Ham, are you okay?

[Ham]

Haven't posted in forever, but I've got a blog up and running. Got a new Miata, doing some stuff to it. Let me know what you think!

Updated nearly every Sunday or earlier haha.

https://hamracing.wordpress.com/

[— Phatmiata —]

Y U No can copy paste to here?

[Ham]

Oh, is copy and pasting to another site no bueno here?

[— Phatmiata —]

Oh, is copy and pasting to another site no bueno here?

what I was saying was why not copy some of your content and post it here in your build thread? You'd probably get more hits vs just dropping a link and disappearing

[Ham]

what I was saying was why not copy some of your content and post it here in your build thread? You'd probably get more hits vs just dropping a link and disappearing

Got it. That is what I plan on doing. See you around Phatty!

[Cxmoney]

Ham, R U OK?

[RustRat]

https://youtu.be/CBrWNbjw3RA

I'm terribly sorry, but I couldn't help it. Sorry.

[— kung fu jesus —]

Excited to see you posting here, Mike! Love the progress!

[Ham]

Thanks guys!

Here is a late post (should have been finished and posted yesterday but ended up being too busy). In this blog I let you know about why proper diagnosis is a good thing and a little about wiring diagrams. Thank you for reading my ramblings!

https://hamracing.wordpress.com/2015...ring-diagrams/

[Ham]

New post about driving attire!

https://hamracing.wordpress.com/2015...r-safety-gear/

[— fwdtamiya —]

*Note this is not meant to be an end all be all guide about safety gear. It is just what I have learned about, what to look out for, what I have and why I have it. Ask a safety gear / equipment retailer or manufacturer for the best information about products / their products.



When you start taking your car to the track and are hitting those higher speeds one of the areas that should be addressed is safety gear.

One of the items that you need to wear when going on track (they will not even let you run without one) is a helmet. There are either the M-Rated or SA-Rated helmets and they can either come in Full-Face or Close-Face design.

M-Rated helmets are made specifically for motorcycle users. They withstand a single impact and do not have a Nomex liner (a flame-resistant material). Most autocross events allow them and few track day organizations accept them.

SA-Rated helmets are made for automotive use. Able to withstand multiple impacts (think head bouncing off the roll cage) and have a Nomex liner in the helmet.




Open-face design allows better comfort for some and it is easier to communicate since you do not have anything obstructing your mouth. You see a lot of autocrossers and rally navigators with this type of helmet. I have heard the the argument for using an open-face helmet with an SRS air-bag equipped. As the air bag deploys it would catch on the chin portion of a close-face helmet and push your head up. I would rather have a full-face helmet to protect as much as my head/face as it can.



Full-face design covers your whole face and has a flip down visor for protecting your eyes. I personally use this type of design because I would hate to damage my face because of my helmet choice due to some added comfort. Not saying that full-faced helmets are not comfortable, it is just open-face design gives you a different kind of comfort / freedom.

Helmets also come with a year rating. Snell Foundation (a non-profit dedicated to research, education, testing and development of helmet safety standards) comes out with a new standard every five years and the certification lasts 10 years. From each standard there might be a slight change in differences or large. From SA2005 to SA2010 the biggest change was how the helmets are tested for impact and in turn passed / rejected by the foundation.

For more information see this link. There is also an additional helmet standard used by the FIA which is the FIA 8860 used mostly by international racing organizations (so if you plan on racing overseas, get FIA rated gear). There are also SFI-rated helmets on the market.

Suits, gloves, shoes and underwear also have ratings and standards they have to meet. They are either SFI or FIA rated. The most common standards you will see for suits are SFI 3.2A/1, SFI 3.2A/5 and FIA 8856-2000. Some suits can be certified for both SFI and FIA.

SFI 3.2A/1 rated suits must protect the user from second-degree burns for three seconds. The suits are usually made of fire-resistant treated cotton and are found commonly on single-layer suits.

SFI 3.2A/5 rated suits must protect the user from second-degree burns for ten seconds, made of Nomex or other fibers and are commonly found in mutli-layer suits.

