The width of the HANS® collar is sized to fit your neck or shirt collar size.
Most FIA or SFI approved racing harnesses work with HANS®. Typical 3" (75mm) wide shoulder belts will work with HANS®. You may notice some overlap of the harness from the HANS® but this will not effect the performance of the device. The HANS® specific harnesses 2"/3" (50mm/75mm) designed and developed by SCHROTH allow the shoulder belt to lay completely on the HANS® and may fit better in some of the trickier installations. In all cases we recommend the use of Polyester webbing material and most importantly proper installation and geometry of the harness system.
Properly mounted belts do not slip off the device. If your shoulder belts will not stay securely over the device when you are firmly belted in chances are that you do not have the shoulder belt mounts properly located in your chassis. Please review the section of the Schroth Installation Instructions (EA 8.2) concerning shoulder belt mounting.
Snell recommends replacing competition helmets every five years. HANS® devices are made with similar materials and resins. They are also exposed to similar environments. Snell's five-year rule for helmets is only a guideline, but it is one we think users should consider when reviewing the integrity of a HANS® device. Auto racing is dangerous, and the consequences of auto racing accidents can be violent and permanent. As a result, only HANS® devices that are in top condition should be worn in competition. The form of racing in which a user competes may also dictate the timeframe for replacing a HANS® device, especially if a user competes in open cockpit environments. Even the best materials deteriorate over time. Further, we recommend a user replaces their HANS® device if it is involved in an accident or shows any signs of structural damage. If in doubt about the integrity of a HANS® device, it should be replaced.
No. The HANS® tethers offer a great deal of mobility while still reducing the chance of injury. In an actual impact, the HANS® will remain stationary with respect to the shoulder belts, while your body slides forward until the tethers straighten. (Your head will not swing down towards your chest). The slack in the tethers is taken up before the belts restrain the torso, the HANS®, and the head together.
HANS® devices should be kept clean and dry. Extreme hot or cold environments should be avoided. They should be kept away from petroleum products or other corrosives as these can have unexpected results on even the strongest composite materials and resins. To protect them, HANS® devices should be stored out of direct sunlight or in a bag. They may be cleaned with soapy warm water.
Like all driver safety equipment, HANS® devices should always be inspected after an accident. In a simple self-inspection, users should look for signs of de-lamination or surface cracking and exposed composite material under the finish. However, even the most thorough visual inspection and strength testing can fail to detect damage. This is one of the reasons that we do not resell used devices, and we do not recommend that anyone buy a used device. If in doubt about the integrity of a HANS® device, it should be replaced.
Schroth asm® is a patented energy-conversion system designed to help prevent submarining in the event of an accident. The asm® system is located at the in-board shoulder belt. It is designed to "elongate" allowing a slight rotation of the upper torso in the very early milliseconds of a crash. This rotation of the upper body also rotates the pelvis slightly and loads the lap belts earlier, preventing the body from submarining under the lap belts. The asm® system is standard on all 4 point Schroth harnesses where no crotch strap is available to keep the lap belt properly positioned.
Harnesses should be replaced after any moderate or severe impact. The properties and strength of the webbing and components may be altered in the event of a crash. Webbing is manufactured with a pre-determined elongation (stretch) to bring the occupant to a controlled stop. The hardware components may be weakened or damaged. Therefore it is recommended to replace any harness which as been used in an accident. Any extreme fraying of the webbing or deterioration due to prolonged exposure to weather or chemicals (gas, oil, cleaners, brake fluids, etc) should be replaced.
The Hybrid style crotch belt setup is a new technological breakthrough from Schroth. Each sub strap has a loop sewn in the end which loops around the hardware for the lap belts. The lap belts then click into the cam lock and provide for a more efficient and comfortable transfer of energy to the cam lock keeping the occupant in place.
The main premise behind the 2" lap belt is one of added safety. A 2" belt rides within the crest of the human pelvis where a 3" belt would rest on the edges. This allows you to get the belt up to 1.5" (40mm) tighter. That means the lap belt will be working earlier in the accident event because it gets loaded faster. The 2" (50mm) webbing is rated over 6000lbs and is approved by FIA and SFI. It's also more comfortable.