2014 Annual Tech Items

[marshall_mosty]

2014 Annual Tech Items..
Annual Items
NASA Membership
Competition License


Items that expire
Window Nets – 5 years. Good until the end of the month at the 5 year mark from what was punched at the OEM
Belts – 2 years for SFI. Good until the end of the month at the 2 year mark from what was punched at the OEM. Remember to send in your belts for inspection after a significant crash where you think it might have stretched.
Belts – 5 years for FIA. Good until the 31-Dec of the year indicated on the belt tag. Remember to send in your belts for inspection after a significant crash where you think it might have stretched.
Helmets – 10 year “life”. SA2005 or SA2010 only. SA2015’s will be available approx. October, 2014. Remember to send in your helmet for inspection after a significant crash where you think it might have contacted the rollcage (above and beyond typicals “bumps”).


Other Items
SFI 38.1 (Head and Neck Restraint) - If your unit requires recertification, make sure you take care of that. Same goes for inspection after a crash (see above).
Suit, Underwear, Socks, Shoes, Gloves - Keep these in good working order. If you get any holes, either have them repaired with Kevlar thread (suits, gloves, balaclava), or a fire retardant glue (shoes). When in doubt, replace. Remember to launder your suit according to the tag on the inside of the suit. Some suits can go thru the normal laundry (lower end type), but the “top tier” suits are dry clean only. Plus, you don’t want to stink like an old high school locker room, right??

Car Items that will be reviewed by annual tech.
This isn’t an all inclusive list, but just what I’ve caught folks on in the past.
1. Rollbar padding - NO pool noodle stuff (that means you too Todd…). This was discussed at naseum approx. 2009. No gimmies. Anywhere your flailing body (hands, feet, head) can contact needs to be covered. Err on the side of caution here guys. I don’t want to be an “a” hole and keep anyone off the track. There will be ZERO tolerance on this… That means you Todd…
2. Hot terminals on kill switches, batteries need to be covered. Radiator hose, silicone, etc can be used.
3. Holes in the firewall need to be plugged. In a pinch, use aluminum tape, but an aluminum or steel patch riveted around the hole is preferred.
4. All fluids in the passenger compartment (except cool suits and drink bottles) need to be metallic line or a braided steel line. Accusumps, fuel lines, brake line fall in this category.
5. Fire bottle needs to be charged with the handle in close proximity so you can pull it while fully belted in the driver’s seat. If you have a hand extinguisher, same goes…
6. Fuel Cell - If you have one, I need to see the paperwork PRIOR to you getting your sticker. I won’t physically inspect the bladder to ensure it matches the paperwork. Just don’t forget it “at the shop”… That won’t fly. Fire is bad and I take it VERY seriously. No tolerance on this one either.
7. Seat - FAI seats are fine without a back brace if they are under 5 years old. You need to ensure the FIA tag and mfg date are visible. Otherwise, you need a seat back brace. A note on the seatback brace. The idea is for that brace to spread the load in an inpact, no impail you thru the spine. A larger plate attaching to the seat itself is preferred.
8. Halo seat or right side net - Make sure that you have one or the other. To my knowledge, the right side net does NOT expire. The one I have doesn’t have a date on it.
9.Engine Compartment stuff
a. Battery secured in a battery box (marine type preferred. However, the battery needs to be attached THRU the box and attached to the chassis.
b. Hood pins… We need to be compliant on this one this year…
10. Tow Hook – This one won’t keep you off track, but if you are dumb enough to not have them, don’t get pissed when the EV’s rip your suspension apart hooking to whatever they can find…
11. Driveshaft loop - Make sure you have one.. We don’t want any pole-vaulting cars.. Looks like if you have a welded in x-pipe, or torque arm brace, you are okay.

First time inspection that need a log book are $20.
Annual inspections that just need a sticker are $10.

[GlennCMC70]

Your SFI for belts has an error. No 5 year period for any SFI belts.

[marshall_mosty]

Good catch Glenn. That was a copy/paste error from the window net sentence. Working "smarter" and not "harder" fell thru for me there...

[AI#97]

Item 11. Donovan has an email from JWL from 2008 or 2009 stating DS loops are not required if there is an X pipe, H-pipe or torque arm brace that would retain the forward section of the DS in the event of failure. FYI.

Also, I am going to go read the CCR on seats. I have had two or three people now tell me that FIA seats have no expiration date and nothing about the back brace. I need to verify that for sure.

