Airbags and aftermarket bumpers

Anyone have any information regarding the effectiveness of the that actuation of the front airbag when you put on an aftermarket front bumper? Any experience where there was a wreck and the airbags didn't work because of the bumper? Anything?

 

This is a good question, and I’m in for anyone else with experience who may chime in. I, too, would like to know.

 

Subbed

 

Yup. My air bag did not deploy. I was at dead stop and was rear ended and crushed the suv in front. My demello bumper protected my truck and there was no front end damage except for the bumper itself. Investigator said the semi lifted the rear of my truck and made the front nose dive into the suv in front of me. The airbag sensor is located at the lower portion of the bumper. And the nosedive prevented the sensor fr being activated. The bumper was pushed in at the upward angle so I guess he is right. He did say the bumper type isnt a factor as much as the scenario such as the nosedive. Also, my truck saved my butt. And was totaled. The suv in front was crushed all the way to the back seat (buick suv). Bottom line, the demello saved the entire front end...no body damage or front suspension problem.

 

We have a regular flow of our customers sending us pictures of their trucks/Suv's after an accident with our bumpers. The air bags seem to be working as designed. On smaller less violent impacts they do not deploy and on significant impacts they do deploy. My concern would be the bags pre-maturely deploying in a minor impact. The sensors work off inertia, or how fast the car comes to a stop. A thicker crash bar/bumper you would think would increase that factor but so far we haven't see that to be the case.

 

ARB are the only ones I have been able to find that are “airbag certified” due to Australian law is what I have heard.

not to say others won’t work, just ARB are certain to work as intended.

damn expensive.