Crash safety re: brush guards

The crumple zone of an automobile is a structural feature designed to compress during an accident to absorb deformation and energy from the impact. So how do after market bumpers and brush guards effect this ? anyone have any experiences with this. Do these after market bumpers make you safer in an accident or prevent your vehicle from doing what it was designed to do in a crash ? are there any tests out there that have been conducted ?

 

When I had my westin brushguard I spun into a guardrail and the brushguard held up very well. the brackets absorbed most of the "energy"

 

somone correct me if im wrong, I dont believe that you are altering any of the crumple zones, so they should still work as advertised. you are adding an extra energy absorbant material to the front (Bull bar will crush if impacted hard enough, thus absorbing energy before the crumple zones are needed).

 

Uh oh...what about westin bull bars?

 

It's not the crumple zones... it's the airbag sensors.

Depending on where the sensors are on each vehicle, having heavy duty bumpers could prevent the airbags sensors from detecting the full amount of force being applied thus preventing it from going off when it should.

Most bumper manufacturers adversite as being 'airbag compatible'. I would NOT buy a front bumper that can't say they are airbag compatible.

As for bullbars/brush guards.... they're not structural at all. So, I can't see them inhibiting your airbag sensors.

 

I would have to think no mfg. is going to take a new truck install their bumper or brush guard and run it through the NTSB crash test.
Kinda pricy ( I bet the testing costs more than the truck that will be sacrificed).

So if that is the main reason not to put one on I would say don't do it.
No one can say if putting a much stiffer bumper on the front will hurt or help for sure.

If you alter the truck at all it will change how it acts in a crash, even lifting it or putting larger tires on will change it so I guess common sense will make your decision.

My Rentless Fab bumper is due today so I guess I have made my decision!!!