# Air Bags On or Off???



## rogerrc (Dec 6, 2005)

This is my first time on this site.
My son an I are new to snow plowing. Have a Boss Plow, F-350 diesel.
Someone said we should we disconnect the air bags before snow plowing.
It that true? If so, How?? 
rogerrc


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## MOW ME OVER (Jan 30, 2004)

I have heard people say that before also but have never read or heard of anybody having their airbags deploy when plowing. I have 02 F350 myself and did a really rough road last year a couple of times and never had a air bag problem. The road was so rough with bumps and un even alshalt that the blade tripped forward a couple times on me when moving at 8 or 10mph. The way I see it is if you hit something stationary really hard the blade should trip before you would have a air bag deployment problem. Remember that it takes a colision of approxomately 28mph combined head on for the bags to deploy.


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## JElmWin (Jan 10, 2004)

If air bags were that sensitive then truck dealers wouldn't install plows! Next, if you actually hit something hard enough to deploy bags you'd want them to deploy. (I still think you should read other thread).


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## Ken1zk (Dec 19, 2004)

rogerrc said:


> This is my first time on this site.
> My son an I are new to snow plowing. Have a Boss Plow, F-350 diesel.
> Someone said we should we disconnect the air bags before snow plowing.
> It that true? If so, How??
> rogerrc


The air bag system in run by a computer which takes readings from a number of sensors. All the proper conditions must be meet to deploy the air bag. As already stated, if a snowplow blade tripping was enough to deploy the air bag no dealer would mount one on an air bag equipped truck.

Keep in mind that if you disable any safety system, and subsequently are involved in a crash, your insurance company will most likely try to get out of the claim without paying you one red cent since you helped to create the conditions leading to your own injuries.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

Not sure on the fords (I've said this before) but on the Dodges there are no censers in the bumpers and I doubt there are in the new fords eather.
The air bags are controlled by a Central inertia censer, there are not a bunch of censers to go bad of set off. If they were in the bumpers you would see bright yellow wires going to the censers and caution stickers stuck to the back of the bumper.


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## mr.plow 2 (Oct 20, 2005)

last year had a 18" storm i had a 02 ford superduty and the air bags poped on me the dealer said that it had two much snow packed up under the truck the air bag broke my arm i think you could leave them on just watch for snow pack under truck :waving:


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## ratlover (May 5, 2003)

Snow packed under your truck and the airbag went off and broke your arm?

Leave em on and buckle up. JMO


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## JElmWin (Jan 10, 2004)

Any chance you're one of those drivers that keeps his hand at 12 o'clock? I usually plow with hands at 4 or 8.


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## Snow-B-Gone (Sep 20, 2005)

I heard this back in '94 when I first started plowing.......urban myth 

If you are deploying the airbag when you hit a bank, yuo are abusing you equipment and won't stay in the business long.........slow and easy


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## GripTruk (Dec 1, 2003)

rogerrc said:


> Someone said we should we disconnect the air bags before snow plowing.
> It that true? If so, How??
> rogerrc


Someone was wrong.

leave them on, AND keep your seatbelt on!

-jer


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## nextdoorlabor (Aug 16, 2005)

i agree... depending on the manufacturer it takes roughtly a 28 mph collission to deploy airbags, if you were to hit a bank so hard as to deploy them badboys it probably would be necessary to have them pop... i once knew a guy who did tough truck competitions with his bronco and his airbags only popped when he hit a jump at 40mph and caught sick air, he was glad they popped cause he needed them to keep from breaking his face. if the truck comes equipped with airbags and a plow package, theres no reason for them to pop, and if they do it means ur just a crazy mofo like myself and u must be pile driving snow off the lot (which in no means is cowardly, but will harm ur equipment rapidly). plow smart and keep ur heads up, and like someone stated, keep ur hands at 4 and 8, and they will be wide enought to avoid any airbag explosion (keep in mind its an explosive device that deploys the airbags) cause u dont want to get in the way of that... much love and goodluck plowing brother


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## Crash935 (Sep 3, 2003)

Have installed plows on pretty much every thing and have yet to find any type of air bag sensor from the front axle forward.


