Topic: Sharing HANS device

For teams who share a HANS device, how do you do it while having reasonable pit/driver changes?
What, if anything can you swap onto drivers in the pits (assuming no fueling is underway)?

Re: Sharing HANS device

Swapping a HANS is allowed, so long as you don't do it while also trying to fuel. No other gear swapping is allowed because you need to be in full gear to go onto the hot pits in the first place. HANS is the only piece of gear not required when walking onto hot pits.

You can either bring enough crew so that 2 are doing fueling while the new driver and old driver are swapping the HANS off to the side, or you bring fewer crew out and get the driver out, fuel, swap HANS, get the new driver in. Just don't try to have the guy holding the fire extinguisher also trying to help swap a HANS, that guy needs to be doing nothing except making sure no one catches fire.

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Re: Sharing HANS device

With a 4 man team it's very easy to do. At the same time, if you're going for the win (why?) another Hans is affordable.

Could have been nice for the late night 2 man stops during the 24, but I don't remember any issues with only one.

Just make sure everyone practices.

Re: Sharing HANS device

As long as your head and neck restraint isn't one of the complicated ones, it's pretty straightforward. If you have a Zamp or a Simpson, sharing is a lot harder.

That guy

Re: Sharing HANS device

Can do it with 4 people. 1 fueling, 2 fire monitor, 1 old driver, 1 new drivers/jug handler.
While fueling, new drivers take the Hans from old driver, then old driver puts Hans on new driver. In between jug handling.

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Re: Sharing HANS device

DirtyDuc wrote:

As long as your head and neck restraint isn't one of the complicated ones, it's pretty straightforward. If you have a Zamp or a Simpson, sharing is a lot harder.

Not our experience with the Zamp by the way.  Do they make one that is more complicated than the two clips going on two posts?

7 (edited by Lemon_Newton-Metre 2022-01-24 07:05 AM)

Re: Sharing HANS device

OnkelUdo wrote:
DirtyDuc wrote:

As long as your head and neck restraint isn't one of the complicated ones, it's pretty straightforward. If you have a Zamp or a Simpson, sharing is a lot harder.

Not our experience with the Zamp by the way.  Do they make one that is more complicated than the two clips going on two posts?

The Zamp I have has two adjustable dimensions, and so can be customized to a degree; is that what you meant?

Or is it the clips and posts differ to the point of being incompatible?

Re: Sharing HANS device

We hot swapped a single HANS between 4 drivers for the last 3-4 years.  Once you know how it works, you can swap in seconds.  The biggest problem I see with the HANS brand are incorrectly installed posts.  The posts have a direction indicator that needs to be pointed towards the rear of the helmet.  That indicator shows you how to connect the strap.  Once you understand that you can install/remove without looking at it by yourself in seconds.

Practice removing and installing by yourself with your helmet on.

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Re: Sharing HANS device

Example
Al is in the car, ending his shift.  Al brings the car to a stop and gets out of the car.  Al steps over the safety barrier and away from the car.  Al walks to Bob. Al gives the Hans to Bob and helps Bob with his helmet.  At the same time Carl is putting fuel in the car.  Dave is watching Carl, with a fire Extinguisher.   When Carl and Dave are done, Bob gets in the car. Al helps Bob get seat belted in.  Bye Bob.

Former Captain
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10 (edited by bobnowoc 2022-01-24 11:53 AM)

Re: Sharing HANS device

Or, buy a second restraint.  (  The Zamp is pretty cheap)  If 2 guys are sharing Hans and the other are 2 are using a Zamp..... the driver order would be  Hans Zamp Hans Zamp.  *** FYI. Hans systems and Zamp systems are not at all compatible

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Re: Sharing HANS device

Lemon_Newton-Metre wrote:
OnkelUdo wrote:
DirtyDuc wrote:

As long as your head and neck restraint isn't one of the complicated ones, it's pretty straightforward. If you have a Zamp or a Simpson, sharing is a lot harder.

Not our experience with the Zamp by the way.  Do they make one that is more complicated than the two clips going on two posts?

The Zamp I have has two adjustable dimensions, and so can be customized to a degree; is that what you meant?

Or is it the clips and posts differ to the point of being incompatible?

I haven't seen a Zamp in a few years, but I had the distinct impression that if you had drivers who varied significantly in neck and chest measurements it would need adjustment in between drivers.

As far as I know, none of the systems are compatible at the helmet and there's I think at least two options for the Hans connections that aren't compatible with each other.

That guy

Re: Sharing HANS device

I don't know if it is still the case, but I bought my HANS out of the UK in 2016 and it was half the cost of a US reseller even after shipping.  Last year I sent it to Simpson in Los Angeles and they re-certified it.

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Re: Sharing HANS device

rb92673 wrote:

I don't know if it is still the case, but I bought my HANS out of the UK in 2016 and it was half the cost of a US reseller even after shipping.  Last year I sent it to Simpson in Los Angeles and they re-certified it.

Yeah, it's the whole FIA vs. SFI thing.  Having the exact same HANS device SFI-certified drives up the cost.  The same goes for fire suits too.  I got my suit for a good discount from the UK as well.

BTW, does anyone have a clue why a piece of molded plastic (HANS) needs to be re-certified in the first place?  Yes, I get the tether needs to be replaced just like belts, but I don't see how the plastic portion could wear out.

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Re: Sharing HANS device

VKZ24 wrote:

BTW, does anyone have a clue why a piece of molded plastic (HANS) needs to be re-certified in the first place?  Yes, I get the tether needs to be replaced just like belts, but I don't see how the plastic portion could wear out.

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Re: Sharing HANS device

I have an R3 which like the HANS uses a CF base with soft padding/straps.  When I have mine recertified, they replace all the soft parts.  Something to remember is that those straps have built in elasticity that degrades over time.  And once you have a big digger, even if it's brand new those straps lost that elasticity.  That's why you want to toss your belts in a big frontal crash even if new.  So besides looking for cracks in the CF, I can see why they want you to have those things recertified.

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Re: Sharing HANS device

VKZ24 wrote:

...but I don't see how the plastic portion could wear out.

It can develop cracks, it can have chunks missing, it can show degradation from exposure to solvents, or from exposure to heat, or from exposure to whatever else these things might encounter either at or between races. Having worked gear tech, we do look at them as part of checking labels but it's also nice to know someone else is looking at them at least once every few years, too.

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Re: Sharing HANS device

VKZ24 wrote:
rb92673 wrote:

I don't know if it is still the case, but I bought my HANS out of the UK in 2016 and it was half the cost of a US reseller even after shipping.  Last year I sent it to Simpson in Los Angeles and they re-certified it.

Yeah, it's the whole FIA vs. SFI thing.  Having the exact same HANS device SFI-certified drives up the cost.  The same goes for fire suits too.  I got my suit for a good discount from the UK as well.

BTW, does anyone have a clue why a piece of molded plastic (HANS) needs to be re-certified in the first place?  Yes, I get the tether needs to be replaced just like belts, but I don't see how the plastic portion could wear out.

When I sent in my FIA HANS for recert, it came back with a SFI sticker and FIA/SFI tether.

Team whatever_racecar #745 Volvo wagon

Re: Sharing HANS device

We started out with one NecksGen. We would often start strapping a guy in having forgotten about the head-and-neck restraint. We upped our game early on and bought a second NecksGen. One less thing to worry about during driver changes.

Another team mate just bought a third NecksGen. When we run both cars, sharing three NecksGen among 8 drivers will work out well.

--bb