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Having them install the helmet connections was nice. Too him about 45 minutes. I probably would have taken at least twice that and been stressed the whole time. They have some specialized tools to make it easy to do.
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George Roffe
91 SE-R (well modded)
84 944 SCCA ITS race car under construction
http://www.nissport.com
Having just recently been to Hubbard-Downing to buy my own HANS Device, I feel especially able to comment. I had been planning for some time to actually to to Atlanta to try them on. I wanted to be sure of a good fit and thanks to my attendance of the SCCA ARRC race at Road Atlanta, the opportunity presented itself quite nicely.
To answer your question, the devices are not custom made to the individual typically (I'm sure for an order of magnitude more money it can be). However, they are made for varying degrees of seatback rake and various neck sizes.
Most tin tops require the 20 degree version. I have an approximately 17" neck and fell between the regular size and large size device per their web site. I would say fitting a regular to someone with a neck size of 17" would be problematic at best. I'm so glad I went there. The regular was tight around my neck even without my suit on (and the thick collar it has). They were temporarily out of stock of the 20L, but I tried on a large in another angle size and it was much more comfortable. If you are a "tweener" on size like me, you may have to try one and send it back to try the other size.
I consider my HANS the best investment I've ever made in racing. I bought it not for me, but for my wife. I'm prepared to meet my maker, but I'm not prepared to make my wife a widow, at least not needlessly.
How much can you turn your head? I like to be able to look fully out the side window, to better see the tiny spec racers we sometimes run with.
Can you put on the Hans device by yourself unaided? Can you take it on and off unaided while you are in your car? Due to my bad back, its hard for me to get in and out of the car, don't get me wrong in an emergency I can bail fast but I like to put my helmit on in the car so I don't ding it up.
I am my own pit crew as well so I have to be able to don the device without help. Is the Hans easy to clip on by yourself? The clips look a bit tricky to do blind.
How much can you turn your head? I like to be able to look fully out the side window, to better see the tiny spec racers we sometimes run with.
Can you put on the Hans device by yourself unaided? Can you take it on and off unaided while you are in your car? Due to my bad back, its hard for me to get in and out of the car, don't get me wrong in an emergency I can bail fast but I like to put my helmit on in the car so I don't ding it up.
I am my own pit crew as well so I have to be able to don the device without help. Is the Hans easy to clip on by yourself? The clips look a bit tricky to do blind.
You don't have to do the clips. Both of our drivers leave them both attached and put them both on as one unit. HANS goes a little over the shoulders, then helmet down onto head. You can do it yourself. If you prefer to do the clips when putting it on, they are easy to snap on. Taking it off I think you'd just do it in one move, leaving them attached.
John, you are more than welcome to come make use of our shop if you need to do some serious wrecking. We've got a plasma cutter and oxy-acetylene torch if you plan to salvage anything. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help.
To add to what Andris said, Hubbard-Downing now makes a QR pin set-up for the HANS straps. Pull a pair of tethers (best tied together) and shake your head and the device is free of the helmet.
I have not had a chance to try the device. In fact, I had H-D install the helmet attachments, but send the device so I could save on sales tax. Should arrive this week.
That said, ALL H&N restraints will limit side to side movement slightly, not just the HANS.
Something else to think about....
(don't answer this here, just to yourselves) How much are y'all planning on spending on your cars over the winter? Perhaps part of that would be better spent on a H&N restraint.
This incident has really made me step back and evaluate the safety of the NX2000 Anhyi and I have been using for HPDE and driving concepts. I had a big off in the same spot as John early saturday morning during the rain. Fortunately, my speeds were low enough to where I was able to walk away unscaved and only muddy. Had I been going faster and flipped like John, I would of bought it for sure. Needless to say, a robust cage and quality safety equipment have become our top priority. This incident has definately served me as a reminder to my own mortality. I glad to see to John walk away from such a violent accident and hope he is feeling well today.
Quote:
Originally Posted by andris
Not to be morbid or something, but does anyone have pics of the car? I'd like to see how it crunched. IIRC Pablo in Palmdale built John's cage. I'm really glad he's ok
andris
Andris, I have posted some pictures of the battery and car in the photo section on yahoo groups.
