steel bullbars, airbags, kangaroos

Submitted: Thursday, Mar 02, 2006 at 19:54
ThreadID: 31343 Views:3624 Replies:10 FollowUps:8
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i have always been relatively confident with careful driving/sensible speeds at night through high roo areas as long as the front end has a steel bar reinforced with steel brush rails. the ute i bought yesterday has airbags and is the first ute with airbags i have ever owned....so , as those of you with similar setups brake and swerve slightly to avoid a collision with a roo, do you freak a little hopeing the airbags arent going to deploy on impact or can we be confident enough it would only happen with a more serious impact?
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Reply By: Member - Paul P (Bris) - Thursday, Mar 02, 2006 at 20:04

Thursday, Mar 02, 2006 at 20:04
Greetings

Last time I checked airbags sensor requires slightly more than 2G's deceleration before they deploy. Not a problem in all but accident situations.

Regards

Paul
AnswerID: 158154

Reply By: Exploder - Thursday, Mar 02, 2006 at 20:04

Thursday, Mar 02, 2006 at 20:04
I have airbag’s and my understanding is it is very unlikely for the airbag to deploy if you hit a Roo as it’s not a sustained impact, maybe if the point of impact was right in front of one of the airbag sensors it could go off then but you would have to be unlucky.

Yes I have braked or swerved for the odd roo a few times if the situation permits, I know you are not meant to but if you can avoid potential damage then why not.

AnswerID: 158155

Reply By: Member - Andrew W (SA) - Thursday, Mar 02, 2006 at 20:13

Thursday, Mar 02, 2006 at 20:13
On my Landcruiser the airbag sensors are attached to the panels. The bull bar is connected to the chassis rails and has a crumple zone arrangement, even then. (It is an ARB Sahara model, but I notice that the genuine Toyota bars also have one). So hitting a roo front on is unlikely to deploy the airbags - slightly side-on, on the other hand ... damn roos can't hop in straight lines if their lives depended on it.

I've never had the airbag deploy, but I'm usually more worried about my paying passengers reaction if I have hit and injured one. "Please put your hands over your eyes while I just reverse back a bit to see how it survived" (double speak for "put it out of it's misery") - I hate that, and do everything to avoid hitting them.

Ciao for now
Andrew.
AnswerID: 158160

Reply By: Wayne (NSW) - Thursday, Mar 02, 2006 at 20:19

Thursday, Mar 02, 2006 at 20:19
Russ,

I just Googled TJM and they have some info on air bags and bull bars.

Wayne
AnswerID: 158162

Reply By: russ36 - Thursday, Mar 02, 2006 at 20:20

Thursday, Mar 02, 2006 at 20:20
i always go back to make sure the job is finished,its doesnt take long,its what i would want someone to do for me
AnswerID: 158164

Follow Up By: japmel - Thursday, Mar 02, 2006 at 21:01

Thursday, Mar 02, 2006 at 21:01
Off topic..

But we just gotta know Russ, How are you going with your little drive off legal problem??

Regards
japmel
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FollowupID: 412559

Follow Up By: russ36 - Friday, Mar 03, 2006 at 04:45

Friday, Mar 03, 2006 at 04:45
japmel, all i should say at the moment is that i will definitly let you know
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FollowupID: 412650

Reply By: Member - Duncs - Thursday, Mar 02, 2006 at 21:24

Thursday, Mar 02, 2006 at 21:24
I have hit a couple of roos in the GU one of which was at low speed, he got up and ran away, and the other I was going pretty hard, he did not .

No airbag deployment

Duncs
AnswerID: 158183

Follow Up By: GEG - Thursday, Mar 02, 2006 at 22:39

Thursday, Mar 02, 2006 at 22:39
yeah me too.

I was doing 110 when 3 jumped onto the road in front of me...i did apply smooth pressure to the brake peddle and hit the roo side on...

Air bag did not deploy. but bull bar has been shoved slightly right, and the boot started to crumple a little...

Didnt stop to check the roo im sorry.. too late at night and there unusual people hanging around...but the roo seemed to hop away...
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Follow Up By: Michael ( Moss Vale NSW) - Friday, Mar 03, 2006 at 07:54

Friday, Mar 03, 2006 at 07:54
Even 3 roos would not have the mass to sett off the airbag.. I tee boned a Ford Falcon at about 40 kph some years ago and the Patrol airbag did not deploy!! I think they take some decent deceleration to set them off. Michael
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FollowupID: 412659

Reply By: Lone Wolf - Thursday, Mar 02, 2006 at 22:25

Thursday, Mar 02, 2006 at 22:25
Now, what was that song?

"Football, meatpies, kangaroos and Holden cars..."

That was in the late 70's I think.

Now, for the 2006 version...

"Bullbars, airbags, kangaroos and 4 wheel drives..."

Sorry, I hi-jacked your thread, but it had to be done....

Wolfie

AnswerID: 158214

Follow Up By: Member - Patrick (QLD) - Friday, Mar 03, 2006 at 09:58

Friday, Mar 03, 2006 at 09:58
Yeah Wolfie, that very thought went through my mind when I spied this thread. I was about to type in the same thing until I saw your reply.....Dratts!!

It was a very catchy jingle in its day.

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FollowupID: 412687

Reply By: Laura B - Thursday, Mar 02, 2006 at 22:35

Thursday, Mar 02, 2006 at 22:35
friend had air bagsgo off in an accident...cost $2500 to be put back in....

Laura B
AnswerID: 158218

Follow Up By: simple - Thursday, Mar 02, 2006 at 23:16

Thursday, Mar 02, 2006 at 23:16
but that was in a proper accident i would think, not hitting a roo with the bullbar.
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FollowupID: 412607

Follow Up By: Laura B - Friday, Mar 03, 2006 at 12:28

Friday, Mar 03, 2006 at 12:28
very true....i aim for the barstards.....i trust my bullbar will do its job plus i dont have airbags....hopefully will never need them!! I would rather hit than swerve and lose control in the dust and hit a tree or something!

Laura B
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FollowupID: 412741

Follow Up By: Laura B - Friday, Mar 03, 2006 at 12:31

Friday, Mar 03, 2006 at 12:31
not that i aim for them on the side of the road...just if they are in the way.....move skip!!

Laura B
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FollowupID: 412743

Reply By: russ36 - Friday, Mar 03, 2006 at 04:48

Friday, Mar 03, 2006 at 04:48
thanks 4 the replies
AnswerID: 158268

Reply By: Member - MrBitchi (QLD) - Friday, Mar 03, 2006 at 09:36

Friday, Mar 03, 2006 at 09:36
I'd be more concerned about the rigid steel bar transferring all the impact to the deformable chassis rails. A big roo could easily cause serious damage to a modern 4B fitted with a steel bar cause the bar's got no give.

Yeah the bar wouldn't bend but the chassis may well.
AnswerID: 158300

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