In an enclosed car you don't want your arms restrained.........reaching for the fire bottle switch.........shutting everthing off in a crash............shifting, etc. It's not a good idea in a door/roof car..............that is what the window net is for.
we can have mike do the window net while its in his shop for the cage work. defiantly a good idea. when you barrel rolling your car off the road at 150mph, your arms will fly out. if they get out side of the car they get broken. steve has arm restraints. i say you borrow them and try them out in the car. they may limit your arms too much where you cant reach your shifter or other switches and controls in your car. if you can reach every thing i would suggest using them. they will provide that much more safety if needed.
I am not sure what type of fire suit you have or if you have a Halon system or just fire extinguisher, but if you do use the arm restraints (or not) I would do some serious exit practice going through the open window. If your suit is single layer, double layer or triple layer(I personally believe that a one piece suit with SFI3.2A/5 should be the bare minimum), remember you only have a limited time in direct or radiant heat before you start receiving 2nd degree burns (a SFI3.2A/5 double layer suit will give you about 10seconds, an SFI3.2A/1 single layer is about 3seconds, a SFI3.2A/10 is about 20seconds, SFI3.2A/15 is around 30seconds and a SFI3.2A/20 is 40seconds)....so I would figure out and exit plan and do some serious practicing.................sit in the car with everything hook up, your Hans, arm restraints, harness, helmet, window net..................and practice unhooking everything and getting out through the window. I you crash like Bryant suggests...............(I forgot to ask if you have a fuel cell or just fuel tank) but you will need to get out within the time your fire suit fire retardant material expires.....................after than................well, you know what can happen. Also, if you do use arm restraints make sure the fire extinguisher is within reach with them on.............same goes for Halon button. The other thing you may think about is wearing Nomex underware, it's inexpensive and will give you a couple of more seconds if a fire does happen after you barrel roll at 150mph...............The cage and all the restraints can certainly save your like in the crash................but if you catch on fire your suit is the only thing other than your fire system that will protect you long enough to get away without getting 2nd or 3rd degree burns................................this is strictly my opinion.
Bryant, great idea. Will I need any hardware for Mike to install the window net stuff? As for the fire suit that was great information, been looking for that. I don't have a fuel cell, it's a regular fuel tank in stock location essentially. I have Halon for the fire suppression system, I should install another bottle. Can I install 2 bottles in line or will I need two pull levels to activate each bottle?
If you have a Halon system what part of the car is protect with nozzles? So, the most important areas of the car after protecting the driver (usually you have two nozzles for the interior of the car) are the engine and trunk area where the fuel cell normally is..........................I can't remember if you have 70 or newer Maverick, but if you have the stock fuel tank and crash the car at 150mph it will either fly off or crack/split/break and spill gas everywhere, hopefully away from the car............I assume you have the trunk to passanger area sealed. As for installing the system you can always buy a bigger bottle (5lb minimum) and re-plumb the system..............................that way you only have one cable to pull........................or if you want to add another bottle and just plumb the other areas.............again in the engine bay I'd use two nozzles, with a minumum of a 5lb bottle feeding both engine and trunk area. For both of these areas I'd use a "Thermal Sensor w/guard" to you don't have to worry about pulling two cables or pushing two buttons........you can choose what temperature you want the thermal sensor to active the system from 135 degrees F to 500 degrees F.............this will make it easier on you since you will be pulling a cable and unhooking everything and exiting the car very quickly. As for the suits, I personally have a one piece SFI3.2A/10 and a one piece provides more protection than a two piece, make sure when you get the suit to ask what the LOI and TPP ratings are the most important because some manufacturers like Simpson actually make their suits with higher TPP ratings than other manufacturers............which gives you more time......and time is the key. Oh, LOI is Limiting Oxygen Index and TPP is Thermal Protective Performance (which is the most important to me but not all manufactures use TPP)...............also get nomex underware including socks and don't forget the fire shoes...........................I get a lot of ribbing sometimes at the track because I wear all this gear once I step into the car.................but I'd rather be safe than sorry................and with the reaction time of the fire crew at most drag strips I want to have as much time to get out of the car as possible and if I'm not able to I want the suit and fire system to take care of me..........................IMHO
A 5lb bottle only supports 3 nozzles, and depending on the opening size should give you about 30 seconds of spray before it runs dry. It's interesting that most NASCAR teams run with 2 bottles, one 5lb just for the driver and a 10lb for the engine and fuel cell. I keep saying Halon, but most everyone these days used FE36........Halon has been proven to cause breathing issues. Also, I am assuming you are using lines that are not plastic................right?
No plastic lines, the kit comes with lines but bryant and I used brake lines. Next week hopefully I will get the rest of the cage done. I guess it's gonna be bars coming from the roll bar down to the floor pans in the front. And one bar going across behind the dash. I will probably remove the dash and have him do the cage and figure out how I'm gonna fit the dash back in.
is it safe to assume that you have a better.. and preferably taller.. seat than that in mind for race time?
