Thread: My new front bar

I wasn't actually going to remove them just the fuse for them, but i might just leave them be, I never heard of the seat belt thing either, prob just leave em be as I really don't wana mess up the electrics in the truck as like u say could be a Pandora's box type incedent, I'm more worried about getting my Ashcroft CDL kit in before the 19th as I wanted to go on the newnes trek with some of the guys off here so I can learn how to (and more so how not too) use the TC properly,

I have been going through this dilemma with myself for the past week.

I really like the First Four tube bar which is very similar to Dan's, but it is necessary to remove the crush cans to install the bar. Like Dan, I think if you start removing crush cans then my next step would be to disconnect the SRS.

While Will is correct that it takes a fair knock to set off the bags, the necessary force may be a lot less if you don't have crush cans fitted and I wouldn't want them going off with a little bump in the bush. While you are safer with SRS, and forgetting the legal implications, many of us drive Defenders, D1's and Rangies with no SRS fitted and no one complains.

However, because of the legal implications, I have decided to go the xrox bar route and stay ADR compliant.

The crush cans are removed for the xrox bar install as well.

Really!!!! So how are they still airbag compliant? Maybe the crush cans have little to do with the airbags then.

Originally Posted by walker

Really!!!! So how are they still airbag compliant? Maybe the crush cans have little to do with the airbags then.

The problem is that unless the Vehicle Manufacture approves the bull bar, the bar has to be crash tested to verify it doesn't interfere with the air bag system triggering. The lack of crash cans may have no bearing, but unless the manufacturer/importer has had the bar full scale barrier tested - which would require pranging a vehicle to test - it isn't certified. This is why the guys importing bars from the UK keep quiet about air bag compliance, or hide behind the "for competition/off road use only" disclaimer.

This is the VicRoads info on bull bars:

Vehicles fitted with an air bag or manufactured to comply
with Australian Design Rule (ADR) 69 or ADR 73, can only
be fitted with a bull bar which:-

• Has been certified by the vehicle manufacturer as
suitable for that vehicle; or,

• Has been demonstrated by the bull bar manufacturer
to not adversely affect the vehicle’s compliance with
ADR 69 or ADR 73 or interfere with any critical air bag
timing mechanism as the case may be.

Demonstration of compliance with ADR 69 or ADR 73
requires full scale barrier testing. Similarly demonstrating
that the critical air bag timing mechanism is not affected
when a bull bar is fitted may also require full scale barrier
testing.

ADR 69 applies to all new model passenger cars
manufactured on or after 1 July 1995.
ADR 73 applies to all new model passenger cars not
exceeding 2.5 tonnes GVM, manufactured on or after
1 January 2000.

I had to remove the crash cans out but only due to a lip off the side of the cans, as far as I could see I don't know what the crash cans have to do with the air bags, all the sensors for the air bags are behind the front grill? I may be mistaken but there were no sensors in or near the crash cans?

Dan, this may be worth reading...
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/discovery-...m-d2-work.html

Originally Posted by walker

Really!!!! So how are they still airbag compliant? Maybe the crush cans have little to do with the airbags then.

With the XROX, ARB and TJM bars the standard Land Rover crush cans are removed, however they are replaced with the manufacturers own crush cans to suit their specific bulbar.

And all of the above bars are certified airbag compliant by the manufacturer etc.