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Thread: Street/Track Car Safety Equipment

  1. #26
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    Got an Addendum for the Fall PCA HDPE at MIR, they are requiring HANS devices for the 2019 Season, but suggest getting prepared earlier.


  2. #27
    NeilM is offline Member BMW E36 M3 Expert
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    The wording above seems to say that PCA won't allow a passenger in a harness-equipped car to use the stock 3-point seat belt instead, assuming it's still present and usable. (They are in my car.) This means a student wouldn't be able to catch a demo ride in an instructor's car with harnesses unless the student also happened to have compatible equipment.

    Neil

  3. #28
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    Quote Originally Posted by NeilM View Post
    The wording above seems to say that PCA won't allow a passenger in a harness-equipped car to use the stock 3-point seat belt instead, assuming it's still present and usable. (They are in my car.) This means a student wouldn't be able to catch a demo ride in an instructor's car with harnesses unless the student also happened to have compatible equipment.

    Neil
    I believe that is their intent. Equal seats, belts/harnesses and HANS for both.

  4. #29
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    So what do people think of the Hybrid Hans devices? The ones that work with a 3 point belt like this one: https://simpsonraceproducts.com/hybr...lt-compatible/

  5. #30
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    Several of my instructor friends use them, and like them.
    While I know they add a level of safety, how much they add in a modern car with a bazzilion air bags and 3 point belts, I'm not sure.

  6. #31
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    That was what I was wondering - Since at this moment the car has ALL of the stock safety bits in place could it possibly be counter productive?

  7. #32
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    I doubt it'd be counter productive, and every safety decision should be an informed decision by the person in the car....
    I don't know how to measure safety/$$, but this device to me is somewhat low on the return for investment, so I'm not in a rush to buy one for use in students cars.

  8. #33
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    I too found myself fighting to stay in position with stock leather seats as I go faster in the DE world. I really didn’t want to start down the seats/harness/cage path since i don’t plan to do anything with the car other than DEs. So I picked up a roll of this and you’d be amazed how much it helps to keep you planted. Just cut a slit near one end to go over the headrest, and let the rest drape down the seat back and bottom. Once you sit down your butt isn’t going anywhere.

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    It’s amazing how much less energy you burn during a session when you’re not fighting just to hold on in the long fast sweepers.
    2001 Steel Gray MCoupe - 147,000 miles and owned since new. MCS 2WNR suspension, Hotchkiss swaybar, poly bushings all around, cat delete headers with custom tune, 3.73 LSD, and Clownshoe Motorsports rear subframe reinforcement.

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  9. #34
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    The PCA "safety" rules are why I no longer run with them. I will never be a PCA member again either. In the name of safety, their events just aren't fun anymore. Have all the laws and rules you want. People will still get into accidents and some people will die unfortunately. If that concerns you, never leave the house. And even then, you still aren't safe. Home invasion are a possibility as well. lol

    We have so many rules and laws in this country that make no sense. Most people don't even challenge them.

    Nothing against the OP, but this topic is amusing to me me. I laugh when I read and hear people talk about safety when on the track yet COMPLETELY discount the fact that you have a MUCH higher chance of getting into a major car accident EVERY TIME they drive on public roads. lol Based on that logic, every street car should have a roll cage, every driver should be wearing a HANS device, etc. A head-on collision by distracted drivers is MUCH worse than any rollover.

    An honest discussion about safety equipment should be for street cars, not cars driven on the track.

    Anyway, get the seats that you fit well in and focus on improving your driving skill.

  10. #35
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    Andy,

    Could you please link the accident statistics you mentioned above? My initial reaction is that you have grossly mis-stated the actual safety items at stake but am willing to learn.

    Also consider the PCA has no issue with a stock safety system, they are stating what many around here believe that without the deceleration allowed by a stock seat belt, you are at greater risk of death or severe injury in a head on collision in harnesses without a HNR.