FIA 8856-2000 is a rating also used by FIA. It is similar to the SFI 3.2A/5 rating.

SFI Foundation is also a non-profit organization that was established to issue and administer standards for the quality assurance of specialty performance and racing equipment. For more info, see this link.



My very first helmet I bought for Drop Top Showdown. It is a G-Force GF-750. It was purchased from a now defunct racing shop located in the Kearny Mesa area. I used it for many years for track and autocross and still do for occasions that require open-face helmets.
G-Force GF-750
Open-Face
SFI 31.1/2005 / SA2005
White
Retail: $165.99 (Discontinued)

I purchased a new helmet, suit, gloves, and shoes in preparation for back up re-fueler duty at 2012 25 Hours of Thunderhill. I was looking for entry level equipment that would not break the bank and satisfy 15.17 of NASA’s Club Codes & Regulations requirement for Driver’s Attire (excluding HANS). They are as follows:



HJC Motorsports AR10II Auto Racing Helmet
Full-Face
SNELL SA2010
Rubbertone Black
Retail $311.95
I was looking for a nicer helmet that wasn’t bottom of the bucket. Also had friends who owned the same type of helmet so I decided on this. The problem when shopping for helmets is finding a place that has them where you can try them on. No all helmets fit well will all head shapes and there is such a thing as proper helmet sizing / fitment. They can be too tight or too loose. That will cause a dangerous situation. Most manufacturers will have a measuring chart on their site. A local shop that sells helmets locally in San Diego is C2 Motorsports / The Racers Store in Kearny Mesa. And please don’t go and try on a few helmets then buy them off an online retailer. Brick and Mortar stores like this are here for you. Even though they may cost a little bit more and you have to pay sales tax, they are full of good information that will make your purchase a smart one. Another store located in Southern California is Sube Sports located in Huntington Beach.
Helmets also come in lighter materials like carbon fiber but they do get more expensive. The benefit to the lighter helmet is less strain on the driver’s head and neck.



Sparco Jade Racing Suit
One-Piece
Three-layer FPF fabric
SFI3.2/5
Black
Retail: $270.00
So when you are a fueler at NASA events you have to wear the same gear as a driver (excluding HANS device). That means helmet, fire suit, gloves, shoes and hopefully some fire-resistant underwear (yes, that is available). I purchased my suit *slightly* used from MR2 Spyder drifter Kenny Chieu. Again, there are measuring charts out there. Pick one that fits and get it tailored to your specific dimensions. The worst way to go is burning alive in a race car, at least suits like this give you a fighting chance. An accident can happen at any time, more so on track under high speed conditions. This is why I always wear it at HPDE events and am never embarrassed running around in it! Note, when sewing patches or making fabric repairs, MAKE SURE AND USE NOMEX THREAD!
As suit tech grows, they get lighter, more comfortable and made of easier breathing fabric. The only down side is that they do cost more.



Sparco Land Racing Gloves
SFI & FIA Approved
Black
Retail: $80.00



Sparco Race Racing Shoes
SFI Approved
Black
Retail: $100
There are also fitment charts for both gloves and shoes.



What I need to get when I get a proper seat and harness is a head and neck restraint device / system. It attaches to the side of your helmet with anchors and tethers, then gets strapped down with your harnesses. It prevents severe whiplash and from your head and neck from over stretching. If they overstretch it is like an off switch for your soul. Game over. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200. The device is starting to become a requirement for many racing bodies. Even if it is not, it is a good idea to have and use. Make sure when you are shopping for them that they are SFI-approved.

Many companies offer this type of device. Off the top of my head there are NecksGen, HANS, Simpson, and Leatt. They come in many different sizes and features. See what fits you best. The latest HNRS to come to market I believe is Zamp Racing’s Z-NeckTech which is now SFI-approved.

Here are a few videos that give more info and show what them in action.







When shopping around for safety equipment, please make sure to do lots of research of what’s on the market, ask lots of questions, look toward your racing peers/mentors/shops. It is important that the gear meets the requirements for what you are doing and fits you well.

