HPDE / track day safety gear flow chart !!
#1
HPDE / track day safety gear flow chart !!
There have been a few HPDE fatalities in SOCAL last few years. I was at one of the event just couple of months ago, in the same session, when a fatality occur. This bothered me quite a bit. I see a ton of improper "safety gear" in all HPDE events, most don't understand how safety gears works TOGETHER.
This is for HPDE, not w2w. W2w organizations have their own requirement, so I didn't want to get into it.
please do comment whether you think it needs changes or not. I would like to improve on it. But note I do wanted to keep it simple.
Not in flow chart, but obviously, Miata has to have roll bar and helmet to run any of HPDE events (at least in this country). so that's a given.
this is v2. I gave in and changed it to be more politically correct !!! also changed ** system to ABCDF grading system. easier to understand.
also attached a PDF file for those 35+ years eyes..
This is for HPDE, not w2w. W2w organizations have their own requirement, so I didn't want to get into it.
please do comment whether you think it needs changes or not. I would like to improve on it. But note I do wanted to keep it simple.
Not in flow chart, but obviously, Miata has to have roll bar and helmet to run any of HPDE events (at least in this country). so that's a given.
this is v2. I gave in and changed it to be more politically correct !!! also changed ** system to ABCDF grading system. easier to understand.
also attached a PDF file for those 35+ years eyes..
Last edited by bellwilliam; 01-11-2016 at 01:45 PM.
#3
degrees of "safe". anything in green color boxes (**+) is relatively safe.
a bone stock Miata with roll bar is **
a bone stock Miiata / roll bar / with say Sparco Sprint seat is **
a bone stock Miata / roll bar / race seat / paddings / 5/6 point harness / HANS is ***
(roll bar and helmet is a given in a Miata for HPDE. that didn't go into flow chart)
a bone stock Miata with roll bar is **
a bone stock Miiata / roll bar / with say Sparco Sprint seat is **
a bone stock Miata / roll bar / race seat / paddings / 5/6 point harness / HANS is ***
(roll bar and helmet is a given in a Miata for HPDE. that didn't go into flow chart)
#5
^ He's not saying you need all of it. He's saying that if you change one thing, it may make another aspect less safe since everything is meant to work together.
According to this chart, if I want to add an aftermarket steering wheel (no airbag), then I need a 5/6 pt harness, FIA seat, hans, roll bar padding to obtain a ** rating, correct?
According to this chart, if I want to add an aftermarket steering wheel (no airbag), then I need a 5/6 pt harness, FIA seat, hans, roll bar padding to obtain a ** rating, correct?
#7
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^ He's not saying you need all of it. He's saying that if you change one thing, it may make another aspect less safe since everything is meant to work together.
According to this chart, if I want to add an aftermarket steering wheel (no airbag), then I need a 5/6 pt harness, FIA seat, hans, roll bar padding to obtain a ** rating, correct?
According to this chart, if I want to add an aftermarket steering wheel (no airbag), then I need a 5/6 pt harness, FIA seat, hans, roll bar padding to obtain a ** rating, correct?
#8
Worst things I've seen are:
1. Going to aftermarket steering wheel but with oem belt.
2. Installing non-asm 4 point belt. This is a death trap
#10
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Yeah. That guy that destroyed his face on the aftermarket steering wheel.
Thread got deleted/moved because of the gore.
@Joe Perez might know more.
Thread got deleted/moved because of the gore.
@Joe Perez might know more.
#11
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Yeah. That guy that destroyed his face on the aftermarket steering wheel.
Thread got deleted/moved because of the gore.
@Joe Perez might know more.
Thread got deleted/moved because of the gore.
@Joe Perez might know more.
Long story short: NA Miata seatbelts have a breakaway section near the lower anchor, which consists of a looped-over section of belt loosely stitched together. In an accident, it's designed to progressively tear away, thus decreasing the severity of the force applied to your abdomen and squishy internal organs. This assumes, of course, that the airbag is there to catch your head at the end of travel. If it's not, your face absorbs the impact, resulting in things like loss of teeth, jaw and skull fractures, death, etc.
This feature isn't unique to the NA. It is seen in many airbag-equipped vehicles of similar vintage.
NBs don't have this tearaway section. It is supposed, but not proven, that they incorporate a similar mechanism within the reel assembly.
#13
That's backwards to most new cars I'm familiar with, they carry a pyro charge to shorten the belt 1-2" before giving way, never to full length though. If anything, I bet the NB does that.
I think I remember the thread, but no gore. Just a smashed steering wheel from a guy jacking around in the driveway? Same one?
I think I remember the thread, but no gore. Just a smashed steering wheel from a guy jacking around in the driveway? Same one?
#17
Not trying to **** on TT, just saying... Don't think you need less safety equipment just because it's TT. I've been going to the track for close to 10 years now, including a small amount of w2w racing, and both crashes I've had were while chasing lap records in TT.
#20
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The function of the pretensioner (which the later NBs have) is to ensure that, prior to impact, the seat belt is fully retracted and in maximum contact with the body. This ensures that it has the maximum possible time / distance in which to capture and decelerate the body.
The breakaway / gradual release mechanism comes into play after the body has engaged the seatbelt. It spreads out the force of deceleration over time, rather than just stopping the body all at once. This decreases the forces applied to the organs of the chest and abdomen, and reduces the probability of internal injury.
I think I remember the thread, but no gore. Just a smashed steering wheel from a guy jacking around in the driveway? Same one?