Chin strap bracket

[FF-Jordan]

I recently bought an old 5A that is in like new condition and I would like to add a chin strap to it, I bought the strap and this bracket: http://www.thefirestore.com/store/pr...mets_one_pair/ from the firestore.

Does anyone have any experience with this type of install? I really don't want to mess up this helmet. I pried back the brass liner brim a bit to see it made sense for it to go in there, but that didn't really seem to work. Thanks!

[NY911Bowhunter]

Looks like you would have to drill a hole in the side rib to instal them

[FF-Jordan]

above is what the inside of the helmet looks like.

Bowhunter what do you mean by the side rib?

Does anyone else have any ideas or has anyone done this before?

[tajm611]

can you use a different camera man who isn't michael j. fox?

It might make it easier to help you

[FF-Jordan]

can you use a different camera man who isn't michael j. fox?

It might make it easier to help you

Lol it isn't shaky its just bad resolution, all I have is the cell camera

[tajm611]

I can only imagine it would be closely related to this:


http://www.firehouse.com/forums/show...39&postcount=4


If im not mistaken it just slides in with the brass ring forming a seal from the compression, I could be wrong but I think thats how it worked when I redid my dad's helmet a while back, hope it helps.

[NY911Bowhunter]

I can only imagine it would be closely related to this:


http://www.firehouse.com/forums/show...39&postcount=4


If im not mistaken it just slides in with the brass ring forming a seal from the compression, I could be wrong but I think thats how it worked when I redid my dad's helmet a while back, hope it helps.

Hey thanks for that post - it helped me/gave me an idea on another helmet I have!

[Aaron361]

Chin strap

If you bought the starp kit with the brass rab that holds the chrome piece then its fairly easy. On the side combs of the leather helmet you will see one or two rivets depending on the age of the helmet. Your new tab will be placed between the brass ring that holds the liner in just forward of the most forward rivet. The easiest way is to take a samll screwdriver and slightly pry the brass liner ring away from the leather just enough to tap the brass chin strap tab in the gap bewteen the leather and liner retainer until it potrudes out in the inside above the liner retainer. It will take some tapping with a little hammer etc to get the chrome chin strap ring flush with liner retainer ring. Once its flush you can move the brass tab closer to the rivet if needed. Once you have the brass tab all the way in and close to the rivet then you will need to bend the part of the brass tab that potrudes past the liner retainer ring over so it folds over and rests against liner retainer ring. Tapping on tab with small hammer will flatten tab completely against liner retainer ring. Tapping will also push liner retainer ring back against helmet if it was slightly bent inwards when you used the screwdriver to make a opening big enough to driver brass tab between helmet and liner retainer ring.
The whole process is easier if the liner is removed prior to doing this. You can see better and also it gives you more room to use small hammer.
This is pretty much how many FFs retrofitted older leathers with chinstraps back when.
If your going to restore or repaint your helmet I would put chinstrap tab in prior to painting. Sometimes the paint will crack on the opposite side of where the brass tab is bent over when using the small hammer. Small rubber mallet works too sometimes.
I've done this several times now for friends and myself and it works fine. If you really want to go all out you can remove the rivet using a angle drill and drill the inside head off, then drive the rivet out from the inside using a punch. Then do above proceedure, when brass tab is in place use a drill the same size as replacment brass rivet. drill through tab after it is in place and crimp inside helmet at rivet using rivet tool.
The second method requires proper rivet tools or inventive substitute methods. More or a factory modern method but first method works fine and many helmets in service back when were retrofitted the same way.
Once that tab is bent over and tapped flush it's pretty much not going anywhere. You can even take a small hammer and flat screwdriver and tap retainer ring in using screwdriver edge to make retainer tab more snug by hammering down. This will trap brass tab in the space forward of rivet and where you tapped liner retainer down to make a shoulder which keeps brass tab from sliding at all.
Hope this makes sense, it's a little wordy but once you do this retrofit once it's a no brainer.
Just take your time and be patient,