SafeRacer – Helmet, Shoes, Gloves

Stay Hammy.

[— kung fu jesus —]

When you try on helmets, leave them on for 10-15 minutes. You want to see if hot spots or pressure points crop up. The gear needs to be comfortable. If it causes you pain, it's NOT going to be fun.

Certain manufacturers tend to accommodate different shapes of heads better; round, oval, elongated. Shop by fit and comfort, not brand familiarity.

[Ham]

Very good points Steve!

[— kung fu jesus —]

For the suits, you want to look at each manufactures' sizing chart carefully. You want to go to the larger size, if you are between sizes. Remember, the way the suits work is to wick your sweat away, so in the event of a fire, the sewn quilting pattern inflates from the sweat quickly evaporating. This is sort of like little inflated pillows. A slightly loose fit also leaves an air gap between you and the fabric, which also insulates you from the heat.

It's pretty important to try on suits, so if you can't you need to use your best judgement. It is possible and common to have a suit tailored, if certain areas are too long or too big. Entry level suits are around $300. The higher in price you go, the more features and the lighter the fabric. This, too, is pretty important because you are going to be wearing the suit all day, in hot environments, and you_want_to_be_comfortable. Some of the cheapest suits feel heavy. The best I can describe this is like wearing denim pants over a fleece sweatsuit.

These suits are often constructed in ways to maximize comfort and fit while seated, but can be loose around the hips and neck when standing, so you need to sit while wearing the suit, test the range of motions because if it is restrictive while you are trying to exit a crumpled car, it is more time you are exposed to heat. Suits also do not shrink to fit.

There are certain features that I felt were worth the extra expense. Gusseted arms, for instance, is an addition to where the sleeves join the torso of the suit. This allows for a more natural movement of your arms and shoulders without having the sleeves pull up your arms while you are reaching for the steering wheel. Another is a gusseted lower back. Similar to the sleeves, it is an elastic patch near the small of your back that prevents the suit from bunching or pulling when you sit in the car. Leg cuffs are also a personal preference. There is 'boot cut' and 'cuffs'. The boot cut is like a normal pair of pants where the suit has fabric that comes all the way down to the ankles. This usually has an elastic cuff underneath that prevents fire from climbing up your leg. The regular cuffs are the suit terminating to an elastic cuff. I prefer the boot cut for the extra protection and fit. One of the best values I have seen that incorporates all these features is the Sparco Pro Cup X2. It retails for $625, and compared to the Alpinestars Start, is a great deal at $25-30 more.

For those on a budget, there are ALWAYS people trying to unload suits they no longer use, don't fit in to, or are just getting out of the game (so to speak). Also, keep in mind that karting suits are NOT the same as auto racing suits. A few manufacturers and retailers will also have outlets or blowout prices on certain suits in unusual colors, so if you don't mind that, great values can be had.

Color is also something to consider. If you wear all black, that's great, but you are going to most likely be standing or strapped in. It will be sunny, it will be warm or hot. Black may hide dirt or grease, but it also heats up and stays hot. Also, you WANT to see the grease or dirt. Grease on a fire suit compromises it's effectiveness, so if you HAVE to wrench on your car, partially or completely remove it first. Another option is to put on rain pants and jackets to protect it in these situations (repairs).

Gloves, you want to make sure they come up your forearm far enough to add extra protection at your wrists, where they might be exposed. I think gloves should be mandatory for being on the track; they improve your grip, wick away moisture, and protect your hands in the event of an emergency where you are dealing with sharp twisted metal, broken glass, and/or flames. Color-wise, hand signals are EXTREMELY important, so get black if you want. However when you are pointing someone by, or trying to signal cars in front, signal corner workers, safety workers, etc. which colors do you think people will more easily see?

I will have more to add later.

[— kung fu jesus —]

If you cannot afford a HANs device, at LEAST run a neck doughnut.


My safety gear as of today:

Pyrotect ProAirflow CF


Alpinestars GP Race


Alpinestars Tech1 gloves


Sparco Race shoes



I also have a balaclava, underwear, shirt, and doughnut.