  11. #36
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    Quote Originally Posted by Andy View Post
    The PCA "safety" rules are why I no longer run with them. I will never be a PCA member again either. In the name of safety, their events just aren't fun anymore. Have all the laws and rules you want. People will still get into accidents and some people will die unfortunately. If that concerns you, never leave the house. And even then, you still aren't safe. Home invasion are a possibility as well. lol

    We have so many rules and laws in this country that make no sense. Most people don't even challenge them.

    Nothing against the OP, but this topic is amusing to me me. I laugh when I read and hear people talk about safety when on the track yet COMPLETELY discount the fact that you have a MUCH higher chance of getting into a major car accident EVERY TIME they drive on public roads. lol Based on that logic, every street car should have a roll cage, every driver should be wearing a HANS device, etc. A head-on collision by distracted drivers is MUCH worse than any rollover.

    An honest discussion about safety equipment should be for street cars, not cars driven on the track.

    Anyway, get the seats that you fit well in and focus on improving your driving skill.
    It's hard for me to imagine an honest discussion about ANYTHING being a bad thing.

  12. #37
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    Well how about a little thread update... Over the winter I upgraded my safety game and lost some weight in the process. I have moved from HPDE to TT5 so speed was increasing as well as my skills at a rapid rate.

    To anyone who is getting into HPDE or track days in general looking for their first track oriented mods...

    THIS IS THE BEST MONEY YOU CAN POSSIBLY SPEND ON A TRACK CAR AND GAIN SECONDS A LAP!

    Read that again! ^^^

    Harnesses:
    Driver side: 6 point Schroth 3"-2" shoulder straps with 2" lap belts to only be used with a Hans.
    Passenger Side: GForce 6 point, 3" belts with 2" sub straps. This way anyone can use it with or without Hans.


    Seats:
    Driver: Sparco Ergo II - I'm a larger dude and this seat feels awesome to me. I tried a Cobra Suzuka GT and it was tight in the middle region.
    Passenger: Cobra Suzuka - most instructors will be fine in this seat, but I also don't plan on carrying someone around with me in my TT sessions...


    Seat Mounts: Defacto at this point seems to be the Brey Krase mounts. They just work. I am NOT using the seatbelt mounting points that come with them but bolting belts to the actual car instead.


    Roll Bar: originally I was going to get that fabbed locally but I really want to get the Bimmerworld/Miata Cage kit for the e46. So until that time I am going with a Kirk Rollbar. They are close enough to pick up and it's about a two week out kind of deal. I've used them before to it should work out well.

    IMG_9120.JPG

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    IMG_9208.JPG
    As you notice I am going full in. I found that safety is not something that you can piece together. To maximize the benefit of any one piece of equipment you must have other pieces in place. ie you don't want a roll bar before a harness because you'll end up hitting your head on it. Fixed back seat with stock belts can be questionable as far as safety as well.
    Last edited by Pzary3233; 05-10-2019 at 03:12 PM.

  13. #38
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    Schroth's tech talk on the topic is pretty clear, and well researched:







    - - - Updated - - -

    In short:
    -harness without roll bar is significantly safter than 3 point without roll bar, the overwhelming majority of the time
    -harness enables the use of hans, which is hugely beneficial
    -roll bar without helmet is hugely dangerous (so bad for duel purpose street/track cars)

  14. #39
    MINIz guy's Avatar
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    This is a good discussion, and honestly has me slightly scared of the danger I've been warned about. I've been tracking my E36 with stock 3pt belts and fixed back seats. I figured in the event of a rollover, the 3pt lets my body lean to the side in case the roof crushes. I've been warned by friends a few times now that I shouldn't have passed tech because of my setup.

    Before my next track event, I'm throwing my stock seats back in. I'm also seriously considering purchasing an E46, then throwing a roll bar in along with seats and harnesses. Safer for the near future, Spec E46 base for the far future.

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