The 24 Hours of Lemons Forums → Lemons Newcomers → proximity of roll cage to drivers head
Is there a rule about how far from the cage the drivers helmet should be? In the absence of a rule, what is sensible? Obviously it makes sense that the two should never meet but what distance is required for that to be true?
Is Mr. Evil Genius John listening?
there has some discussion on this lately. the consensus was somewhee around 2inches above the top of the helmet, including the padding, but i could be wrong.
I say just get it as close to the out edges of the interior as possible. If it's touching, even better.
Some cars are pretty tight.
Our bar is pretty close to our helmets but it has never been a problem.
Our car has a bar in the center of the roof, and at the side pillar. My head comes close to each of those bars, and the roof skin, at a height that seems comfortable for the other drivers. This is without a helmet, I get about 3 inches. If I drop it to a more comfortable position for me, it seems too low for the others. I will have the sliders on an angle so the seat will rise as it goes forward, so I'm hoping that makes up the difference and I can get the seat low enough for me. I was just hoping to find a rule to go by. I think SCCA wanted 2" or 3" between bar and helmet while your are strapped in, but I can't find the rule right now. Too tired to search thoroughly. I'm trying to build the mounts tomorrow though. Well, today, when I wake up.
4 am!?
There is no real rule, I'm 6'4" and my helmet rubs on the roll bar padding of almost every race car I've driven, but I will not drive a car where my helmet not below the top of the bars. You should keep the seat as low as possible and as centered as possible. Often the trans tunnel forces you to move the seat outward, we modify the tunnel to gain room. There is a general rule that the top of your helmet should be 2" below the top of the bars.
Okay thanks, that's what I was looking for. I'll aim for 2 inches. I think that number will work for everyone else. I'm 6'2" so I think I will run into the same circumstance as you.
I don't think that should say 4 AM. I think it was 3. But I just got in from replacing the fuel pump on my step dads BMW, so he could drive it to work today. I was on my way to get him with a trailer when you called, that's why my mom called you back. It was a long night.
There is no real rule, I'm 6'4" and my helmet rubs on the roll bar padding of almost every race car I've driven, but I will not drive a car where my helmet not below the top of the bars. You should keep the seat as low as possible and as centered as possible. Often the trans tunnel forces you to move the seat outward, we modify the tunnel to gain room. There is a general rule that the top of your helmet should be 2" below the top of the bars.
Yep. On our other racecar, we moved the seat as far inboard as was possible to gain headroom, keep us away from the side impact stuff, and center the weight in the car as much as possible. It's a little weird the first time you get in it because the pedals are offset a little, but you'll quickly forget about it. Amazing how much more room you have when you gut the interior of everything other than the upper dash half.
FWIW, when I tech a car, I ask for the tallest driver to get in and buckle up. One to see that the height is O.K. The other reason is to see how well/fast they can get out. There were a couple of close calls at the last Sears race.
Be prepared.
Rad
We tossed a teammate who is 4 inches taller than the rest of us. It was going to be a tremendous amount of work to make the cage safe for him.
We tossed a teammate who is 4 inches taller than the rest of us. It was going to be a tremendous amount of work to make the cage safe for him.
That is why I made sure I was one of the two guys building our cage.
"Short drivers suck."
- Hans Stuck
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