Further to my poll on the ARB bars, for those of you who installed bull bars/brush guards etc on the front end, what is your impression of how they may possibly impede proper air bag activation?

Chyrsler advocates only installing their cosmetic Brush Guard and others may be of concern but I trust it is for sales and liability interests. However the OEM is just for looks and offers no protection at all given it's plastic clad tube design.

Where are the sensors in the bumper and how does the airbag activation work?

Would installing an ARB bull bar impedes it operation? ARB's website claims not. Seth?

I remember someone posting this before. They said the sensors are mounted to the radiator support.

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Ray's Renegade
L.O.S.T # RP052495
Light Khaki 2005 Renegade 4x4
28D package (full skids)
Trailer tow group
Auto tranny
Trac-Loc
Jeep seat covers
K&N air filter
Moog K3199 LBJs
Frankenlift
Al's upper A arms
Goodyear wrangler silent armor
255/70-16

IIRC it is an Inertia sensor, not impact and is not mounted on the plastic bumper but on rad support.

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99 TJ
71 C101
04 KJ
03 SFA KJ Sport
LOST JEEPS So-Cal

To be brief without going all crazy engineer on anyone, ALL of our bumpers are crash tested and Australian DOT approved. Their standards are much higher than ours. Ever seen a car after it hit a Kangaroo? It aint pretty! The Aus government actually helps pay for the testing. An ARB Bull Bar is SRS compatible unless we tell you it's not. (Some older rigs just don't have crush cans, so we can't help them) The KJ is 100% compatible. They're engineered to deploy within factory specs plus just a little (Wheeling Factor). Even if you're in a minor fender bender and crack the bumper hard enough to deploy the bag, we can replace your crush cans and it's kosher again.

So feel safe. Put it on!

_________________
Seth Green
Western Sales Manager
ARB USA
Used to have: 02 Rene w/ SFA Swap. Sold... I'll miss her
New Baby is an 07 1500 Dodge HEMI
6" Lift and lots O Go Fast parts

Reason I ask, I had the misfortune of cracking the bumper and rad on a KJ dead center front end hit and no air bag deployment which was fine since nobody was hurt and our speed was nominal. With a solid ARB or like, I would think it may spead the impact on the rad which may impact the activation.

Thanks

_________________
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Hare on my Chest

Our bumper? If something like that happened with ours, we need to know about it! I dropped mine in a hole so hard a few months back with the factory bumper on it, the impact popped the side flares off both wheel wells.

I was stunned the air bags didn't go off, so I believe you. Anyway, if it was ours, please give me the details of the accident. Thanks!

_________________
Seth Green
Western Sales Manager
ARB USA
Used to have: 02 Rene w/ SFA Swap. Sold... I'll miss her
New Baby is an 07 1500 Dodge HEMI
6" Lift and lots O Go Fast parts

Let me clarify. The accident happened awhile ago on an ice/snow packed road into a tree w/ a stock Ltd KJ no bull bar/brush guard mounted at all. I am glad that the bags didn't deploy as it was not needed given our moderate speed.

My question/concern is that if I installed an ARB or Waag or alternate bar, would such an impact may be absorbed spread over the length of the front end which may make the airbag sensor more or less reliable? I bought several guards but have never installed them due to this concern.

This is also why I am a big fan of decent tires for snow and AS/AT.

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(='.'=) <]{
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( . )( . )

Hare on my Chest

The airbag sensor simply detects how quickly you decelerate. Where something hits, or what that something is doesn't matter, it just cares how quickly the vehicle slows down. It's not concerned with any impact force. You could attach a chunky chain to your tow hitch (and something very solid) and drive off at speed. When you get to the end of the chain you'll stop very quickly and the airbag will go off, even though you haven't hit anything!

See here;
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/airbag1.htm

Bullbars (etc) can affect airbag operation by changing how the front end deforms in an impact. The "crush cans" Seth talks about are designed to deform upon impact to absorb some of the shock and therefore slow the vehicle down more gradually. If an aftermarket bar doesn't attach properly to the vehicle then it could change the deformation characteristics of the vehicle adversely. For example, if it attaches completely rigidly (no crush cans) then when you hit something you'll stop dead (literally, probably!) rather than the front end squishing and slowing you down gradually.

This is one of the reasons why I chose the ARB bar; I know they're very stringently tested.

Thanks Ed. Got pix of your rig?

_________________
[_|_, [""""""]
l--- L---ollllllo-
( )_)-( )_)-o-)_) Liberator

....o_o_o_o
../| ,[_____],
|¯¯¯L--↨|||||||↨
()_)¯ ()_) ¯¯¯ )_)

(\__/)
(='.'=) <]{
(")_(")

( . )( . )

Hare on my Chest

No worries.

Here's my KJ;
http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=1560