| Author |
Message |
    
Mark Albrecht (Markalbrecht)
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 03, 2002 - 04:52 pm: | 
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Hate to ask this, but as I have kids, safety becomes more important. Has anyone with an aftermarket bumper (front) had the misfortune of a frontal impact and did the airbags deploy? Despite the obvious drawbacks (weight/approach angle) does the ARB bumper live up to its air bag copmpatible claim? Any thoughts on the effect of aftermarket front bumpers on crush rate and airbag deployment also appreciated. 01 DII.
Non-gory pictures might also be entertaining. |
Al Oliveira (Offroaddisco)
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 03, 2002 - 05:25 pm: |
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Are you worried about the airbags deploying or not deploying. I'm in the same boat with kids and all and have an ARB that I hope to some day switch to a Rovertym. Either way the air bag should deploy but my kids will always be in the back seat with no airbags. The bags deploy when two triggers (on a D2) located in the center console are activated. You really need a good impact to trigger the airbags. |
Mark Albrecht (Markalbrecht)
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 03, 2002 - 05:45 pm: |
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Thanks Al -- I was wondering if they'd deploy with the RTE or comperable bumper. Hey the kids will be in the front when they hit 12+. Also, I need to stick around these days. |
Daniel Covaciu (Danielcovaciu)
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 03, 2002 - 06:00 pm: |
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I dont know if this is really what you want to hear but FWIW: I have been to several auto auctions here in the Portland OR area and have seen several disco's go through that have been involved in an accident, declared a total loss and auctioned by the insurance company. If I remember correctly I have so far only seen one disco with blown bags. All that I have seen were completly stock. I have seen rollover disco's where the bags have not blown. I actually purchased one with rather heavy front and side damage that had good bags. The one that I did see with blown bags was hit so badly in the front that the engine was actually mashed up into the firewall. So my point is that even with the stock bumper the bags on these cars will only go off in a severe impact. Putting on any 100lb bumper, air bag compatible or not, will only make it more unlikely that the bags will ever deploy. That off course is my own opinion from what I have seen off crashed disco. |
Mark Albrecht (Markalbrecht)
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 03, 2002 - 06:11 pm: |
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Anything that supports an aftermarket front bumper as being as safe as the stock set up is good news. |
Scott-OZ
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 03, 2002 - 06:35 pm: |
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Just a stupid question but why can I not find on the web anywhere crash testing for a DII
Cheers
Scott |
Rob Davison (Pokerob)
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 03, 2002 - 06:38 pm: |
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putting on an after market bumber that is non AirBag compatable results in the bags going off more easily.
an Air Bag compatable version should be very near the same energy to trigger the bags
rd |
Al Oliveira (Offroaddisco)
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 03, 2002 - 07:30 pm: |
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Scott, try http://www.iihs.org |
Carter Simcoe (Carter)
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 03, 2002 - 07:35 pm: |
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Daniel, to expand on what Rob said what the air bags deploy via an inertia sensor so a disco great big steel bumper that wont crumble is going to transfer less energy than a disco with the stock set up which is more prone to crumbling and absorbing the force of impact. This will result, as Rob pointed out, in the air bags being more prone to deploying in a bumper with a non-air bag approved vehicle. Look at the air-bag approved version of the ARB bullbar, it has those big crush cans that let the bumper move around and cause all sorts of problems for guys when they are winching, the reason they are there is to retain a little bit of the crumble effect in the even of a collision allowing the air bag to go off only if it is actually needed. It might seem silly at first that the "safer" bumper is the one that tries to prevent the air bag from going off but the reasoning is that you want it only going off in instances where your body will be propelled far enough forward that you will make contact with the bag while it is still inflating rather than having a fully inflated (and much harder) bag hit you in the face while you are still leaning back in your seat. |
Al Oliveira (Offroaddisco)
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 03, 2002 - 07:44 pm: |
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Actually you want the bag inflated fully when you make contact with it. If the bag is only partially inflated you'll make contact with the steering wheel through the airbag with your head. Your body "should" be held back by the seat belts. Having your body move about the cabin, even a few inches, is very bad. Take a close look at F1 crashes and how the drivers are straped in. In most cases they can walk out of crashes at twice the speeds we have in our Discos. |
Carter Simcoe (Carter)
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 03, 2002 - 07:56 pm: |
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Actually I believe you make contact with the bag as it is inflating that is why they made such a big deal about some cars air bags deploying pre-maturly a while back, the occupants hit the air bag when it was inflated to much causing harm. And seat belts do hold your body against the seat but they don't strap your head back plus often times the car is buckling so the seat along with your body is pushed forward a little. |
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