Race Belts

[gsa612]

If you buy a set of RCI "platinum"belts (same price as reg.) there good for 4 yrs.You have to send them back at 2 years to have them re-certified,no charge just pay shipping.I have done this twice, got the same belts and hardware back (marked them).The only thing was a new date sticker sewn on.So if NHRA and/or SFI claim the webbing to have a 30 mo.service life, how can the belt be re-certified for extended service beyond that....gsa612

[Tim Kish]

I'm sure it is far more prevalent in roundy-round cars as I've seen more of them where they pull the motor in the fall and push the car out behind the garage. A buddy was a tech guy at the local circle track. First night out every year he said he'd climb in more than one car, put his foot on the seat and rip the belts out by hand, give them to the owner and send them home. The rulebook can't distinguish between a climate controlled garage and sitting in the yard with the windows down.

[Lenny5160]

Originally Posted by Tim Kish

The rulebook can't distinguish between a climate controlled garage and sitting in the yard with the windows down.

Key point here...

[Rory McNeil]

...And yet, every time I take my old "expired" harnesses to a swap meet, it is always a local round track racer who buys them , to use in his circle track race car. You know, the kind that are regularily crashing into each other, concrete walls etc.... I guess their rules makers deem 2, 3, or 4 year old belts totally acceptable.
Also would be curious to hear NHRA or SFIs reasoning for the need to send my thick steel bellhousing (scattershield) back for recertification every 5 years. It can`t be due to damage from the sun, as they are hidden under the firewall, and are painted (Lakewood), or anodized (McLeod), and I don`t drive my race cars on salt covered snowy roads in the winter. They must be made from an inferior blend of steel than the 80 year old bridge I drive over twice a day going to & from work!

[older racer]

long time ago, I asked NHRA official about the two year rule, seems it was based on seat belts in jet fighters, they replace them every two years. boeing builds a plane and they don't replace seat belts every two years. in general aviation, there is no seat belt rule. I remember being around spray planes with 20 year old belts, never replaced, yet they held up in a turn over. I witnessed that. also, bellhousing rule is same boat.

[Fireofficer5]

Lee Shepard and Darrell Gwynn are the reason.

[X-TECH MAN]

Originally Posted by Fireofficer5

Lee Shepard and Darrell Gwynn are the reason.

No....From what I remember Darrell did not use his arm restraints when he crashed in England while demonstrating the car to a potential buyer and Lee Shepard was not wearing his harness during a Goodyear tire testing session. The wind caught his chutes when he ran a full 1/4 mile at the end of the testing day instead of his usual 60 ft and 1/8 mile passes. and the chutes spun the car sideways. It threw Lee through the windshield at approx. 180 MPH. Several have died over the years for not wearing all they should during simple testing. Don Carlton of Motown Missile and Rod Shop fame did not wear his helmet and crashed while tire testing hitting his head on the roll cage. I could go on and on but you get the idea....WEAR YOUR SAFETY EQUIPMENT even if you are just testing.

[Jeff Stout]

Originally Posted by Tim Kish

I'm sure it is far more prevalent in roundy-round cars as I've seen more of them where they pull the motor in the fall and push the car out behind the garage. A buddy was a tech guy at the local circle track. First night out every year he said he'd climb in more than one car, put his foot on the seat and rip the belts out by hand, give them to the owner and send them home. The rulebook can't distinguish between a climate controlled garage and sitting in the yard with the windows down.

For 2018 roundy round racers in AZ can only have belts no older then 5 years. Even in Bomber class. Its contagious