The Hans and the Isaac are in the same price range. I like the Issac becaue it looks more trick and because I like the concept of velocity control using a pair of "shocks". To coin the term, "tin top", can anyone say exactly what the periperal vision limitations are inside the car once your head is locked down. I use a full face helmet so, like choaderboy2, I am concerned about not being able to looks both ways. Any body care to coment on how they feel with either of these devices installed.
John, if you get a chance, I would also be very interested in seeing some interior pictures of the cockpit and the cage. Great opportunity to learn here from your unfortunant situation. Glad to hear you are well.
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Steve Linn | Fins Up Racing | #6 ITA Sentra SE-R |www.indyscca.org
138,557 miles of bent-up motor, 50K of the new stuff
The HANS is easy to get in and out of once you're used to. I have one of the old ones without the quick releases and I can easily get in and out of the car with it on. I am not a small dude (6'4"/240) so a normal size person shouldn't have much trouble with how big the window openings are on our cars. I do plan to replace my HANS and helmet after the hits they took and the newer quick disconnect will be on the list just to make it that much easier to bail when things go wrong.
As for pictures, I'll get those up in a few weeks. I had to stash the car in the trailer so the Mrs. wouldn't freak when she saw how crunched it was so it will take me a bit to roll it out somewhere and snap some photos. The main elements of the cage that saved my bacon were the heavy gussets on every corner, the fact that the cage was snug against the roof and body at every turn, and the bracing that Pablo added to maintain the integrity of the tub. The carbon-kevlar FIA seat and the HANS/belt/helmet combo also saved me some pain.
So, use all the stuff you can get and I will post pictures of the #46 when I get a chance.
Thanks to all for the concern and I'll see you back on track soon.
you know, looking at those pictures, it doesnt look like it rolled over as violently as you guys describe. just bang out a couple of dents, and you're back in business!
glad to hear you're okay. those pictures make me feel a lot better about the safety of our series, and make me glad i spent the extra cash and time in making a beefy cage.
the battery looked scary. it would have been a serious threat if it was behind the seat or something. at least you didnt have to hit the electrical shut off switch.
It saved my brother's life. He hit a wall at the top of fifth when he was punted off the track at Montreal in his Formula BMW car. The only thing we salvaged from the car was the tub, yet he walked away. I was very impressed and thankful.
Meanwhile a local club racer died this summer at Shannonville when his Formula Vee rolled at about 70mph.....I talked to someone who was present and he said it was not a violent crash at all....but unfortunately his skull separated from his spine and he is no longer
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Climate Change skeptics are the new Flat Earth Society
you know, looking at those pictures, it doesnt look like it rolled over as violently as you guys describe. just bang out a couple of dents, and you're back in business!
glad to hear you're okay. those pictures make me feel a lot better about the safety of our series, and make me glad i spent the extra cash and time in making a beefy cage.
the battery looked scary. it would have been a serious threat if it was behind the seat or something. at least you didnt have to hit the electrical shut off switch.
how's the hood? did its mounts rip off?
The pictures don't show how much the front of the car is crushed and how much the sides of the car moved. Its almost like the car was whammed by a flat iron.
The pictures don't show how much the front of the car is crushed and how much the sides of the car moved. Its almost like the car was whammed by a flat iron.
yeah, i was joking, but it really doesnt look as bad as it sounded. flipping end over end 15-20 feet in the air makes you think of morbidly twisted metal, where the only thing left of the car is the actual cabin (because of the roll cage). i seriously thought that thing would look like a roll cage shaped box with twisted metal the only things left of the engine bay and trunk.
Guys, Mr. UPS just delivered my HANS. Damn this thing rocks.
Not only does the large have the lip on the shoulder thingies, they now are including friction material on the top of them so the belts don't slide off.
Damn, that's the best money I've ever spent on racing.
yeah, i was joking, but it really doesnt look as bad as it sounded. flipping end over end 15-20 feet in the air makes you think of morbidly twisted metal, where the only thing left of the car is the actual cabin (because of the roll cage). i seriously thought that thing would look like a roll cage shaped box with twisted metal the only things left of the engine bay and trunk.
The pictures don't really show the damage, the front of the car is much more narrow than when it left the factory. It is suprisingly undamaged consdering how bad it was.
My SSB Classic was so destroyed compared to this, the engine flew out of the car and the ends of the car were crushed to the cage and firewall. My car went end over end 8 times but don't fly as high as John's. (no I was not driving, I lent the car to a friend)
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