be/89rVb497_4c

Offline maguromic

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Re: Helmet Support Rule
« Reply #2 on: August 18, 2011, 06:28:22 PM »
Buddy, Thanks for the clarification.  What page in the rule book is this covered?  Tony
“If you haven’t seen the future, you are not going fast enough”

Offline Tman

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Re: Helmet Support Rule
« Reply #3 on: August 18, 2011, 06:30:33 PM »
Lots of folks were tweaking padding and the extentions. I was in 3 pits that had to address this. And who decided to call that new cage "padding" when it is as hard as the cage its self :-o

Offline 38flattie

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Re: Helmet Support Rule
« Reply #4 on: August 18, 2011, 06:33:23 PM »
Page 24 3.A.3 for the helmut, and 3.b.1, page 26 for the 3" helmet clearance of the front hoop.

Glad to help, Tony!
With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine. However, this is not necessarily a good idea. It is hard to be sure where they are going to land, and it could be dangerous sitting under them as they fly overhead. -- RFC 1925

You can't make a race horse out of a pig. But if you work hard enough at it you can make a mighty fast pig. - Bob Akin

http://www.flatcadracing.org/
http://youtu.be/89rVb497_4c

Offline maguromic

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Re: Helmet Support Rule
« Reply #5 on: August 18, 2011, 06:45:19 PM »
Buddy, The rule seems vague the way its written and from what I noticed there was no consistency in tech.  The car I was with had to do re-do it, even though it passed last year and has made it through Elmo tech with no issues many times.  Just want to make sure when we design the seat for my neighbors car that its done correctly.

Tman, I am glad I am not the only one that noticed a lot of guys working on this. Tony
“If you haven’t seen the future, you are not going fast enough”

Offline Tman

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Re: Helmet Support Rule
« Reply #6 on: August 18, 2011, 06:49:11 PM »
Buddy, The rule seems vague the way its written and from what I noticed there was no consistency in tech.  The car I was with had to do re-do it, even though it passed last year and has made it through Elmo tech with no issues many times.  Just want to make sure when we design the seat for my neighbors car that its done correctly.

Tman, I am glad I am not the only one that noticed a lot of guys working on this. Tony


Tony, is this still for the Firebird?

Offline maguromic

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Re: Helmet Support Rule
« Reply #7 on: August 18, 2011, 06:57:03 PM »
Yeah its for the Firebird.  I promised him I would do some work on it and will be at Sears Point tomorrow working on the seat.  It should keep him quit for a month or so.  :-D  Tony
“If you haven’t seen the future, you are not going fast enough”

Offline 38flattie

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Re: Helmet Support Rule
« Reply #8 on: August 18, 2011, 07:04:31 PM »
I can tell you what I was told, when I made an unofficial enquiry- as long as the head bars come past the front of the helmet, and there's only a couple of inches clearance on each side, you'll be fine.

We found exiting the car was easier, when we took full advantage of the 2 inches, and ran the bars only 1/2' past the helmet.

I can't wait to see all the stuff you do to the firebird!
With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine. However, this is not necessarily a good idea. It is hard to be sure where they are going to land, and it could be dangerous sitting under them as they fly overhead. -- RFC 1925

You can't make a race horse out of a pig. But if you work hard enough at it you can make a mighty fast pig. - Bob Akin

http://www.flatcadracing.org/
http://youtu.be/89rVb497_4c

Offline Tman

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Re: Helmet Support Rule
« Reply #9 on: August 18, 2011, 07:05:15 PM »
Yeah its for the Firebird.  I promised him I would do some work on it and will be at Sears Point tomorrow working on the seat.  It should keep him quit for a month or so.  :-D  Tony

I will get a car number for you. I sat in a 74ish GM Nova type car. It had the best head restraint made out of flat plate and  the left side was lever actuated. Grab the lever, lean left and roll out with the plate opening for you. Very sano.

Offline jl222

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Re: Helmet Support Rule
« Reply #10 on: August 22, 2011, 01:22:21 PM »
I noticed a lot of coupes were having problems in tech with their seat extensions for the head.  I looked through the rulebook and can’t seem to find it, but thought it was 3’ past the helmet. Does anyone know what is the exact rule on this? Tony

  I know of one person who could not get in his coupe and alternate driver had to drive, and heard of one person just
packing up and going home. Very hard for me to get in car but easier to get out, helmet scrapes on net realease
getting in but not out. Helmet extension and DJ safety hans device which you have to attach to helmet before getting in
car [and which there is no quick release for getting out] makes it tough. Why is there no quick release?

 Anyone know of anyone else not being able to drive?

    JL222

   

     


Offline Milwaukee Midget

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Re: Helmet Support Rule
« Reply #11 on: August 22, 2011, 01:36:42 PM »
And I saw a couple of production cars that clearly didn't meet the new rule as written.

I understand the reason for the rule - belt stretch letting the helmet get caught between the cage/side support and the net - but there has to be a more realistic way to safely accomplish this without compromising egress.
"Problems are almost always a sign of progress."  Harold Bettes
Well, I guess we're making a LOT of progress . . .  :roll:

Offline jl222

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Re: Helmet Support Rule
« Reply #12 on: August 22, 2011, 03:12:13 PM »
Yeah its for the Firebird.  I promised him I would do some work on it and will be at Sears Point tomorrow working on the seat.  It should keep him quit for a month or so.  :-D  Tony

  Tony...If I didn't already have the Buttler $400 special made to order pads which I had to extend from last year, I
would have looked into the side pads Nascar uses.

  Also I saw some nice pads [even better] sides and top, made by Autopower from San Diego and installed on a roadster built by Mike Cook.


                JL222

Offline maguromic

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Re: Helmet Support Rule
« Reply #13 on: August 22, 2011, 04:21:41 PM »
 JL222, I am going to make the seat and incorporate the sides for the shoulders, legs and helmet.  I just don't like the NASCAR (fine for NASCAR) seats, I am looking at more of a seat with ergonomics of the driver in mind. I think it will also be better for using  a HANS type restraint also.  But I was really amazed at all the problems that many coupes had, including the one I was helping on.  :-o Tony
« Last Edit: August 22, 2011, 04:24:01 PM by maguromic »
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Offline Bob Drury

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Re: Helmet Support Rule
« Reply #14 on: August 22, 2011, 04:52:33 PM »
  Not that I would ever accuse anyone of revenge, after all the hell I raised about this subject on our site, I pulled up to tech, where Steve Davies opened a new inspection line just for my car out in the sun, between the two covered canopies.
  After letting us bake for a half hour, he finally sent one inspector over and all went well, but I almost passed out by the time I did my bailout (SFI 20 suit).
  Strange as it seems, their were no more than one car in each covered lnspection lane while I baked.
  Some day I will have to buy Steve a beer while we have a really, really serious talk..............
                                                                       Bob
Bob Drury