disarming airbags during trail riding

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S

stockcar20fan

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Jan 1, 2008
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the wife just got her a new black fj that we have been having fun tricking out, but i forgot something since i have an old 81 cj7, she has airbags on her ride.
anyone know of the best way to disarm the airbags in case of a non-critical bumper thump that may occur during trail riding. is there a fuse to disconnect or maybe disconnecting the inertia switch to prevent a costly airbag replacement that wouldn't be needed in a slight bump.
 
No need, IMHO, they do not go off because the bumper gets bumped, they go off because of a significant deceleration event, if you decelerate quickly enough that they go off, you probably need them. That said, I have yet to hear of a time they were activated inappropriately offroad.
 
firetruck41 said:
No need, IMHO, they do not go off because the bumper gets bumped, they go off because of a significant deceleration event, if you decelerate quickly enough that they go off, you probably need them. That said, I have yet to hear of a time they were activated inappropriately offroad.
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I agree. I landed some real hard bumps on the trail (catching air on bumps taken too fast), have banged into rocks with the bumper, and never an issue with the airbags. Also never heard of any issue with unnecessary deployment.
 
firetruck41 said:
No need, IMHO, they do not go off because the bumper gets bumped, they go off because of a significant deceleration event, if you decelerate quickly enough that they go off, you probably need them. That said, I have yet to hear of a time they were activated inappropriately offroad.
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Why does ARB use CRUSH cans in their bumper installs...... supposedly to keep air bags from activating??
 
LandCruisers4Life said:
Why does ARB use CRUSH cans in their bumper installs...... supposedly to keep air bags from activating??
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I don't think they are to keep airbags from activating, they are to make the bumpers "airbag compliant", I take that to mean that the bumper will deform and react in a manner similar to the original bumper, as relates to airbag activation.
 
yes, i think the arb crush cans are to keep the timing of deployment the same. theoretically, a solid mount might activate the airbags a moment too early... I *think* that is the logic there.

In any case, as the FJC Trail Team has been through all manner of trails from the rocks of Rubicon to the sand dunes of Pismo in essentially stock vehicles, I think leaving the airbags alone is a safe bet.
 
patpend2000 said:
I think the airbags are also tied to the speed sensor and are deactivated at low speed and will only deploy at something like 25MPH or higher
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Correct. :steer: If you get to a speed on the trail in which the Airbags activate...grab your arse because your already in trouble and airbag deployment is the least of your concerns. :skull:
 
patpend2000 said:
I think the airbags are also tied to the speed sensor and are deactivated at low speed and will only deploy at something like 25MPH or higher
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somehow that doesn't sound right. for example, if you are stopped at a light and someone rams into you at a seriously damaging speed- the airbag needs to go off even though you are at 0mph.
 
FirstToy said:
somehow that doesn't sound right. for example, if you are stopped at a light and someone rams into you at a seriously damaging speed- the airbag needs to go off even though you are at 0mph.
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I agree, but there is a video of a FJC bouncing off a tree while running through a trail and the airbags do not deploy and he was moving pretty quick for the trail. I will try and find the video, I am sure most of you have seen it before. I would like to know about the airbags however, when do they deploy and what triggers them because it would suck to have them go off while on the trail and not to mention the endless b:censor:ching my wife would be doing!
fatback
 
Air bags shouldn't deploy until there's significant damage to the vehicle so as to impact the sensors mounted on the deep end of the crumple zones, or if you encounter significant and sudden declaration from a high rate of speed. Neither of which will happen if your driving at a safe speed down a trail.

The only caution you'll find in the owners manual talks about dropping off a small cliff and impacting the undercarriage, but again it would have to be a pretty hard hit to where you'd probably be hurting anyway.
 
The air bag censors are located on the frame, the fj bumpers are colapsable plastic crushing them will not set off the air bags. If your stopped at a light and someone hits you hard enough they WILL go off.They are activated by inertia ie: you hitting something solid the inertia censor will pick it up same as if you get hit by someone else ,your vehicle gets "moved" to quickly. You can accelerate all you want and it will never go off. and you can jamb on the brakes like fred flintstone and they still wont go off. No car manufactures put the sensors in the bumpers anymore way old school.
 
thanks guys i'm going to leave the inertia switch plugged in then. i just thought it was a potential problem now that we have a 4x4 vehicle with it as compared to my ole cj7 doesn't really have that option, hell there aint much stock about my jeep anymore anyway but i just didn't want my ole lady to get a black eye and a face full of talc powder if she hits a bump too hard on the trail.
 
several years ago (1998 or so???) the sensors for airbags were set to release the bags for deceleration (or reverse acceleration) forces from about 45-50 MPH. Earlier settings were for about 30-35 MPH, but at that setting the airbags hurt too many people. Sooo... if you hit a tree or large rock at 50 MPH on the trail, then you shouldn't be driving under the influence anyway!!! :beer:
 
Heck, I bought it for the airbags on the trail runs. I fall off a cliff, I want those!

And I agree with the others, I've banged the h*ll of the the truck a couple of times, no problems. In fact, I've never met anyone who had theirs go off on a run.
 
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