21 replies to this topic

[P K]

Does anyone remove or disengage the air bag sensors when off-roading? Is this viable? I mean, if you're rallying and REALLY bouncing it, or happen to hit something too hard rock crawling, will the air bag(s) deploy? Is there a simple fuse or possibly just disconnect a connector (light may come on)?

Experiences or Opinions? thanks, PK.

[bushbasher]

its usually quite difficult to properly disable the airbag. They don't make it easy for liability reasons. Often the airbag circuit is integrated with the ignition and various other things so simply cutting wires or disconnecting stuff will prevent the car from running. Generally the older the car the easier though. That said, I've never heard of airbag problems when off-roading. I know a guy who wheels a grand cherokee with driver and pass. airbags, he's been airborn, had several low speed collisions with rocks and trees, and his ride is dented to all hell, but his airbags have never gone off.

[archemitis]

on the gm cars, i have disabled the front end collision sensors in the front bumper. you can drill a hole through the sliding rod, that pushes the switch if the bumper is moved. put a pin in the hole, and the rod wont slide if you crash...
no idea on subarus, but id surely disconnect the air bags, along with the anti lock brakes... if i had fancy stuff like that =]

[MorganM]

I know a guy who wheels a grand cherokee with driver and pass. airbags, he's been airborn, had several low speed collisions with rocks and trees, and his ride is dented to all hell, but his airbags have never gone off.

Never heard of an air bag deploying while offroad. Lots of Jeep Cherokees are out there on the trials. Some of the stuff they do here in MN is simply amazing and the obsticals they hit are off the hook. Plenty of roll overs and still no deployed bags

Avoid running head on into a tree or rock

[northguy]

Isn't thee just a fuse that controls the deployment of the airbag?

[Sweet82]

Humm...

A vehicle new enough to have and air bag

I can't afford to wheel in a car new enough to have an air bag

Glenn,
82 SubaruHummer--what's an airbag?
01 Forester--ain't goin off road!

[MorganM]

Here's some more comments on this from people who offroad vehicles with air bags:

http://mn-jeep.com/f...read.php?t=1595

I have never seen or heard of an airbag deploying when it should not have off road.

XJ'S have a mechanical collision sensing system. There are two mechancal sensors (one on the left and one on the right) and a computer controlled safety sensor , they all must agree that there has been an actual collision.

I've seen them pop off-road, not real fun for those who got hit.

Pull the Airbag fuses while the jeep is off, and wheel on

Yeah, I've always yanked the fuse before I wheeled, just in case, but no; I've never heard of one deploying.

mine blew out before i got it. i bought mine wrecked and the bag was puking out. now, there's a piece of 2x4 wood in there glued in place. i like it far better that way. i'm not too keen on having a bomb that could crush every bone in my face right in the middle of my steering wheel. :puke: :chair:

Ive herd of a couple going off on ultimate adventure 2 years ago one went off in an s-10 and this last year I think in Four Wheeler one of the side curtian airbags went off in 4x4 of the year. I have also herd that the older systems when they get wet they could go off.

I would forget to enable them after i got back on the street.

Oh trust me I have too. I think of the five years that I owned my XJ, four of them had the fuse pulled. I guess I just figured that since I'm driving such a modified vehicle, that the airbag wasn't gonna do much in saving my life anymore than the seatbelt would. That was one vehicle that I was actually good about wearing my seatbelt.

Rig the fuse to a switch that is disabled when the transfercase is in 4 low. Then it would auto disable offroading, and auto re-enable on road.

^-- good idea!

[felipe01forester]

Need a username and password to access it.

[MorganM]

Need a username and password to access it.

Damn that sux; I'll edit the thread and just post the comments then. Thanks for the heads up.

[felipe01forester]

My airbags won't go off for anything. I rear-ended someone at about 5 miles an hour. Did a little damage, but no airbag. It takes a lot of force to get the airbag to deploy and there's no way that off-roading will generate enough force to trigger the sensors.

[subie94]

Isn't thee just a fuse that controls the deployment of the airbag?

there is one but have been told that that won't shut airbag down.what i've been told is that you have to disconnect battery for like 5 mins.guy was not exactly sure,he was going by what he was told.