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

Crash935 said:


> Have installed plows on pretty much every thing and have yet to find any type of air bag sensor from the front axle forward.


I don't think you will find any any where.

Becaus there are no sencers. Just ONE and it is located in the air bag controler. It is usially under the dash or it's mounted to the tranney tunnel under the dash. You can follow the power wires or the air bag wires right to it. There will not be any wires running to your bumpers or frame for the air bags.


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## douglasl330 (Oct 4, 2005)

Okay--Last Friday--My brother-in law was plowing with a 99 f-350 PSD and guess what happened! Going along and the air bags deployed!!! Not an urban legend!! Road plowing ---he was doing about 20MPH. he thinks just hit a little bump(sewer cover?). Not one that lifted the blade way off the ground or anything and they deployed. Scared the Crap out of him and his 8 year old. It can happen! No one got hurt, but how much damage do you think the truck will have? Both airbags have to be at least a couple of grand, an windshield. If I can get pics I will! He cut the air bags out so he could finish the storm. Motto--Go Slow!!!

Think Snow:redbounce


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## SnoFarmer (Oct 15, 2004)

The ins, co, will total it.
I thought you needed to stay under 15 to 20 MPH looks more like 15 mph.
Think about it, a dead stop at what is reported at 20MPH is a good hit.


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## douglasl330 (Oct 4, 2005)

The sad thing is he didn't come to a dead stop! So the sensor could have been bad? The truck earlier in the day hit hard that the blade went way up, so he says this was a nothing little bump he doesn't think it tripped the edge all the way! I am figuring about 4K in damage-- truck is still worth about 18 as she sits so I don't think she'll be totalled.:bluebounc She was in a ditch a year back and the air bags didn't deploy! The sad thing is it has a dash key switch to sut the pass side off--Probably should have! hindsight is always 20/20


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## golden arches (Oct 30, 2003)

If he was in a ditch with it last year, whoever fixed it may have done something. I've never heard of anyone having an airbag deploy while plowing except in a major collision. Dealer told me that if you have the snow plow package on your truck, the sensor is adjust to compensate for the stress the plow puts on the truck. 

I agree with the majority... leave them on, buckle up and hands at the 4 and 8 position.


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## Ken1zk (Dec 19, 2004)

SnoFarmer said:


> I don't think you will find any any where.
> 
> Becaus there are no sencers. Just ONE and it is located in the air bag controler. It is usially under the dash or it's mounted to the tranney tunnel under the dash. You can follow the power wires or the air bag wires right to it. There will not be any wires running to your bumpers or frame for the air bags.


As it was explained to me by the dealer,
"The central supplemental restraint computer takes readings from the main cpu that oversees all on board systems, sensors in the transmission, breaking system, and engine in addition to inertia measured in the air bag controller. Bumper sensors have gone to the wayside but there are others which very with make and model. Accidental deployment is nil in daily use including operation as a snow plow." Thats according to the Chevy dealer anyway.


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## wedge88 (Dec 7, 2005)

I hit a car that ran a red light last year head on at 35 mph and airbags did not deploy.


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## CamLand (Mar 12, 2003)

Bags on when working but passenger side turned off when kids are in truck...


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## markq (Sep 22, 2005)

*.......*

for what its worth.....

I spoke directly to GM about this, and since I'm a paranoid *******, I called 4 times and talked to 4 different techs. I managed to get pretty much the same answer from all of them.

Per GM - the airbags require several perameters to be met before they can deploy - the relevant parameter to this discussion is that the vehicle must be going at least 14mph in order for the airbags to deploy.

I know that GM is not know for their knowledgible tech support (I know from experience - I've gotten faulty info a few times) but I did get the same answer 4 different times, so that kinda led me to believe that just maybe they were right.

ok....now everyone that knows more about it can tell me how wrong I am.


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