Cockpit Opening Template

[povelocj]

Does anyone know if the shift lever can be removed for the cockpit opening test? This looks to be a gray area in the rules: they don't say that you can, but they don't say that you cannot.

B4.1.2 During this test, the steering wheel, steering column, seat and all padding may be removed. The firewall may not be moved or removed.

[Tickers]

Your answer is in your question really. It states what you can remove, so it would be risky to put your shifter in a place where it interferes with the template.

[Michael Royce]

povelocj,
The Rule specifically says what you CAN remove. Therefore, if it is not listed, you CANNOT remove an item! In your case, the shifter has to stay in place.

By the way, there is an, albeit old, FAQ on this item at:
http://forums.sae.org/access/d...pening%20Template%20 (http://forums.sae.org/access/dispatch.cgi/fsae_pf/docProfile/100203/d20091215230915/No/B.4.1%20Cockpit%20Opening%20Template%20)

It still applies.

Michael Royce,

PS. I do wish some of t=you fellows would read the FAQ’s more frequently. It would save the current Rules Committee members lot of time answering questions that are already answered in the FAQ’s. That is why they are there!! The general link to the FAQ’s is:
http://forums.sae.org/access/d...me/100090/0/def/0913 (http://forums.sae.org/access/dispatch.cgi/fsae_pf/folderFrame/100090/0/def/0913)

From there you can either type in the Rule number or a key word. If there is an FAQ on that topic, it will come right up.

[moose]

You can ask the rules committee for an official answer... but I'd have to guess that it stays in.

Look at it this way:

Steering column: just in the way from putting a template through in 1 piece, not really going to get in the way of exiting the cockpit in an emergency.
Steering wheel...almost always removable, so no biggie - comes off for egress.

Padding - similar as the other guys, it'll push out of the way a bit, and is probably found almost entirely on the steering column

Seat - This would just get in the way of measuring the straight down opening so much that it would create the need to either have really crummy seats, awful seatback angles.. think 90 degrees, absurdly large cockpit areas, or lots of shady maneuvering (ie uprigght seat w/ removable inserts, etc).

Also - seat doesn't get in the way of you getting out of the car.

Shifter - unless you have a quick release on it, you're never going to pull it off to egress. So in all honesty, very unlikely that you'll get the OK to pull it out to fit the template through.

Just my 2 cents, but I'd say go and design a way around the problem. Not worth risk.

[Canuck Racing]

Mount it to the seat.