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Trading Post Member
 
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 9/15/2008 10:02 AM
Posts: 10,
Visits: 3
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| Was just wondering why race cars (F1, rally, Drag cars) are not fitted with airbags when airbags are most needed by them for obvious reasons.
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Trading Post Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 3/22/2008 8:04 AM
Posts: 5,
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Hi, My name is David and I have been an auto tech for 25 years.I have raced and rallied for about 20 years. the answer to your question is complex so try to keep up with me.
A air bag gets deployed by a control module that monitors input readings from various "G sensors" placed on the vehicle chassis. They measure the rate of decelleration (eg "how much G force is involved") and will deploy usually the seat belt pre-tensioners first and then the bag/bags depending on the speed rate of impact and the direction of the hit.
Most sensors are set to around a negative 3 G impact.(eg 3 times your body weight)hence the incredible speed of deployment required.It may come as a suprise but v8 supercars and rally cars can relatively easily recieve 3G and higher impacts during NORMAL use.Most 2litre touring cars from the late 90's were already achieving that under brakes ALONE.
BMW tried bags on one of their race M3'S and set off the bag under brakes at the end of the main straight after the tyres and brakes were at race temperature.There is a good reason the race harnesses are there and saftey is only one facet.They actually hold the driver into position so he/she may operate the vehicle!!
Some drag vehicles pull nearly positive 5G on take-off! however their braking could be improved and actually could benifiet from bag use.
Rally vehicles can bottom out completely, so hard they can bend chassis rails and crack windsceens, so bag use would be unsafe.
The comprensive roll cages you see serve many purposes other than saftey. They provide a normal road going vehicle the extra strenghth and rigidity to prevent the body structure collapsing during normal competition.hope this helps
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