Explained: The Fall-Line Motorsports Halon Fire Extinguisher Kit

Halon 1211 Extinguisher x Fall-Line Motorsports E36 / E46 Seat Bracket Mount

Okay, let's just come out and ask—what the hell is a Halon fire extinguisher? We've gotten this question quite a bit, so on this text-based episode, we're going to delve into what it is and why a Halon 1211 type unit is the one we prefer for motorsport use.

Halon 1211 units are streaming agents (as opposed to total flooding), which means that they are designed to deploy in a specific direction with a specific quantity of agent at the time of the fire rather than provide a minimum agent concentration over a wide area. This makes a lot of sense in automotive applications: point and shoot at the area on fire without blanketing the rest of the interior unnecessarily.

Safecraft: The industry leader in motorsport fire suppression 

Their targeted application disrupts the "Fire Triangle" (fuel, oxygen, and heat) and crucially unlike other extinguishers, does not produce a residue. While other automotive extinguishers are proficient in putting out fires, alternatives can leave lasting damage to equipment underneath the carpeting (electrical equipment, wiring) well beyond the initial flames. This damage limitation is a major reason why Halon continues to be a the definitive choice for motorsport use.

A critical component of race-worthy fire suppression is also packaging—you need to be able to quickly and readily access your extinguisher in an emergency situation. Fall-Line Motorsports has engineered a variety of bracket solutions to suit their race and street application needs based around the Safecraft PB2 extinguisher with minimal weight penalty.

Safecraft provides an ample base for Fall-Line to engineer their brackets

PB2 fire suppressant affixed to Fall-Line E9X / F8X seat bracket mount

Mounting hardware to affix the Safecraft base plate to the Fall-Line bracket

Importantly, each Fall-Line extinguisher mount positions the bottle where the release buttons are easily accessible to both the driver and (where applicable) passenger. For that OEM+ feel, a wrinkle black finish was chosen for both the Fall-Line brackets and aluminum-bodied bottle—a really nice touch.

Fall-Line Halon 1211 kit mounted in an E46 M3

In terms of mounting systems, the BMW E36 / E46's share the same bracket and similarly, the E9X / F8X do as well. This makes it easier to swap into other cars should you deem it worthwhile to upgrade or simply switch one car to more track-dedicated duty.

Ultimately, the last thing you want in the back of your mind on the street or track is worry. Losing your car to fire after all the work you've put into it would be downright devastating, so preventative safety measures like this are worth every penny.

Halon 1211 PB2 Technical Specs:

Agent Qty: 2.5 lb
Cylinder Type: Polished Stainless Steel / Aluminum
Overall Length: 12.4" / 13.4"
Cylinder Diameter: 3" / 3"
Nominal Weight:* 4.4 lb / 3.7 lb

*Nominal weight is regarding the extinguisher only. It does not include the weight of any additional mount or activation hardware.