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Head and Neck restraint discussion.. (Read 3,676 times)
unxetas
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Head and Neck restraint discussion..
Jul 9th, 2010 at 6:29am
 
Right, strangely I haven't seen one these threads here in the forum.. What's wrong with you people? Smiley


Anyway, I'm seriously considering buying one soon, regardless of whether or not it becomes mandatory. Just can't decide which!

Here's my problem - I drive a Vee, which honestly doesn't have the best of the safest seating arrangements.

According to the FIA, and apparently to Hans, the head and neck restraint (HNR) should protect my neck in frontal impacts. The seat and additional head restraints should deal with side and angular impacts.

Well that's nice, but in a Vee, it would be hard to make up a seat or whatever that would prevent my head from flopping around in a side/angular impact. Or at least I just don't see how I'd come up with such a thing.

Now, in testing, the Hans seemed to perform VERY well in frontal impacts. about 20% better than the competition, if I remember right. Not that the competition performed badly, but the Hans was just a little bit better. The problem is, for 30 degree impacts, the Hans efficiency drops off 70%, where as some of the other products (DefNder and Safety Solutions stuff..) maintain the same amount of restraint.

Sure, if I hit a wall dead straight (no pun intended), I'll have a 20% better chance of walking away with the Hans.. But isn't it a lot more likely that I'll be trying to avoid whatever it is that I end up hitting, and hit it at some sort of angle? In that case, the 70% higher chance of making it out unscathed with one of the other products would be appreciated.

What does anyone else think? I need to make my mind up, as whatever it is I end up buying is better than nothing. But it's still a big enough investment for me that I want to make sure I pick the best I can.

Does anyone local own a DefNder or any of the Safety Solutions HNRs?
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-Tiago Santos
 
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Mike_the_Oldest
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Re: Head and Neck restraint discussion..
Reply #1 - Jul 9th, 2010 at 11:40am
 
I haven't checked to be certain, but I believe the SCCA GCR (available on-line) provides some excellent information on this subject.

I'm not certain who, locally, sells HANS devices. I know that Andy Collins of Armadillo Racing sells them and has a wealth of experience and information. I don't have his website immediately available, but it should be available from google. Andy is usually at the events at Pacific Raceway, as well.

So, there's a starting point.
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RSRacer
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Re: Head and Neck restraint discussion..
Reply #2 - Jul 9th, 2010 at 11:52am
 

  Frank at Drivers Edge carries the hans units and could answer your questions. he is local so he could help you fit your restraint.
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unxetas
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Re: Head and Neck restraint discussion..
Reply #3 - Jul 9th, 2010 at 3:56pm
 
Yup I'll probably be talking to Frank soon about the Hans. But as far as I know, he doesn't carry the other products I'm interested on, hence why I'm asking if anyone has any first hand experience with them.

I've heard the argument many times that if the Hans is good enough (and the only device that's actually legal..) for F1 drivers, it'll be good enough for me. The problem is F1 drivers have custom made seats and extra head restraint devices around the cockpit. Their head can barely move in any direction but front to back, which is what the Hans was developed for. They don't need the Hans to protect against angular or side impacts, that's what the seat and the weird piece that goes around their head is for.

Unfortunately, I don't think I could build the same level of support and protection into my Vee even if I tried. Which is why I'm looking into alternatives to the Hans device.
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-Tiago Santos
 
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AllanJ
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Re: Head and Neck restraint discussion..
Reply #4 - Jul 9th, 2010 at 6:41pm
 
I own the DefNder.  It's like a cousin of the HANS but provides better lateral support.  You can't move your head much at all in any direction.  You're welcome to drop by and check it out (I'm in the South Surrey area).

Cheers,
Allan
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Rob Dyck
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Re: Head and Neck restraint discussion..
Reply #5 - Jul 10th, 2010 at 4:21am
 
unxetas wrote on Jul 9th, 2010 at 6:29am:
Right, strangely I haven't seen one these threads here in the forum.. What's wrong with you people? Smiley




I think the cost has a little to do with it..... I know, I know... what is your health worth ect ect....

I wanted one when I started racing but the $1000+ cost held me back. Last year I was fortunate enough to have a friend with connections and got one for free. (side note, my HANS device was worn by Jacques Villeneuve for two F1 races!! Smiley )

I do wear mine and when I am all strapped in it works well forward but I think it would also work well off angle...it would definitely be better than without!!
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