Can I fit a winch bumper to air bag equiped Disco?

[auf_wiedersehen_pet]

Hi All,

Can I fit a winch bumper to air bag equiped Disco? Will the air bag still work or does it rely on the bumper deforming in a shunt?

Cheers

Rob
 :lol:

[Range Rover Blues]

Depending which Disco you either have the remote sensor system or the central sensor sistem.  Either will still work though obvioulsy you will be loosing the crush cans on a 300TDi or Disco 2 so you might find they go off at a lower speed, ican only guess at that.

It may be adviseable to remove the battery for an hour or so before you start work though

[auf_wiedersehen_pet]

Hi Range Rover Blues,

How do I know which system I have? Mine is a 95 300TDi Auto.

When I put my mind to it I can be really dense - why do I need to remove the battery for so long before?

Cheers.

Rob.

[Range Rover Blues]

I'm guessing you have remote sensors then.  Look for a yellow wiring cover going to the back of each headlight where you will find an Orange box, bigger than a matchbox.  This is the sensor.

Because you will be offering up a big chunk of steel tot he front of your car, in close proximety to the sensor it is an outside possiblity that you will trigger the airbags, either at that monent or later when you start the car. For your peace of mind you need to dissable the system and allow any charge built up within the electronics to dissipate for a while.

On Mondeos I was told it's 3 hours (for which you arte being charged0 becasue the seat-belt pre-tensioners fire a steel bolt out of the bottom of the car, a mechanic was shot by one :shock:

[simdeb]

check with your insurance company as they can be funny with any different bumpers with cars with airbags (their red tape thingy)  told a friend of mine that it was not factory fitted so would not insure them any longer!!!!

[auf_wiedersehen_pet]

Cheers Guys,

Not as easy as I first thought.

I'd love to hear from anyone who ha done this, there must be loads of you out there.

What did the insurance say?

Cheers.

Rob.

[Budgie]

I know it's alot more money but, if you want to do it properly then you can go for an ARB winch bumper. They make one for the 300 Disco with airbags, although I think these have the crush cans built in so they may not be for your Disco.

If you give Devon 4x4 a ring then they will be able to tell you and it may also keep you insurance company sweet.  

[Jason2985]

:D
I have replaced my bumper with a winch bumper.
I have airbags fitted to my Disco.
The winch bumper is a flush fit type.
Told my insurance, no probs!

Jay

[Steven]

Thats looks neat and tidy Jay!  8)

[auf_wiedersehen_pet]

Thats looks neat and tidy Jay!  

I agree. Where did you get it from and how much did it cost?

Cheers

Rob

[Thrasher]

When I remodelled Missroadrages rear end my airbags didn't go off, and that was me accelerating into a stationary vehicle - pushed my bumper upwards etc.

Mine is a '97 ES : spec at http://www.pigletsplace.com

Back in 1998/99 I went to get it checked by the dealer when I fitted my first winch bumper and they confirmed that the winch bumper would *not* affect the air bag deployment (i.e. bring them in earlier or at lower speed)

[Skibum346]

Back in 1998/99 I went to get it checked by the dealer when I fitted my first winch bumper and they confirmed that the winch bumper would *not* affect the air bag deployment (i.e. bring them in earlier or at lower speed)

Question is... does it prevent them going off cuz the sensors don't react...?

[Thrasher]

There are no "sensors" at the bumper end .... not on mine. I have a little box of crystals under the cubby box ISTR, if a force travels down both chassis legs, the crystals are agitated and kerboom (there might be auxilliary "packs" in the sides - I can't remember- will read RAVE later. The other style has a BIG yellow wire running to the front of the engine bay ... not sure how that one works as it's not the system I have :-)

[Skibum346]

There are no "sensors" at the bumper end .... not on mine. I have a little box of crystals under the cubby box ISTR, if a force travels down both chassis legs, the crystals are agitated and kerboom (there might be auxilliary "packs" in the sides - I can't remember- will read RAVE later. The other style has a BIG yellow wire running to the front of the engine bay ... not sure how that one works as it's not the system I have :-)

Hmmm... crystals that go KABOOM....?

