Do aftermarket bumpers affect airbags?

[sleeoffroad]

I went and looked at the "rules" for the worst state. CA. It seems that, and (I'm not sure on the exact semantics) but if your business is classified / legally known as industrial you are exempt due to selling manufactured goods across state lines.

But how does this help me getting a airbag approved design for a front bumper. I believe ARB crash tested the early bumpers in Australia. But from discussions about it, I got the impressions that they might have numerically modelled the new ones.

 

[jfonz]

Professional Engineer

What kind of degrees back a PE?

 

[jfonz]

But how does this help me getting a airbag approved design for a front bumper. I believe ARB crash tested the early bumpers in Australia. But from discussions about it, I got the impressions that they might have numerically modelled the new ones.

Thats what I'm wondering... Road Armor claims all there bumpers are airbag compatible. I was under the understanding this was becuase of how newer airbags opperate independently of the front end, meaning they don't deploy due to the front end crumbling, but due to the rapid decrease in acceleration.....

 

[sleeoffroad]

I believe you have to show that the bumper does not affect the deployment of the airbag system. Even though the system is independant of the front bumper, whatever is in front of the truck still affect the rate of deceleration in an accident.

I am pretty sure you can make a bumper, put it on a truck, go to NHTSA and ask them to crash test them and get it certified.

 

[beaufort-fj60]

But how does this help me getting a airbag approved design for a front bumper. I believe ARB crash tested the early bumpers in Australia. But from discussions about it, I got the impressions that they might have numerically modelled the new ones.

capa certified? http://www.capacertified.org/home.asp

edit..wild guess because I don't know.... separate the winch tray and the bumper. bumper floats similar to OEM and winch tray is fixed to frame

 

[chewey46]

What sucks, because I can see this happen, is someone pulls out in front of you and you with the new bumper t-bones them. Will you insurance say, "Well if you had the stock bumper this damage wouldn't happen!!" Or even the other person's insurance say that.... Damn, this would suck.... I have a feeling that there would be a few lawyers getting paydays......

That sucks!!!!!!

 

[mml4]

I wanted to put the Ram Brush guard on my FJ but the dealer wouldn't order it because it has two uprights that are in front of the bumper.The parts manager told me that Toyota told them that it would cause a liability problem for them re: the Airbags. The only unit they would order/install is one that is above and behind the bumper.I bought the Ram unit elsewhere!!
Marc

 

[LukeO]

Yes.

The bags are engineered for plastic bumpers these days, not steel, especially not homemade, let alone mass produced like ARB.

Of course lawyers make all of the rules these days, not engineers.

ARB does include an airbag "disclaimer". As I'm sure, so do the rest since today this all boils down to liability.