HYDE161
Go Kart Champion
With my car built out and warmer days ahead it was time to prep the car for my planned track time. With the addition of water methanol I figured adding a removable fire extinguisher was probably a smart investment. Even if I never use it, I have it just in case an can also offer it up for anyone else who may have a car fire. I still wanted to make sure the mount was sturdy and that the fire extinguisher was sleek enough so the whole assembly was out of the way so a passenger or instructor can ride in the car comfortably. Rennline’s seat mounted fire extinguisher bracket was designed to maintain the majority of leg room with no affect on seat travel or access to the seat lever. After researching fire extinguishers for a long time, I was glad to see that Rennline offered the H3R 2.5LB Fire Extinguishers through their website.
Rennline Fire Extinguisher Mount Product Description:
Fire extinguishers are mandatory in all cars that will see the track and should be mandatory in all street cars. There's no worse feeling then watching your car burn to the ground without the ability to do anything about it. Unlike most fire extinguisher mounts available, all of Rennline's mounts install directly to the factory seats and do not compromise seat travel or leg room in anyway. Constructed from aircraft grade aluminum and meets all requirements for racing series or other organized track events. Designed to be used with most standard 2.5lb fire extinguishers, all hardware and installation instructions are included. Available in silver and black finishes.
H3R 2.5LB Fire Extinguishers Product Description:
MaxOut™ dry chemical fire extinguishers have a proven track record in extinguishing the types of fires likely to occur in an automotive environment. Models MX250C, MX250B, and MX250R utilize a specially fluidized and siliconized mono ammonium phosphate dry chemical. All MaxOut™ models effectively smother and break the chain reaction of fires involving flammable liquids and pressurized gasses, and will not conduct electricity back to the operator. MaxOut™ models MX250C, MX250B and MX250R are also highly effective at stopping fires of common combustibles like wood and paper. Great for marine or residential use.
HalGuard™ is no ordinary automotive fire extinguisher. It contains Halotron 1®, electrically non-conductive "clean" extinguishing agent that rapidly turns into a gas. Halotron 1® has passed extensive testing by Underwriters Laboratories, and meets FAA requirements. It can be found on commercial aircraft, and is used by airport fire fighters and on the flight line.
No thermal shock to electronics
No mess or damage to vehicle or surfaces
Liquefied gas extinguishes hard-to-reach fires
Does not impair operator's vision
EPA approved
Listed and rated by Underwriters Laboratories
Rechargeable
Made in U.S.A.
Steel strap mounting bracket
6' - 10' discharge range (HG250C, HG250B, HG250R)
High quality steel cylinders
All metal valve construction
Compact, lightweight, easy to use
Five year limited warranty on hand held and wheeled fire extinguishers
UL Rated 2B:C (HG250C, HG250B, HG250R)
Installation:
Following the one page -Rennline installation instructions sheet- is pretty straight forward but I took additional photos to show the steps up close. Removing the 4 seat bolts was easy and from there I tilted the seat back to work underneath it. When you add the two speed nuts, take your time to pry them into place with a screwdriver little by little until they fully seat. I chose to thread the two truss head screws into place to secure the mount to the underside of the seat, then work with the spacers and allen key bolts to fasten the front of the mount. The hardest and most time consuming part is installing the H3R 2.5LB fire extinguisher bracket to the Rennline mount via the 6 screws and 6 nuts. From there, you can mount the fire extinguisher and bolt the seat back into place.
Overall Impressions:
Overall the mount is a high quality piece with a nice finish. The hardware was packed very well and the instructions were very clear although the photos are a little tiny for a one page installation instructions sheet. Once the fire extinguisher was clamped in the bracket, it was rock solid and wasn’t going anywhere. My one concern is if the two truss head screws or the two spacers and allen key bolts will loosen over time. I’ll check tightness down the road after running it for a while and if need be, I’ll add some loc-tite. To be honest, I don’t want to daily drive with the fire extinguisher or even the empty fire extinguisher bracket but it’s a PITA to remove the 6 screws and nuts which hold the bracket to the mount. For track events I may use three heavy duty zip ties for the 6 screw hole locations to fasten the bracket to the mount, then cut them when I want to remove the fire extinguisher bracket. I plan on keeping the Rennline mount in place permanently as it looks awesome with their inscribed logo.
