I was playing around with helmet spoilers the other day to reduce helmet lift. With the spoiler set higher on the helmet, my head was sucked back into the head rest. This transferred all the vibration to my head which hampered vision.
How many of you guys drive with your helmet resting against the head rest?
I upgraded to the Halo and really liked it. My head would touch the headrest, it wasn't planted against it for long periods of time. I found that adding a spoiler to my helmet helped reduce buffeting, but the biggest help was to add ~1" of Lexan to the front of the cockpit. It is a very effective method for diverting the airflow around the driver. It is surprising how much of a difference that little strip of plastic makes. The first one I had was purchased from Spring Mountain. After a couple of years it developed a crack so I purchased some Lexan from Home depot and made my own. Here are a few pictures of the plastic "Gurney strip" and a picture of test fitting my helmet spoiler prior to final installation.
Charley
I bought a Stilo helmet and found that it had much less lift, even without any aero aids.
I don't want to be the nag, but you guys are using HANS devices, I hope? 🙂
I bought a Stilo helmet and found that it had much less lift, even without any aero aids.
I don't want to be the nag, but you guys are using HANS devices, I hope? 🙂
Yes, I always use a HANS device.
I asked because the HANS will be between your headrest and helmet.
What about necks -- my last track day resulted in several days of neck pain! My newer car has the halo; I hope that helps some or I'm gonna have to start doing those goofy neck workouts you see the F1 guys doing. 🙂
REV Lite Hans, with a non aero helmet, my head is about 1” from the back of the headrest (halo).
Am I unusual for not relaxing into the head rest?
Ah! I don't relax into my HANS either. In pictures my head is rarely pointing straight ahead so I think the natural thing to do to keep one's head off the HANS as you are looking for apexes, traffic, and corner workers. Also if I were to allow my head to move back, I would be looking "down my nose" as I drove I think.
I haven't found myself relaxing into the head rest much either - typically on the main straight only.