[AI#97]

2014 Annual Tech Items..

7. Seat - FAI seats are fine without a back brace if they are under 5 years old. You need to ensure the FIA tag and mfg date are visible. Otherwise, you need a seat back brace. A note on the seatback brace. The idea is for that brace to spread the load in an inpact, no impail you thru the spine. A larger plate attaching to the seat itself is preferred.

15.16 Driver’s Seat
The driver’s seat must be securely fastened and braced in such a way as to minimize the possibility of breaking
loose during an impact. Large fender washers and solid fabricated mounts are recommended. Seats made
primarily of plastic, PVC, ABS, or other similar polymers are strictly prohibited. The installation of the seat must
conform to all requirements published by the manufacturer.
15.16.1 Racing Seat
Some series require an approved racing seat. It is strongly recommend that a racing seat be installed in all
vehicles. A racing seat is of solid design; not “tube and cloth” designs commonly found in passenger cars. It
can be very difficult to properly brace a “tube and cloth” type seat and the vehicle may not pass technical
inspection. Additionally, the cloth or material on a “stock” seat is typically not flame retardant. Therefore, the
proper installation of a racing seat is strongly recommended.
15.16.2 Seat Mounting
The seat should be mounted to a steel floor pan with reinforcements. A reinforcement structure should be
fabricated with a minimum thickness of 0.090” for those vehicles without a steel floor pan. The reinforcement
structure should be mounted to (or within) the steel frame / chassis / cage members.


Well, there you go. NOTHING about ratings or expirations. Just mount the thing well.

[marshall_mosty]

15.16 Driver’s Seat
The driver’s seat must be securely fastened and braced in such a way as to minimize the possibility of breaking
loose during an impact. Large fender washers and solid fabricated mounts are recommended. Seats made
primarily of plastic, PVC, ABS, or other similar polymers are strictly prohibited. The installation of the seat must
conform to all requirements published by the manufacturer.
15.16.1 Racing Seat
Some series require an approved racing seat. It is strongly recommend that a racing seat be installed in all
vehicles. A racing seat is of solid design; not “tube and cloth” designs commonly found in passenger cars. It
can be very difficult to properly brace a “tube and cloth” type seat and the vehicle may not pass technical
inspection. Additionally, the cloth or material on a “stock” seat is typically not flame retardant. Therefore, the
proper installation of a racing seat is strongly recommended.
15.16.2 Seat Mounting
The seat should be mounted to a steel floor pan with reinforcements. A reinforcement structure should be
fabricated with a minimum thickness of 0.090” for those vehicles without a steel floor pan. The reinforcement
structure should be mounted to (or within) the steel frame / chassis / cage members.


Well, there you go. NOTHING about ratings or expirations. Just mount the thing well.

From CCR's

15.6.21 Seat Back Support
A seatback support must be made to hold the seat from going back in the event of a crash. A plate should be
used to distribute the load. No bolts, corners, or sharp objects should be placed in such a manner that could
lead to a possible puncture of the driver in a high impact crash. Seat back support need not be attached to the
seat itself. Proper design and installation is crucial to safety and it is recommended that the driver employ the
services of a professional race car builder for this, as well as all other vehicle safety items. An exception may
be made for those seats homologated to, and mounted in accordance with, FIA 8855-1999 or 8862-2009
standards. Those seats that qualify for the aforementioned exception must conform to the entire FIA 8855-1999
or 8862-2009 set of regulations, as applicable. This includes a mandatory seat replacement, or use of a seat
back brace, for any seat more than five (5) years old (8855-1999) or more than ten (10) years old (8862-2009).

[kbrewmr2]

Head/Neck Restraints are SFI 38.1

Also note that devices with FIA approval (or both) don't have recert periods like the purely SFI38.1 devices have. Obviously it would make sense to inspect your device yearly no matter what and fix stuff that's not up to snuff on it either way.

[AI#97]

Interesting....that is a very POORLY written rule. There are probably 100's of people out there right now that went to look at Seats as spelled out in the CCR table of contents, read the part I posted and moved on never seeing anything about the 15.6 requirements. There should at least be a reference about seat ratings and a reference to additional info in 15.6.21.

[GlennCMC70]

NASA Requires everyone to to read the CCR prior to being handed a Comp Licence.
I also bet the rule number is a typo and should read 15.16.2.1 as it is out of place where it is.
I'll send a note up the food chain.

[GlennCMC70]

Jerry Kunzman just responded that a revised version should be out by the end of the week correcting this error.