Replacement bumpers and airbags
Thread Starter
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2006
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From: Bozeman, Montana
Okay, I just made a few calls to get me schooled on how the JK airbags work and here's the scoop. The two forward most bump pads on the JK front bumper are the crush cans. There are no electronic sensors or wiring of any kind in them and replacing your front bumper with an aftermarket one will NOT disable your airbag system.
All the crush cans are designed to do is to absorb a certain amount of impact before a collision reaches the frame. If the frame is hit, a gyro sensor in the center of the vehicle will swing forward activating the airbags. In essences, the crush cans help to regulate when to deploy your airbags. BUT... here's the kicker, in order for the crush cans to work, you would have to make direct impact with them. Needless to say, if you hit something like a pole dead on, you will miss the crush cans all together. Do you see where I'm going with this?
Bumpers like AEV's or Mopar's simply have the forward bump pads or crush cans built into them just like the factory bumpers and they will help the airbag system to know not to deploy under certain conditions but only if you hit them directly.
Bottom line is, buying an aftermarket bumper without these crush cans will NOT disable your airbags.
All the crush cans are designed to do is to absorb a certain amount of impact before a collision reaches the frame. If the frame is hit, a gyro sensor in the center of the vehicle will swing forward activating the airbags. In essences, the crush cans help to regulate when to deploy your airbags. BUT... here's the kicker, in order for the crush cans to work, you would have to make direct impact with them. Needless to say, if you hit something like a pole dead on, you will miss the crush cans all together. Do you see where I'm going with this?
Bumpers like AEV's or Mopar's simply have the forward bump pads or crush cans built into them just like the factory bumpers and they will help the airbag system to know not to deploy under certain conditions but only if you hit them directly.
Bottom line is, buying an aftermarket bumper without these crush cans will NOT disable your airbags.
For a minute I thought I was going to be stuck with the stock bumper. Beel
JK Newbie
Joined: Nov 2006
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Okay, I just made a few calls to get me schooled on how the JK airbags work and here's the scoop. The two forward most bump pads on the JK front bumper are the crush cans. There are no electronic sensors or wiring of any kind in them and replacing your front bumper with an aftermarket one will NOT disable your airbag system.
All the crush cans are designed to do is to absorb a certain amount of impact before a collision reaches the frame. If the frame is hit, a gyro sensor in the center of the vehicle will swing forward activating the airbags. In essences, the crush cans help to regulate when to deploy your airbags. BUT... here's the kicker, in order for the crush cans to work, you would have to make direct impact with them. Needless to say, if you hit something like a pole dead on, you will miss the crush cans all together. Do you see where I'm going with this?
Bumpers like AEV's or Mopar's simply have the forward bump pads or crush cans built into them just like the factory bumpers and they will help the airbag system to know not to deploy under certain conditions but only if you hit them directly.
Bottom line is, buying an aftermarket bumper without these crush cans will NOT disable your airbags.
All the crush cans are designed to do is to absorb a certain amount of impact before a collision reaches the frame. If the frame is hit, a gyro sensor in the center of the vehicle will swing forward activating the airbags. In essences, the crush cans help to regulate when to deploy your airbags. BUT... here's the kicker, in order for the crush cans to work, you would have to make direct impact with them. Needless to say, if you hit something like a pole dead on, you will miss the crush cans all together. Do you see where I'm going with this?
Bumpers like AEV's or Mopar's simply have the forward bump pads or crush cans built into them just like the factory bumpers and they will help the airbag system to know not to deploy under certain conditions but only if you hit them directly.
Bottom line is, buying an aftermarket bumper without these crush cans will NOT disable your airbags.
Well there you go. I could've saved 15 minutes of my life. 
And agreed - nice follow up Eddie!
Last edited by cwalker; Dec 15, 2006 at 08:32 AM.
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 254
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From: Scottsdale, AZ
Hmmm... I'd be willing to bet a six pack that the only reason for the airbag crush cans is to pass some silly government crash test that very strict controlled conditions... I just want my airbags to fire at the appropriate time!
Just like they did when that silly girl decided that my 04 Rubicon traveling at 40 MPH would somehow magically not really t-bone her Pontiac Sunbird passenger door when she turned left directly in front of me... Let me tell you, those babies deploy FAST.
But heck you do end up with a new JK...
Just like they did when that silly girl decided that my 04 Rubicon traveling at 40 MPH would somehow magically not really t-bone her Pontiac Sunbird passenger door when she turned left directly in front of me... Let me tell you, those babies deploy FAST.
But heck you do end up with a new JK...
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2006
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Hmmn! If the crush cans have no sensors attached and are in front of the bumper proper, it would seem that part of their purpose woud be to absorb a mild bumper to bumper impact with no damage to the bumper proper. You bump into somebody in stop and go traffic and little damage occurs (to your bumper). But then if you have a heavier steel bumper the same thing happens in a mild bumper to bumper collision. There is little damage to your bumper. (Of course, the VW is now in a world of hurt!)
What if we just duct taped some Campbel's soup cans to the aftermarket bumpers. Then we would be ready for a little bumper touching in traffic or lunch on the trail.
What if we just duct taped some Campbel's soup cans to the aftermarket bumpers. Then we would be ready for a little bumper touching in traffic or lunch on the trail.
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 254
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From: Scottsdale, AZ
If we duck taped beer cans (unopened ones) on there and then had some bumper touching, would that be considered an "open container"???
JK-Forum Founder
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Laguna Niguel, CA
JK-Forum Founder
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 36,534
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From: Laguna Niguel, CA
JK Enthusiast
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From: San Antonio TX
It is my understanding the crush cans really have nothing to do with the airbag system at all. They were designed to withstand and impact of 8mph or less without transferring the energy (or at least most of it) to the frame. If an impact occurs like this, the crush cans are disposable and replaceable for a theoretical cheaper repair. I think insurance industry research (lying bastards!!!) shows the majority of accidents are bumper-to-bumper rear enders in super slow traffic conditions.
What do you think???
What do you think???
JK Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 477
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From: U.S.S.A
hmm
I plan on welding up my own front brushguard and using the factory metal under all that plastic as my starting point. Anybody taken the plastic off to see what kinda metal is even under there? If so got any pics? Before I go to ripping mine off?