Offroad bumper and crash performance?
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Thai
Elite Member
Unfortunately, most aftermarket bumpers are NOT crash tested. I think that only ARB claims that they do crash test their bumpers to make sure that it complies with governement regulations...you may want to email them.
A rock hiding in the brush on an overgrown trail reached out and touched me yesterday and messed up the corner of the plastic bumper cover and ripped the (removable) lower plastic facade on one door. (Damn thing didn't see it on the way in or on the way back out the trail, but it got me on the way out).
So, now I either need to buy a new plastic bumper facade and install it, or get an aftermarket bumper. 80% of my driving is highway and backroads. The other 20% is city and offroad.
So, now I either need to buy a new plastic bumper facade and install it, or get an aftermarket bumper. 80% of my driving is highway and backroads. The other 20% is city and offroad.
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Thai
Elite Member
Josh, can you give us more details on this accident? I think that the front airbag deployment depends on two factors: 1. frontal end crush distance (how far back did the front end collapse via crush zone in the accident); and 2. rate of DECELERATION. Just slowly crashing into something will not deploy the airbags...there must be forceful deceleration of the vehicle for it to deploy.
I would think that a direct hit of something at 25-30 mph should deploy the front airbags???/
HB 4X4
New member
Sure, here's the thread:
http://www.toyota120.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2723&highlight=shrockworks+accident
The driver of the minivan did not have his brake lights on even though they were almost at a stop. They hit at about 30mph.
Thai
Elite Member
Not a fair comparison...the minivan hatch WAS THE AIRBAG!
Thanks for the linky. Wow, now, i am not sure if these bumpers are good or bad in a crash. I guess that it is good in these light crashes where these steel bumpers prevent damages, but in a faster (more traumatic) crash, will the aftermarket bumper prevent the airbags and crumple zones from working appropriately? For this very reason, i think that ARB bumper would be my choice IF i was going down that route of modification.
HB 4X4
New member
Not a fair comparison...the minivan hatch WAS THE AIRBAG!
Are they any tests for the ARB either? I doubt it would be much different since they are both plate bumpers with similar mounting.
offshorebear
New member
Airbags are deployed by decelerometers. If anything a solid steel bumper will cause the airbags to go off easier in minor accidents.
T
ToyTech99
Guest
Most airbag crash sensors are so simple that you guys would probably be surprised if you ever had the chance to take one apart.
Most crash sensors are nothing but a small steel ball (usually gold plated) held by a magnet. If the force of a crash is great enough to dislodge the ball from the magnet, then the airbag is deployed. In reality, it's a little bit more complicated then that, but the idea is the same. All vehicles have both crash sensors and safing sensors. In order for the airbags to deploy, at least one safing sensor must also trigger in addition to a crash sensor.
I believe most car manufacturers design their sensors to trigger at about 7G's of force.
eskimochaos
Banned
You are correct, the 4runner and land cruiser's airbags are deployed based on the rate of decelleration. There are no crush/crumple sensors at all. You could hit a civic at 70mph but if there is not enough rapid decelleration then the airbags wont go off.
After an accident, many are surprised that airbags didnt deploy.
T
ToyTech99
Guest
You're right that there are no crush/crumple sensors, but there are crush/crumple zones built into the vehicle itself. And those crumple zones do play a part in deceleration of the vehicle in a collision. Imagine if the entire vehicle was made up of a solid piece of steel, and it collides with a thick steel wall. The deceleration of the airbag sensors would be more rapid than they would be if the vehicle had crumple zones built into it's design.
proudrunner
New member
I don't think nothing would be better than oem when it comes to normal road driving. But of course when you are offroad there are huge benefits, such as angles, strenght of front bumper, winch, ect.... As of now I am a bit hesitant on getting shrockworks or any other bumper for that matter, reason being I have a little girl. There is one bumper out there that is available for the 3rd gen runner for the limited models with the wide fender flares that is air bag compliant and that is the arb sahara bar #3921030. Even the arb bar #3421010 is not air bag compliant there web site states this.
