Quick, Cheap, Free, MATCHING Airbag Delete

[JKady]

(I'm not saying anyone should or shouldn't do this, I'm simply showing how I did it, it IS good for about an 8 pound drop and can be done in half an hour, including the 10 minute wait after disconnecting the battery that I like to do when working with Ford SRS systems)

I'm sure most are aware of the UPR airbag delete kit that is available, at IMO a pretty high price for what it is, and then you still have to paint it if your dash is anything but black. Being a shoe-string budget builder who likes a light bare bones car, I decided to look into making my own. Upon popping the passenger bag out of my car, the answer became rather obvious.

The cover over the airbag is what I was after, just wasn't sure how possible removal was. These covers are rivetted to the bag but held with a velcro like setup to the actual dash. Popped the bag out and with two quick slices had myself a perfect matching, perfect fitting delete cover.

The complete unit, the cover is actually held to the chassis of the bag with all those rivets, but I wasn't about to go drilling all those out, a quick slice top bottom with a pocket knife frees it from it's explosive home

And back in the car, you'd never know there's nothing behind it. It is floppy and flimsy when not installed but it's plenty sturdy when attached to the dash.

 

[Orange 94]

I would strongly discourage doing this. Airbags are not something to be tempered with. Not a good idea.

I would even discourage removing airbags unless you have a full out racecar with proper safety equipment.

If someone is to do this please recognize the risk of doing so. Airbags should be handled as explosives. Make sure the bag will not go off as to make it a projectile. (Such as having the bag front downwards, if the bag does go off it will become a projectile.)


Plus, now you've wasted a perfectly good airbag that someone else could have used. Could have gotten decent money for it. SN95 airbag supply is diminishing from accidents.

 

[DropTopPony]

I like it!

I have been thinking about buying a delete so my kids can sit in the passenger seat.

 

[Ferocious]

Great idea. I might go to a junkyard and do this to a black airbag to save some money because they would charge me alot for the airbag and all I need is the panel.

 

[JKady]

I would strongly discourage doing this. Airbags are not something to be tempered with. Not a good idea.

I would even discourage removing airbags unless you have a full out racecar with proper safety equipment.

If someone is to do this please recognize the risk of doing so. Airbags should be handled as explosives. Make sure the bag will not go off as to make it a projectile. (Such as having the bag front downwards, if the bag does go off it will become a projectile.)


Plus, now you've wasted a perfectly good airbag that someone else could have used. Could have gotten decent money for it. SN95 airbag supply is diminishing from accidents.

Air bags are not TNT, YES they are powerful, old gen 1 bags like these have the same explosive power as a 12 gauge shell, we launched one about 40 feet onto a roof in tech school as a demonstration of their power at a school car show. But, they are an electronic triggered device, basically inert once unplugged, which is the FIRST thing you should do when removing one if at all possible. Kinda like ammunition, in theory it could go off outside a gun, but it's pretty unlikely. I'm not saying you should do the removal with a cutting torch but airbags don't just go off without putting power to them. I'm a professional automotive technician, I handle airbags on a VERY regular basis and have yet to have one go off.

Like I said, I'm not saying anyone should or shouldn't do it, simply showing how I did it.

 

[Orange 94]

Yes generally airbags are safe to handle. But they deserve some respect. Not something I'd want to be handling near my face or have the CHANCE of going off. Its like a low risk game of Russian roulette. Not likely anything is going to go off, but not a game I'd like to play if possible.

I would not call them inert! Just because they're designed to go off electronically doesn't mean they're 100% safe once deactivated. There's a low chance, but don't take any chance with them. They are an explosive. Handle with care!

I don't think this is a good idea. They shouldnt be tempered with.

But regardless, if you're going to do this. Please handle it as safely as possible. Don't allow the chance to become a projective, don't place anything in front of them (including yourself/limbs)

 

[JKady]

Yes generally airbags are safe to handle. But they deserve some respect. Not something I'd want to be handling near my face or have the CHANCE of going off. Its like a low risk game of Russian roulette. Not likely anything is going to go off, but not a game I'd like to play if possible.

I would not call them inert! Just because they're designed to go off electronically doesn't mean they're 100% safe once deactivated. There's a low chance, but don't take any chance with them. They are an explosive. Handle with care!

I don't think this is a good idea. They shouldnt be tempered with.

But regardless, if you're going to do this. Please handle it as safely as possible. Don't allow the chance to become a projective, don't place anything in front of them (including yourself/limbs)

I agree with not placing yourself in front of them... that's why both of mine are on a shelf in the garage, :thumbsup:

Believe me, while I don't fear airbags I do have a healthy respect for what they can do. Also as far as having your face near them, you can be well clear while pulling these, since you do it from the bottom of the dash. I was actually laying on the floor for most of this process since my passenger seat is out at the moment.

 

[Orange 94]

Yes I'm aware of removal. I would just like members to be cautious while removing and handle the bags if they decide to do this project.

 

[Musturd]

This is how I did my air bag delete . Works awesome

 

[D3VST8R96GT]

I have my airbags sliding around in my trunk Lmao.... I used to be afraid of handling them..... but they survived a year there

 

[ElrodKTPQ_89]

Might have to do this since the air bag panel barely stays on as it is. I think someone just did a crappy job of replacing it before I owned the car.

 

[BigSkySN95]

So how do u turn off the airbag light on the dash?

 

[D3VST8R96GT]

So how do u turn off the airbag light on the dash?

Pull the bulb from the gauge cluster... ..

 

[BigSkySN95]

I tried that, then u get an annoying beeping sound every time you start your car for about 30 seconds

 

[JKady]

I tried that, then u get an annoying beeping sound every time you start your car for about 30 seconds

Remove the airbag fuses. I pulled the module as well since it served no purpose with no airbags in the car. Fuses were the first thing I removed followed by the crash sensors before I got into swapping the wheel and removing the passenger bag.

 

[D3VST8R96GT]

Yeah I never put crash sensors back on... Idk if I ever pulled the fuses.... and my module is gone no ringing for me.

 

[JKady]

Yeah I never put crash sensors back on... Idk if I ever pulled the fuses.... and my module is gone no ringing for me.

I pulled the fuses originally while I was doing other work for some reason and never put em back in, it never rang with the whole rest of the system still there, just had an airbag light. I'll probably pop my cluster out and get rid of the CEL and airbag lights tomorrow since both are on and I don't like looking at them.

 

[Kboss87]

Did this with a buddies car, and put the BS3 behind the panel.