[Mike W]

So what is PK offroading these days?
For whatever it's worth, while driving my '93 Legacy, a sneaky telephone pole ran into me going at least 6-7 mph... and no air bag deployment. I haven't hit too many things offroading that hard.

[P K]

Lifting the 93 SS suspension about 1.5 inches - basically it's gonna be a dune and beach runner. I was curious what those who rally do about the air bags. I don't intend to bash it, but gump happens. Sounds like from your experiences, it won't deploy unless I really need it to - which is cool.

Thank you all, PK

[Flowmastered87GL]

If you are really worried.... REMOVE EM!

With the money you get from selling them you can buy a really sweet momo wheel or something. Maybe put some guages or something in the passenger spot (if there is one of your car)

Just be careful removing them... maybe even let a licensed shop do it (if they will touch it)

[NoahDL88]

As an Ex-mechanic, and currently an airbag engineer I can assure you that bumpy roads will not set off the air bag, and if you are off roading you are not going fast enough to set them off. you need to be going about 25 or more mph to set them off and hit the offending object at no more than 15 degrees of centerline of the car.

I say leave them on, but thats just my .02

[P K]

As an Ex-mechanic, and currently an airbag engineer I can assure you that bumpy roads will not set off the air bag, and if you are off roading you are not going fast enough to set them off. you need to be going about 25 or more mph to set them off and hit the offending object at no more than 15 degrees of centerline of the car.

I say leave them on, but thats just my .02

thanks, Noah.

[torxxx]

You gotta be really careful when messin with the airbag systems. I've heard the story of the mechanic who was in the cab of a car or truck with the seats out workin on somethin inside and he set the airbag off, blew him out the back window.

As far as they go, most cars have a fuse that you are supposed to take out before doing any major servicing to the engine.

For offroading, disconnect them, and get rid of it. I've hit stuff hard enough to set them off (If my car had them) Glad my car is too old for airbag, woulda had a busted up face cuz I dont wear my seatbelt when I'm offroad

[NoahDL88]

Sorry, just got to clear some things up, your mechanic story, unless he was a 5% female weighing 95 pounds there is no way he got blown out the back window.
If you hit somthing hard enough to set off the air bag, you ain't drivin away, cause your radiator will be gone, and especially if you don't wear your seatbelt, unless of course you have a huge redneck bumper and can bench 5000 lbs, cause thats what you weigh when you stop in .5 seconds at a speed fast enough to set off the safety sack.

You gotta be really careful when messin with the airbag systems. I've heard the story of the mechanic who was in the cab of a car or truck with the seats out workin on somethin inside and he set the airbag off, blew him out the back window.

As far as they go, most cars have a fuse that you are supposed to take out before doing any major servicing to the engine.

For offroading, disconnect them, and get rid of it. I've hit stuff hard enough to set them off (If my car had them) Glad my car is too old for airbag, woulda had a busted up face cuz I dont wear my seatbelt when I'm offroad

[bajavwnsoobnut]

If you are really worried.... REMOVE EM!

With the money you get from selling them you can buy a really sweet momo wheel or something. Maybe put some guages or something in the passenger spot (if there is one of your car)

Just be careful removing them... maybe even let a licensed shop do it (if they will touch it)

what they do in (what used to be) club and pro rally is that they permanently remove them if they are dedicated rally cars if not then they would disconnect them

another note wear a open face helmet when wearing a helmet is required or you feel like wearing one cause of there are now warnings about that with closed face helmets and airbags and the possible damage caused by that arrangement to the jaw and lower face

[scoobyclimbs]

Get a Mudrat bumper it's air bag compliant too!

[PetterFan]

I wouldn't worry very much about the air bag deploying. It takes quiet an impact with alot of speed to make it deploy. And from what I understand, the wiring is not very simple, so that people can't deactivate them. So, if they deploy, you probably need them.

[Uberoo]

what about making the air bag deploy then get a nice momo or something?make it deploy by hitting sensor with hammer.