Arm restraints = me confused

[JekylandHyde]

I have been wearing my arm restraints on my biceps and the other end through the lap belt of my harness. I was explaining how arm restraints work to someone on Grassroot's Motorsports forum and a third party chimed in that restraints are suppose to be worn on your forearms?!

I couldn't imagine that was correct, so I went hunting.
I looked for instructions online on how to properly set up arm restraints and found this:
http://www.gforce.com/pdf/armrestraintinstructions.pdf

I must confess reading that right on a manufacturer's site is a real eye opener, but I am still in disbelief.

1. I have the simpson restraints (which look identical) and there is no way the ycould ever be even remotely snug on my forearms. They would be slopping all over.

2. There is not enough length to go from lap belt to the top of the steering wheel so this would making steering imposible.

3. My belts and arm restraints are checked before each run on the hill climbs and no one has ever questioned it.

What's the deal? Am I doing it wrong?
I feel safe and they feel correct.
I can't imagine having these things around my forearms/wrists.

[Tim Royer]

1. I have the simpson restraints (which look identical) and there is no way they could ever be even remotely snug on my forearms. They would be slopping all over.

Correct, that is the way it should be worn. Between wrist and elbow is ideal and it doesn't have to be that tight.

2. There is not enough length to go from lap belt to the top of the steering wheel so this would making steering imposible.

Unless your driving a Mack truck or your restraints have been shortened they should be plenty long. Look at them again there is on most 1 or 2 slip buckles on each side. You should get about 20 some inches out of each.

3. My belts and arm restraints are checked before each run on the hill climbs and no one has ever questioned it.

It's your arms, we are very lucky that we have great startline workers that look at alot of our gear before we fly up the hill. Go anywhere else to race and your on your own.

[JekylandHyde]

Tim,

Thanks for the info. I was in no way criticizing the starters.
I sincerely appreciate the work they do.

The fact that that they DO check it on every run and that it always seemed fine added to my confusion.

The placement of the arm restraint really has me baffled.
I would just think that between the elbow and wrist it would get caught up when you are going full lock to full lock (not that we do that often).

[Steve Tumolo]

The next time you are in your car and the arm restraints are on lift your arms up and see how close they come to the top of your windshield. You should be able to only just get your arms over the steering wheel. Also take your left arm and see how far out your window you can reach. You should not be able to reach out your window at all. Look at it as if you were in a bad flipping accident. Since you might not be able to control your arms as they flail around you have to make sure they cannot get outside your car. With this being said the "Safest" way is to have them connected between your elbow and forearm as Tim said.

ps: as far as them getting caught in a lock to lock situation. One of the first things they harp on you about at racing school is to never cross your arms in a turn or disaster situation. They tell you to "Shuffle Steer" always keeping your hands at 9 and 3 o'clock. I thought it really sounded stupid but I tried it and found I like shuffle steering alot better.

[JekylandHyde]

Thanks Steve.

With them around my bicpes, I could nto get my arms past the windshield or out the window.

And I also "shuffle steer" which I have been critized for in my in-car videos

[Dogpatch]

To Jeff

I have the G-Force Restraints and the literature they package with them shows three optional positions that can be used. They are at the wrist, below the elbow, and above the elbow. So it would seem that the position you are using is okay.

Kurt
08 FF

[JekylandHyde]

Thanks Kurt,

I put my apprehesions aside at Duryea and tried them on my forearmas and to my surprise I really liked it.

On Sunday, I think I overly tightented them and it was somewhat annoying at that point. It was a distraction at one point in one of my runs.

The forearm and bicep seemed to wrok equally well, but I feel I could get out of the forearms faster if I needed to.

[Don Newcomer]

I place mine on the forearm just below the elbo. I tension the left one a little tighter ... leaving room for the right hand to reach for the shift.
If interested stop by my pit ...