I read all the scare-mongering, figured that if I broke my neck my wife would have my ***, and bought an R3. But getting the D-rings on my helmet might be a problem. You guys that have HNR's that connect to the helmet, did any of you have nonremovable helmet padding? If so, how did you screw these things into your helmet if you couldn't remove the padding?

I have a Arai GP-4K and near as I can tell the only padding that removes is the cheek pieces.

 

It is very easy. First glue the round "nut" to the washer using crazy glue gel to keep it from sliding around when you install it. Then carefully work a narrow putty knife up about 2" between the shell and the padding only where you drilled the mounting holes. Slide the nut/washer into the gap and screw in the D ring. Voila!

If you are really ****, you could use some hot glue to refasten the little bit of padding.

 

+1 on everything. Would be really tough to do without the superglue trick as you can't really easily get your fingers in there to hold the nut in the right position relative to the washer and the drilled hole.
And yes, I even used the hot glue gun to get the padding refastened to the inside shell.

 

Well, I'll let y'all in on a little secret. I bought my HANS at Hubbard-Downing when I was in Atlanta and had them install the anchors. They use a really thin metal strip (not unlike a putty knife blade) that has been notched to hold the nut (like an open end wrench or spanner for our friends across the pond). They put the nut in the notch and slide everything into place. Quite slick I thought.

 

Thanks guys. I was under the misunderstanding that many helmets have removable padding. Thanks to your comments I just kinda fought the &^%($!!! fasteners into submission.

 

The HANS comes with the thin wrench and step by step instructions. They even give you a nifty HANS branded ballpoint pen.

 

They used to, and most still do around the mandible. I believe the main padding is heat bonded to the shell making them nearly impossible to remove.

Of course, you could always use a product that did not require a helmet connection...

 

Like many, I just out-cussed the little darlings

I had to move my Hans back and forth between helmets at CMP as only 1 helmet was wired for a radio.
Note to self, GET EXTRA HARDWARE

 

"Heat bonded" = $5 glue gun to glue padding back after loosening it with a butter knife from kitchen drawer. I bet the wife has a glue gun and she might let you use it if she does not see you using the butter knife. You can lightly heat glue the nut to a regular open end wrench if you H&N does not come with one. pops right off after install

 

As Kurt alluded to above, ALL helmet padding is removable. They got it in there when they made the damn thing, DIDN'T THEY ? Butter knife/hacksaw blade/screw-driver/etc. will free the padding from the glue, and then just use a hot-glue gun to put it all back in place.

You might need four hands to do it, but it's simple to do (especially if you have four hands).

 

Purchased from Apex racing and they did the install for me.

 

Simple install and not worth any worries. If you have enough aptitude to torque your wheels, you can install a Hans devise.

Of course, measure three times before drilling.

 

If I might ask, what 'scare-mongering' are you referring to?