Sweeps month warning on "grill guards"

[Crunch]

Saw a local news sweeps story on grill guards for trucks and SUVs a week or so ago. They weren't specific on brand or even truck manufacturer but they were down on grill guards for two reasons:



1. They claimed grill guards presented a danger to vehicle hit by trucks/SUVs equipped with them. My initial response was a politically incorrect, "Better them than me. " One of the reasons given was that the bumpers don't line up (they also hinted at coming laws governing bumper height) and the grill guards cave in large areas of the hit vehicle.



2. They present a danger to the owner of the truck/SUV equipped with a grill guard. No real biggie, but the reason was that the grill guard could affect the air bag sensor. In a collision the grill guard could keep the sensor from triggering the air bag and those in the cab could be injured because the air bag didn't deploy. The station did mention one manufacturer of grill guard that designed it with the air bag in mind, but I didn't catch the name or they didn't give it.

 

[Straight6Jeff]

The body shops love the cheap grill gaurds because even a light tap will crunch intot he hood and fenders. Most of the bolt on gaurds are so cheesy they don't affect the air bag operation. Aren't most airbag systems inertia switches? I know the older systems had the crumple sensors, but i though the systems for the past few years were inertia activated? If they are inertia activated, how would a grill gaurd affect the operation of the air bags. I had a dealer tell me that puttng the Reunel on my truck "eliminated all fo the factory crumple zones, and that I was not smart for changing the factory bumper" I related to him that the factory bumper was destroyed by less than a 5 mph impact. I also told him that the Factory Ford engineered the placement of the Pinto gas tank, so I don't have much faith in the factory... .

 

[CWheeler]

Airbags on newer vehicles are activated by deceleration (so, technically it is inertia activated). Older vehicles with airbags did have sensors on the front of the vehicle. So with that said, newer vehicles with an aftermarket bumper added should not apply!

 

[Jengle]

To borrow a line from a fellow TDR member... .



"You are my crumple zone. " Well said with Buckstops in place.

 

[Crunch]

Originally posted by CWheeler

Airbags on newer vehicles are activated by deceleration (so, technically it is inertia activated). Older vehicles with airbags did have sensors on the front of the vehicle. So with that said, newer vehicles with an aftermarket bumper added should not apply!

That makes sense. I wouldn't put it past a news crew to use an older vehicle for a report like this. Next thing you know they will be putting sparklers under the bodies of Chevy trucks to make the gas tank ignite in a side impact...

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

Originally posted by Jengle

"You are my crumple zone. " Well said with Buckstops in place.

:-laf :-laf :-laf :-laf



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[SMorneau]

The only two accidents I have been involved in in the last several years were caused by someone else rear ending me.



The close calls I have been involved in have all involved either small cars or middle aged women (who seem to have replaced young men for the most dangerous drivers). Two days ago I had a woman cut me off on a ramp and I had all four locked up and almost hit her in the side... she cut in at an extreme angle right in front of me and hit her brakes. So if my UTE bumper causes damage to these idiots that's great that is why I bought it.



I see no reason to put myself on "equal terms" with people who drive like they are suicidal. We as a society let way too many things pass for accidents. By the way, do you think the middle age woman with the death wish drives like that when her kids are in the car? If so how the hell are her kids going to drive when they get older?

 

[Sarge]

There have been height restrictions on vehicles for years. Many states enacted laws that govern how high a vehicle frame may be from the ground. It varies by the GVW of the rig. They were enacted after a recent such uproar about tall vehicles being dangerous to the mini car crowd... .

 

[gitchesum]

I totaled a Mercury Sable back in 2001 with a welded steel brushguard on the front of my truck. Hit it right in the right rear corner, pushed it into the left rear corner of the car in front of it. Kinked it bad enough to total it.



I not only drove it home, I only had a bent bumper and a crease on the left side fender just behind the turn signal.

 

[bighammer]

Originally posted by Crunch

Saw a local news sweeps story on grill guards for trucks and SUVs a week or so ago. They weren't specific on brand or even truck manufacturer but they were down on grill guards for two reasons:

Whew, glad I went for full replacements.

 

[duaneparks]

Originally posted by Steve St. Laurent

:-laf :-laf :-laf :-laf



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[DJW]

Just a thought, I'm sure you inform your auto insurance coy. when you add aftermarket parts or alter your vehicle, ins. coys. certainly like to avoid parting with money and like to protect their Ass-ets. If you do own anything of value, perhaps it's best to talk to your ins. agent. Ignorance is a poor defence. Scrum Down