2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission New Heavy Bumper vs. Air Bag Sensor

[bry1216]

Simple question but probably going to activate a lot of sensitivity.



:-{}



OK. What would happen if I take off the light weight cheap bumper on a 1999 Dodge Ram Quad Diesel and replace it with a new heavy gauge, ranch built, 2 inch casing, Cadillac destroying bumper.



Ya know the kind that weighs 250lbs, hold a real big wench, get a scratch but the other guys Cadillac now looks like the old Gremlin.



Is the weight represented in force on the end of the frame going to set off the Air Bag sensor?







Make you wanna go... . hmmmmm



Thanks for a ideas!

 

[fkovalski]

I believe that nothing will change. The sensor reacts independent from the mass of the vehicle.



If the vehicle has a sudden deceleration, then the sensor will activate.

 

[JR2]

Well what is going to happen is absolutly nothing changes. The airbag sensor is in your cab down on the floor on the transmission hump. As Fkovakski said its a sunnden decel that sets them off, the weight of the truck has nothiing to do with it.

 

[CPG]

The sensor will not be effected. I have a 270lb. non/winch Reunel bumper on the front of my 250 CTD. Still have the OEM shocks. No problems and steers more positive.

These bumpers have excellant quality and welding but are not cheap. 10 bolts and a saddle mount holds them on useing the existent holes. Real happy with it. Sure beats the chewing gum rapper bumper that is OEM.

 

[fkovalski]

The "sudden deceleration" may take longer with more mass moving at a given speed. It will take a 'bigger tree' or a 'bigger Caddilac' (i. e. more mass in the opposite direction) for the sensor to interperet the slow down.

 

[CSnyder]

I experienced an impact with my homemade "Ranchhand" bumper back in March that didnt set my airbags off. I was hooked to my 32 foot gooseneck trailer and loaded to max weight with farm equipment sitting in a parking lot waiting for the owner to show up and unload me when a lazy SOB that worked there decided not to scrape the frost from his windshield on the bosses brand new 06 3500 Cummins and came flying into the parking lot about 35 mph and hit my truck head on. I was standing outside looking at equipment in their lot and watched it happen and seen my truck and trailer get pushed about 3 feet with the truck running and the brakes locked. The steam was coming from everywhere on his truck and it blew his airbags, wrinkled his entire front clip, took out the radiator and intercooler and everything else in the grille area as well as rolled the edges on the front doors and cracked the windshield. A good look at my truck showed a shifted bumper, about 2 inches to the left front and a popped out marker turn lense. I would have been sure the airbags would have blown but they didnt but I drove home with caution thinking they were going to be delayed. After my incident I have NO intentions of removing it and Ive hit about 8 deer since with no damage to my truck. Hope this helps, Chris

 

[fkovalski]

... . The sensor reacts independent from the mass of the vehicle. .

I am re- clarrifying this situation based a bit on Chris' above post. The sensor does still react independently from the mass of the vehicle, but the rate of deceleration (or acceleration in Chris' scenerio) WILL change with respect to the mass of the vehicle. i. e. - the heavier the vehicle (by virtue of a bigger bumper,) the more energy from another vehicle will be needed to trip the sensor.



So... back to the question in the original post:



Is the weight represented in force on the end of the frame going to set off the Air Bag sensor?



The weight of the larger bumper by itself will not set off the air bag sensor, but it will change the way it needs to be set off in an accident situation.

 

[Timbeaux38]

I experienced an impact with my homemade "Ranchhand" bumper back in March that didnt set my airbags off. I was hooked to my 32 foot gooseneck trailer and loaded to max weight with farm equipment sitting in a parking lot waiting for the owner to show up and unload me when a lazy SOB that worked there decided not to scrape the frost from his windshield on the bosses brand new 06 3500 Cummins and came flying into the parking lot about 35 mph and hit my truck head on. I was standing outside looking at equipment in their lot and watched it happen and seen my truck and trailer get pushed about 3 feet with the truck running and the brakes locked. The steam was coming from everywhere on his truck and it blew his airbags, wrinkled his entire front clip, took out the radiator and intercooler and everything else in the grille area as well as rolled the edges on the front doors and cracked the windshield. A good look at my truck showed a shifted bumper, about 2 inches to the left front and a popped out marker turn lense. I would have been sure the airbags would have blown but they didnt but I drove home with caution thinking they were going to be delayed. After my incident I have NO intentions of removing it and Ive hit about 8 deer since with no damage to my truck. Hope this helps, Chris

Probably didnt go off because you can't decelerate from a stop. If that in fact is how the sensor determines imapact

 

[fkovalski]

Probably didnt go off because you can't decelerate from a stop. If that in fact is how the sensor determines imapact

But if it accelerates from a stop (the sensor being a pendulum)... should it still trip it?

 

[DieselDoghouse]

With more weight it would take (a little) more force to trigger the ABS, but with the beefier bumper, who cares?? Seriously, as per my signature, have been running a Pro Zapp (love it) with M15000, heavier front springs, for about 150,000 miles at least and no problems!!

 

[bry1216]

Air Bags and After Market Heavy Bumpers!

Thanks for the replies! Oo.

 

[Regcabguy]

ARB=airbag compatible.

I don't know if this helps but ARB claims their product is "airbag compliant". You can read their claims on the website.

 

[bighammer]

I might be way of base, but I think having the extra HD, massive front-end replacement bumper makes the airbags MORE sensitive. Less crumple zone = quicker impact response from sensors. (haven't tried out my theeory yet, though )

 

[NHays]

The airbag sensor is in your cab down on the floor on the transmission hump.

There are two front impact sensors on these trucks. They are right under and forward of both batteries. Just to the inside of the headlights, the little black boxes with three bolts holding them to the body. They are sometimes called crush sensors. Putting a bumper of any type on won't harm the sensors or make them not work. Oo.