How do I adjust the tethers on my Hans Device? It was shipped to me with too much slack. I am able to look down and in all directions very easily. Is this correct?
Answer: Yes, this fitment is correct. Even with the original fixed tethers, the Hans device allows quite a bit of head motion; enough that the wearer should be able to look down and assemble their harness. What it comes down to is that the simple motion of tilting your head downwards is usually not enough to cause a basilar skull fracture (the injury the head & neck restraint attempts to prevent). Rather, it is the hyper extension of the head away from the harnessed body that is responsible for the potentially lethal injury:
Without Device (we should all have seen these images by now):
With Device:
The lethal extension that can be produced in a impact is much further then the 6" of motion that the Hans device allows.
For the record, the tethers on the Hans Device can be adjusted up to +/- 1 full inch. Some drag racers, for instance, will remove all slack from the device tethers in order reduce the head movement associated with the force their cars produce. Sliding tethers can obviously not be adjusted, but shorter/longer versions are available for a custom fit.
Posts
3 comments:
Thanks for the info and the images. I knew how they worked, but the evidence in the photos says it all.
I have a question that may take a crystal ball to answer. I'm just driving in HPDEs, and am on a limited budget. Is it likely that the prices on HANS devices are likely to come down as more are made and sold?
Also, is it as important to have a HANS in a car with airbags?
Thanks.
Despite common opinion, I truly believe that Hans is doing there best with the pricing of their product. In my opinion, the price will not go much further unless there is a huge increase in yearly sales which really isn't imaginable for this industry. As such, I don't know how much further the price will drop in the future.
Regarding airbags - it's tough to say since no real testing has been done with a Hans in conjunction with an airbag. However, when a airbag deploys, it meets the driver and helps fill up the gap where the injury occurs. In theory, I don't think a Hans is as effective if an airbag is also in play. Just remember that a car's airbag is designed to be used with the factory 3-point harness. When used with different equipment (such as a 5/6 point harness) the dynamics do change beyond what the car was engineered for!
Steve I have to commend you on your true and accurate statement as far as HANS and air bags. Yes the air bag is designed to work with the factory belt system. There is a considerable difference in travel of the body when it comes to the stock belts of a car and a harness restraint. Most stock seat belt systems are not adjustable until the later production models. By this I mean the shoulder belt location on some factory cars. What I find rather amazing is that this feature and safety device is rarely ever explained to the consumer.
Though I have to commend the modern safety concerns of a factory design...it is altered greatly by after market products. Lets say you put a harness bar in your car. A harness bar with a 5 or 6 point harness alone may fail at its anchor points which leaves you at the mercy of a steering wheel or worse. This is where a factory air bag would be still advised. If the harness bar fails...then HANS becomes useless.
Now if you have a cage built into the car or a roll bar that attaches in six points on the car with a harness system...then the chance of a factory airbag being effective would be greatly reduced. With a proper fix point for a harness system to withstand an impact I would greatly encourage a HANS device or some sort of similar device. Without a multi point anchor...I think your better off with the stock factory safety of your car. But I will say that on only air bag equipped cars. My early days of running track days I ran a 6 point harness with and air bag...if the worst had of happened...zero protection basically.
Post a Comment