Mounting a Fire Extinguisher

[86drift]

Originally Posted by Xauterus

Hello,
Where are people mounting their fire extinguishers for track days etc?

I have just made a bracket to mount it in front of the drivers seat. Its just a simple set up using the front seat mounts. I used longer bolts and machined some spacers.

It is ok for me but it means that the seat can't be moved forward. I think it would be better if it mounted to the seat base so it moved with the seat, but the hard part about that is the seat adjuster is a bar across in front of the seat.

I will post up some pictures shortly.

What's the name and size of the spanner/socket to remove the seat bolts.
It looks like an inverted torx.

[Xauterus]

Yes its a torx bit. E10

[Surok]

hey thats good to know!
I am going to have to buy more tools for this car

[fuddbutter]

What happens when you want to move the seat forward??

I want to make a mount that attaches to the frame of the seat somehow, so when the seat moves, it moves, might look into it tomorrow.

[llama_au]

/subscribes

[Nezz]

Originally Posted by fuddbutter

What happens when you want to move the seat forward??

I want to make a mount that attaches to the frame of the seat somehow, so when the seat moves, it moves, might look into it tomorrow.

I might see if I can cook something up myself. Planning on getting some replacement cloth seats at some point...

[Xauterus]

I have the seat a fair way forward already. I am not planning on getting any shorter. If the seat needs to go forward I will unbolt the fire extinguisher.

The issue with moving the bracket is you still have the big adjuster bar accross the front of the seat.


I have an event this weekend coming so I made up something that would work for that. Will look at pulling the seat and mounting it on the base itself.

[zombieite]

I'm trying to figure this out too, in preparation for the Big Bend Open Road Race, and whatever else I can afford to enter in the future.

I am learning aluminum machining right now mainly so I can make something that will work.

Rules: 2.5 lb BC extinguisher, metal bracket (not plastic straps), bracket must be screwed into metal threads, not sheet metal and self-tapping screws.

I'd like to avoid drilling or welding if possible. I'd like to be able to return my car to pure stock.

I don't think I can mount it in the center console. Rules require a 2.5 lb fire extinguisher and as far as I can tell, those are too big for that space. I'm also quite concerned about those two tiny console screws attempting to support both the weight of the bracket and the weight of the extinguisher in an accident. One idea though would be to remove that console entirely and work with whatever other holes are there.

If I go in front of the driver's seat, I have very short legs, so whatever bracket I make/buy will have to have a really log platform or arms on it. The front of my seat is very far from the front seat mounts. I worry that the bracket will be fragile if the entire weight of the extinguisher+bracket is sitting at the end of a long, skinny platform or arms.

If I can't figure something good out, the "nuclear option" will be to remove the passenger seat entirely and put a bracket where that seat used to be. That would be fine, except that it might be nice to be able to include a co-driver someday.

Note: I was able to remove my 6-spline seat bolts using Lowe's Kobalt XTreme Access 5/16" / 8mm socket. It's made to work with a variety of bolt heads, including those weird spliny things.

I'd like to see some photos of successful installs of 2.5lb extinguishers (including center console installs if you somehow managed that with such a big extinguisher). Bonus points if your installation has passed tech inspection for some event. Pro or amateur installations would be fine.

When I'm done, I'll post pictures of my (hopefully) successful install.

[Xauterus]

Maybe mount it in front of the passenger seat? Make some mounts that use the seat mounting bolts, but then bolt to those brackets so that you can easily remove the mounting bracket. If that makes sense. Though you could design the bracket to be strong enough but just further forward than mine. I used some solid round bar.

You just need to use imagination. Maybe use the seat mounts and make some other places to bolt somewhere under the seat, on the cross member. It is not like anyone is going to see them later.

[Panman]

Mine's in front of the passenger seat on a custom bracket. Held in place by the seat bolts, allows full forward travel

[nzer]

This is what I have. It is excellent as mounts to the seat on the rail so that if moves backwards and forwards with the seat. Made by a local firm here.

http://www.speedtechnz.com/shop/Shop...Toyota+86.html

[Xauterus]

Originally Posted by Panman

Mine's in front of the passenger seat on a custom bracket. Held in place by the seat bolts, allows full forward travel

Can you please post up some pics of what you have?

[nzer]

Originally Posted by Xauterus

Can you please post up some pics of what you have?

Here's the one I had custom made originally that did the same thing. Arms extend forward to allow seat forward and back.

IMHO though the one that mounts under the seat and moves forward and back with the seat is a better solution otherwise the extinguisher is sitting in the middle of the passenger foot well.







Here's the one that moves with the seat mounted in a friends car but the same as mine. Only issue for you guys is it is for a RHD car so the cutout to get to the seat movement leaver will be on the wrong side. Bought from here http://www.speedtechnz.com/shop/Shop...Toyota+86.html and is awesome.

Be good for you guys if someone could make a LHD version for you. Only issue is you have to remove the seat to install it to the bottom of the seat so it is pretty much permanent when the one using the seat mount bolts can be removed easily. I like having an extinguisher in permanently though.

[zombieite]

So someone does make a mount! Awesome!

However, I've gone far enough down the road of making one myself that I'm kind of looking forward to it. Additionally, I have already stripped one of the seat bolt heads even though I was using a proper splined socket. They are just too small in diameter for how much torque they were installed with. Rather than drill it out on my brand new car, I thought I'd look into the console idea again. I removed the trim thanks to this helpful video:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8lrrchH5A4"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8lrrchH5A4[/ame]

And now I've made a Lego prototype of what I'd like to machine. The plan is to make it out of 1/2" 6061 Aluminum plate. But I have no idea what I'm doing with regard to materials or machining, so feel free to advise. The shape has to be kept as simple as possible, because I'm new to machining. A shaped plate with holes in it should be do-able. I realize those screws are angled in weird ways, so I am planning to try to cut some angled holes in my piece instead of just trying to force the steel to bend too much.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zombieite/10564382234/