Door net install

[Milwaukee Midget]

Okay, the kit from Stroud arrived today.  The instructions are a bit murkey, but no two net installs are the same, so I guess I wasn't expecting a blow-by-blow how-to.  A bad drawing would have been nice, but that wasn't there, either.

If you've got a door slammer, I'd sure be grateful to see some pics of your door net install.

Graci.

[McRat]

We had to do our three times before it was accepted. 

Cover the WHOLE opening, even if you can't physically get to an area.

If your cage has rocker bars, put tabs down there at the bottom of the door and rod through the tabs.

Do the same for the top door cage bar.  Make sure it's on the OUTSIDE of the cage. 

Use a quick release off a 5-pt.  The "belt buckle" units than come with retail net kits are horse pucky.  They won't hold under a load, but they will pass tech.

[McRat]

DOH!!

Will take pics tomorrow, but it's a truck.

[NathanStewart]

Make sure it's on the OUTSIDE of the cage.

Section 3.D.D Arm/Leg Restraints (pg 31 of the 2012 book)

All mounting tabs/brackets shall be mounted inside the outside plane of the roll structure and shall not be exposed to the track surface in case of an incident or come into contact with the driver's body.

[dw230]

Oh Nathan not another rule for him to complain about.

DW

[Milwaukee Midget]

Right or wrong, McRat, I'm still interested in the pics.  I'm looking at a couple of CM tubes, some fittings, a small heim joint and a buckle.

I can always invert the image.

[Tman]

Oh Nathan not another rule for him to complain about.

DW

Maybe that's why it took them three tries?

[thundersalt]

Not the best pic but hope this helps. On the fairlane I had the net made to fit the opening bent the top rod to fit, added a piece if strap metal to top of opening so the top bar couldn't "flop" out and put the latch at the forward end (see arrows). Always past tech and was always complimented by the tech dudes on how good it fit and worked.

[Peter Jack]

One little thing to remember when doing the installation is to install it so that gravity helps keep it out of the way when the driver's getting in or out. There's nothing worse than the net falling in the way as you're getting in or out. Don't attach it to top bar and try folding it back onto the roof. It'll definitely get in the way when you're doing the bail out. 

Pete

[McRat]

Right or wrong, McRat, I'm still interested in the pics.  I'm looking at a couple of CM tubes, some fittings, a small heim joint and a buckle.

I can always invert the image.

I've never figured out how to put images on this forum software, so I took a brief phone movie:  http://youtu.be/on8gHj6u4kw

We originally showed up with a net that met the written rules.  We were told to make changes.  It was 2 piece - one triangle attached to the removable door bar, and the rocker bar.  Then another went up from the door bar to the top bar.  They said 2 piece nets were forbidden.

We made changes, and it was accepted.

Then we were told to change it again at another meet.

IIRC, we had Cook make the second series of changes.

We have not had it squawked since then.

Apparently, it's still no good.  And nobody can tell me why, or how to really fix it.

Personally, my original system was far safer and easier to use, and every bit as effective.

There have been several things like that.  And I get the old-timers upset when I get frustrated:  "JUST TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT AND I'LL DO IT",  uhh...  we don't really know, but you keep at it and we will tell you when it's correct.  Keep in mind all our stuff was pre-inspected and cage bought off prior to our first event.

We have wrist straps that come with the $1500 firesuit by Simpson.  We are told that each wrist strap needs it's own SFI sticker.  And each glove needs a SFI sticker, and each of the 5 harness pieces, etc.

I know that's BS.  I might not have bought a 1934 Ford at the dealer and raced with a leather helmet, but I have raced a lot in the last 37 years.  One gloves gets the sticker.  One belt piece etc.

[Tman]

Your Youtube link won't work.

[McRat]

Your Youtube link won't work.

Try again? 

Might be a delay? 

[Peter Jack]

You Tube link worked great and it really illustrated the installation well McRat. Thanks!

Pete

[McRat]

Oh Nathan not another rule for him to complain about.

DW

Love you Dan, and thanks for all that you do for the SCTA and the racers.  However ...

Actually it was the SCTA officials doing the complaining in this case.  We showed up legal.  None of them could agree with each other what was unwritten in the rules.  It took hours for them to figure out what they wanted.  It's tough when it's not a '34.

In any case, we found out my daughter goes on year-round school starting the same day as Speed Week.

We race as a family, so it's a no-go for us in 2012.  Pretty much ran out of money anyhow.  New forklift or Bonneville?  It was a forklift.

In the grand scheme of things, the peak speed of a real diesel pickup with minor tweaks isn't important in the Land of 55mph.  My daily driver diesel will hit 140mph+ (yes it runs speed rated performance tires), gets good mileage, tows 14,000lb, out accelerates an SRT-10 Dodge or a Lightning (and most Corvettes), and seats 5 with leather, DVD, navigation, sunroof, power everything.  It won't ever be in the Guiness Book, but it's probably faster and quicker than what most folk daily drive and it's a blast to drive.

And that's what it's all about.  The fun of driving.

 

[Milwaukee Midget]

McRat -THANK YOU for that - the time you took, the details, the unrelenting drama (oh dear).

You have a lot more room to work with than I do . . .



I've since gone with a removable steering wheel . . .