Sounds like your carrying some gellignite!

Hope you have the necessary hazmat stickers and COSHH certification!   :lol:

[Jason2985]

Thats looks neat and tidy Jay!  

I agree. Where did you get it from and how much did it cost?

Cheers

Rob

Cheers.
Its a one off from Guardian off road products, i say one off as this is the proto type.
The final version for release will be available soon.
Contact Guardian on this tinternet site.
As for the price, as it was the proto type i got it for a good price.
Not sure how much the final version will be but will be competative.

Jay

[Guardian.]

my new salesman! :lol:  :lol:  :lol:
while were on the subject, had the second build in today (tapered type), again they have buttered up the wrap around wing bit, but im sure they will get it right pretty soon. that gets me onto... read my deal in the for sale section!

[Range Rover Blues]

There are no "sensors" at the bumper end .... not on mine. I have a little box of crystals under the cubby box ISTR, if a force travels down both chassis legs, the crystals are agitated and kerboom (there might be auxilliary "packs" in the sides - I can't remember- will read RAVE later. The other style has a BIG yellow wire running to the front of the engine bay ... not sure how that one works as it's not the system I have :-)

I'm only guessing but I think yours is the later type with central sensor, the early type had one sensor behind each headlight.  They are Orange and the wirng is yellow.

[auf_wiedersehen_pet]

Hi,

Mine is the older system which you describe - it has orange boxes behind each headlight and a thick yellow wire from each one which is labelled Air Bag Sensor Loom - Kinda gives it away doesn't it.

Will this make any difference to fitting a winch bumper.

Cheers

Rob.

[muddyjames]

My 95 300tdi auto has sensors behind each headlight. 1 thing you could do is unplug each sensor!!!

My air bags dont work since the battery was disconected year and a half ago. I have the abs light always on flickering away. Passes the mot each time.

Just an idea

[Tyke]

I've got the sensors behind the headlights with a winch bumper fitted and after a few good clouts from rocks and good pulls from the winch etc, it ain't pop the bags . . . yet.


But hey . . . . theres time . . .




The penalty for not disconnecting the battery for a couple hours, before  messing about with the air bag system is what the dealers will charge you to clear the faults from the ECU or the mot fail when the warning light refuses to go off . . . unless your are James . . .  

[spy]

Air bag warning light isnt an MOT fail.  ABS light is though...

[muddyjames]

The penalty for not disconnecting the battery for a couple hours, before  messing about with the air bag system is what the dealers will charge you to clear the faults from the ECU or the mot fail when the warning light refuses to go off . . . unless your are James . . .  

My warning light is a xmas tree with multi function setting.

Some times it says on solid, sometimes the left hand S or SRS faintly flashes, sometimes the right S or occassionaly just for an extra function the whole SRS faintly flashes on and off. I am thinking maybe getting it reset soon so I have 1 less light on the dash but then again, where will be the fun in removing such a twinkly flashy light :lol:

[Evilgoat]

It shouldnt make any odds is the short answer.

The sensors on these systems detect deceleration. the reason for disconnecting and powering the system off is to prevent a clout on the headlamps setting the system off. It shouldnt be possible to set off the airbag in a a stationary, powered down car but it can and does happen. Standard procedure is a couple of hours, but I've seen three mentioned before too.

The early US systems had a punger/switch/dohickey behind the bumper or in the mounts that meant a well placed kick would set the things off. This is the reason I paid £ to have the audi's removed BUT these were never approved in the UK. Its also the system Thrasher describes (mechanical/chemical) and AFAIK no UK veichle has ever had this system.

[Range Rover Blues]

It shouldnt make any odds is the short answer.



The early US systems had a punger/switch/dohickey behind the bumper or in the mounts that meant a well placed kick would set the things off. This is the reason I paid £ to have the audi's removed BUT these were never approved in the UK. Its also the system Thrasher describes (mechanical/chemical) and AFAIK no UK veichle has ever had this system.

Which system mate, there are 2 types in use in the UK, the cetrally sensed one that I think Thrasher has and the remoter sensed one, 2 orange blocks at the end of yellow wires