Excuse me for not looking too good, but is there a rule change having something to do w/ full face helmets this year :?:
thx for the help :!:
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Excuse me for not looking too good, but is there a rule change having something to do w/ full face helmets this year :?:
thx for the help :!:
At this time, no.
The SCCA recently came out with an announcement strongly encouraging Solo participants who use cars equipped with airbags to refrain from wearing full-faced helmets, and no one is apparently 100% sure why. The warning suggested that the SCCA might enforce stricter language regarding the use of full-face helmets in airbag-equipped cars (in other words, might ban their use), but they haven't released anything since then.
altiain is correct. As to "why", I've heard something about the deploying airbag catching the full-face helmet's chin guard and causing neck injury, but I don't have any definitive / official answer.Quote:
Originally Posted by altiain
i also have heard that the airbag can hit the faceshield and cause it to shatter in some cases, i would have thought that the shield be made out of some material that wont shatter??? i dunno.
It's like every other 'windshield'... it's only resistant to a certain amount of force...
Like airplane windshields being birdproofed to a certain size bird... e.g. 12lbs...
OK. let me clear up a little bit about the speculation.
The original announcement from the SCCA referenced a six year old FIA paper dealing with the use of airbags in Formula 1 cockpits, and the potential for head/jaw injury associated with the use of full-face helmets and airbags.
However, the timing of the announcement supposedly concided with an internal memo released by Ford banning the use of full-face helmets in testing of airbag-equipped cars, a memo that was supposedly released because of an incident in which a DaimlerChrysler test driver was injured during testing of a Dodge Viper by an airbag deployment. The deployment caught the chin guard of his full face helmet, forcing it upwards and back, and breaking his jaw.
Unfortunately, Doug Gill of the SCCA has refused to publicly comment on what information the SCCA based their warning on, which is why I stated in my first post that no one (aside from Doug Gill and some of the SCCA home office staff, and they ain't sharin') is 100% sure why the SCCA released this particular warning at this particular time.
To my knowledge, there is no information at this time suggesting that airbags are an issue with helmet faceshields, although as CM hypothesized they certainly have a finite strength and could shatter if enough force was applied to them. Personally, I'd be more concerned about mandating the use of open-faced helmets in airbag cars and allowing the use of eyeglasses/sunglasses (which do pose a documented safety risk when used in conjunction with airbags), but Doug Gill has chosen not to address this subject at this time.
Just posting what I read. :wink: And did you hear the "fact" that power windows in a Miata are lighter than manual windows? It's altiain's favorite... :nutkick:
psssssssssssst... it's not true.
It would be easy enough to just disable the airbags while on course right?
I am wondering about this too because im looking at helmets right now & I slightly fancy that Bell open face w/ chin bar.
Sooner or later im going to be on a track where I need a closed face, but dont want it to be banned for autocross events...
Edit: Thats the Bell SR-Pro helmet, couldnt think of the name earlier.
I don't think it'd be too hard to put a switch on the airbag circuit for the steering wheel...
It'd be just like doing it for the passenger side... just have to make sure that A) you have the right resistance to fool the circuit and B) NEVER switch it while the car is ON...
RJ
I can't imagine that that would pass TxDOT inspection.Quote:
Originally Posted by channelmaniac
Have you EVER had TxDOT go through the inside of your car during an inspection?
All they care about is what comes out the tail pipe and what the check engine light is doing...
I've only had a handful of inspections over the years that even checked for safety things like tail lights, backup lights, exhaust leaks... most of them just don't check those things.
RJ
Most cars equipped with airbags actually have some sort of capacitor for power. So even when the car is off, they can still go off. How long you have to wait i dunno.......But I do know that most manuals state this somewhere.Quote:
Originally Posted by channelmaniac
As for the helmets......When in a topless car I preffer (sp.?) a full face helmet. I do however remove the faceshield or slide it all the way up for airbag reasons. I mean if an airbag can break a windshield it can definantly break a faceshield. And hold off the sunglasses for me.
As for the question, I posted this for my wife as she too is going to autox with us this year........I think........we'll see after the driver's school 8)
Can you just yank the wire out, for a day or something?? Or would that be a pain in the ass...
I heard somebody talking about pulling a fuse to disable the airbags, wasnt on a Miata, but theres probably too much risk to have just a fuse anyway.
Well,
On the 1992 wiring diagram there is a fuse in the under hood fusebox called "Air Bag" that shows to only power the air bag capacitor and a separate fuse in the fuse box that powers the air bag control unit.
You'd need to unplug both, but I think it'd be much safer and easier to put a switch in for the airbag sensor under the dash on the driver's side. It would be just like having the one on the passenger side from the factory on my 2003... You just have to switch it with the ignition off.
The airbag shouldn't fire and you shouldn't have any airbag light issues if you use the proper resistance to fool the system. The airbag won't fire unless there are 2 sensors showing a crash. It's designed fairly foolproof.
RJ
.Quote:
Originally Posted by channelmaniac
That doesnt sound too reassuring... :shock:
I have been thinking about getting a new steering wheel lately, after my hands got a little slippery the other day. That would solve the problem entirely.
With a new steering wheel you just cut the wires, or do you have to put a resistor on them?
You have to put a resistor on them.
I have mine pulled off and nothing done to the wiring.....you just have to put up w/ the air bag light if you do this.......or you can hook up w/ a wiring guru to pull your cluster and pull the light for "air bag" off.....Quote:
Originally Posted by Jiggerachi