Customer Question: Can I Use A HANS Device With A Four-Point FIA Harness?
Customer question: harnesses
A question we hear regularly from drivers stepping up to a head and neck restraint is whether they can keep their four point FIA harness and simply add a HANS device. It seems as though the two should work together. The answer is not that simple.
Physically you can put a HANS on and do up a four point harness over it, but we do not recommend it. The shoulder straps on a four point FIA harness are 3 inches wide, and a HANS is designed around 2 inch webbing where the straps cross it. Here is why that matters, and which harness to use instead.
- A HANS is held in place by the harness shoulder straps
- It is designed for 2 inch webbing where the straps pass over it
- Four point FIA harnesses, such as the TRS Magnum 4 point, use 3 inch shoulder straps
- Our four point FIA harness listings are marked as not HANS compatible
- Use a HANS specific 6 point harness approved to FIA 8853-2016
- HANS specific harnesses are not approved for use without a HANS
Why a four point FIA harness does not suit a HANS
A HANS (head and neck support) device sits on your shoulders and is tethered to your helmet. It is held in place by the harness shoulder straps, which run over the two flat arms, or yokes, that lie along the top of each shoulder.
Those yokes, and the strap guides on them, are designed for 2 inch webbing. A 2 inch strap sits neatly on the yoke and stays there. A 3 inch strap is wider than the yoke, so it sits awkwardly over the top of it, and that makes it more likely to slide off the device, which is exactly what you do not want in an impact.
The four point FIA harnesses we sell, such as the TRS Magnum 4 point, are approved to the older FIA 8854-1998 standard and use 3 inch webbing on the shoulders and the lap. Their listings are marked as not HANS compatible for that reason.
The correct harness for a HANS
A HANS needs a harness designed for it, usually described as HANS specific or FHR (frontal head restraint). The HANS specific harnesses we list are 6 point harnesses approved to FIA 8853-2016, the current standard.
Some have 2 inch shoulder straps all the way down. Others have 3 inch shoulder straps that narrow to 2 inches where they cross the HANS, so you get the wider strap on your chest and the right width on the device.
The six point layout helps too. The two sub straps run from the buckle down between the legs to anchors under the seat, which stops the lap belt riding up under heavy braking or in an impact. That keeps you in the right position for the HANS and the shoulder straps to do their job.
One point to be clear on: a HANS specific harness is not approved for use without a HANS. If you share the car with a driver who does not wear one, or you want the same harness on the road, look at a HANS friendly harness instead, and read the listing carefully.
How a HANS and harness work together
In a frontal impact, your body is held by the harness but your head, with the weight of the helmet, wants to keep moving forward. The HANS is tethered to the helmet and held down on your shoulders by the harness straps, so it limits how far and how fast the head can move forward relative to the body. That reduces the loads on the neck.
It only works if the device stays where it should, and that is down to the shoulder straps. With the right width of webbing, fitted at the right angle to the right anchor points, the straps keep the HANS in place. Our guide on how to fit a motorsport harness covers the angles and anchor points.
HANS specific harnesses we recommend
TRS Magnum 6 Point FIA HANS. The entry point to the TRS Magnum 6 point range, approved to FIA 8853-2016. The shoulder straps taper from 3 inches to 2 inches at the HANS, with an aircraft style rotary buckle, and it can be clipped in or wrapped around a cage bar.
Sparco Pro Racer 6 Point Steel FHR. Sparco’s FHR specific harness, approved to FIA 8853-2016, with 2 inch shoulder straps, 3 inch lap straps and an aircraft style push button buckle.
Schroth Profi 2×2 HANS/FHR. Schroth’s professional six point harness with 2 inch webbing throughout, pull up lap adjusters and an aircraft buckle, approved to FIA 8853-2016. It is the HANS version of the Profi 3×2.
TRS Pro International 6 Point HANS Only. A HANS only FIA harness from the TRS Pro range, for drivers who always race with a device.
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If you are choosing between four and six point
A four point harness still has its place, for example in a road car used for the odd track day where no HANS is worn. Once a HANS is part of your kit, a HANS specific six point harness is the set up to aim for. Our guide to 4 point against 6 point harnesses goes through the choice in more detail.
Your championship’s rules come first. Many series say which harness standard they require and whether a frontal head restraint is compulsory. Garreth’s advice is to check those rules before you buy either the HANS or the harness, then buy the two together so they match.
Can I use a HANS device with a four point FIA harness?
You can physically fit one, but we do not recommend it: the 3 inch shoulder straps do not sit properly on the HANS.
What width of shoulder strap does a HANS need?
A HANS is designed for 2 inch webbing where the shoulder straps pass over it.
What harness should I use with a HANS?
A HANS specific or FHR 6 point harness approved to FIA 8853-2016.
Can I use a HANS specific harness without a HANS?
No. HANS specific harnesses are not approved for use without a HANS; choose a HANS friendly version instead.
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The right pairingHANS plus a 6 point FHR harness
Pair your HANS with a HANS specific 6 point FIA 8853-2016 harness, not a four point.
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