Should I worry about my airbags when off roading?

Heavy 5.7 · March 12, 2017

Okay so I am thinking unless I can find a reason NOT to pull the fuse when heading "inawoods" I will do so.

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I'm not so sure that simply removing the fuse will totally disable the system. If there are caps and stuff you have to somehow remove the charge and hopefully not have it pop when you reapply power. SRS can be very dangerous if not handled correctly.

MrNasty · March 12, 2017

I have a 2015 and have taken it through some pretty rough country and nothing went off. I took it slow because as I said it was pretty rough, so speed may play a part in it as well.

MrSteam · March 13, 2017

I'm not so sure that simply removing the fuse will totally disable the system. If there are caps and stuff you have to somehow remove the charge and hopefully not have it pop when you reapply power. SRS can be very dangerous if not handled correctly.

Good Point! Believe me its not something I want to do. I just want to be able to drive the damn with without worrying about it.

I have a 2015 and have taken it through some pretty rough country and nothing went off. I took it slow because as I said it was pretty rough, so speed may play a part in it as well.

Well That is good to hear.

Thanks for the replies guys

Madcow2020 · March 13, 2017

I have a 2015 and took it out to Big Bend state park and had no airbag deployments. I took some pretty hard drops but at very low speeds and some pretty of camber approaches and descents over 26 miles in. Air bags are also designed not to deploy when under a certain speed I don't know if that applies to roll overs or not. However I think raptors have a switch to turn off the airbags. That would be nice to have.

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MrSteam · March 13, 2017

Great picture. I would love to go there.

I wish we had a switch like that. But I am sure someone would turn them off, roll their truck and file a law suit for $1,000,000.

tnchevy · March 13, 2017

We have a few of the 2014+ silvys in our fleet and we are off road just about every day and beat the crap out of the trucks with no air bags deployed yet. If you are truly worried about it then you need to be making some phone calls to somebody who knows about this stuff instead of relying on some guys in a forum to give you the answer you are looking for (which is OK). Maybe there is an option of removing the air bags and/or permanently turning off the sensor to the side air bags, who knows. Also a full size truck is pretty much a joke when it comes to "off road". I get paid to take a full size ext cab truck to places most would never attempt but if I had my choice it would be a jeep wrangler or and 2004 or earlier Tacoma or 4runner.

MrSteam · March 14, 2017

We have a few of the 2014+ silvys in our fleet and we are off road just about every day and beat the crap out of the trucks with no air bags deployed yet. If you are truly worried about it then you need to be making some phone calls to somebody who knows about this stuff instead of relying on some guys in a forum to give you the answer you are looking for (which is OK). Maybe there is an option of removing the air bags and/or permanently turning off the sensor to the side air bags, who knows. Also a full size truck is pretty much a joke when it comes to "off road". I get paid to take a full size ext cab truck to places most would never attempt but if I had my choice it would be a jeep wrangler or and 2004 or earlier Tacoma or 4runner.

I would love to talk to someone who really know this system but am unsure where they maybe found. Also this forum seems to be a good source of info. Have not seen any "Mall Ninjas" or "Boy Racers". So I figured this was a good place to start.

I know a 5200lb truck is not ideal to be sure for off roading. I just need to be able to move lots of gear to hard to reach places. Not looking to go "Muddin" to be sure.

Am I to guess that you work in an industrial environment and drive company trucks? As someone who once worked as a cable guy I know that is the hardest test a truck can face. LOL

Jerry's Denali · March 14, 2017

2002 and up GM 1500's will deploy airbags at 9mph and up, under that speed you are okay.

2007-2017 JEEP Wranglers it is 8-12MPH, not sure of the criteria for that minimum speed gap.

Those are the only 2 I know.

tnchevy · March 14, 2017

I would love to talk to someone who really know this system but am unsure where they maybe found. Also this forum seems to be a good source of info. Have not seen any "Mall Ninjas" or "Boy Racers". So I figured this was a good place to start.

I know a 5200lb truck is not ideal to be sure for off roading. I just need to be able to move lots of gear to hard to reach places. Not looking to go "Muddin" to be sure.

Am I to guess that you work in an industrial environment and drive company trucks? As someone who once worked as a cable guy I know that is the hardest test a truck can face. LOL

I don't think you have anything to worry about unless you are doing some extreme off-roading. You are correct that what I do for a living puts trucks in rough places (timber buyer) but myself and the guys I work with have never had a problem with air bags deploying. The biggest problem we have had out of the 2014 and u[ half ton chevys in our fleet is poor front ground clearance/approach angle. We don't have as big a problem out of the ford and dodge half tons bet even those brands are worse in that department than they used to be. All 3 manufacturers put much softer front suspension in them and when we put on a brush guard and a winch it lower the already low front bumper down another inch or two. Too make things worse GM has quit putting on real skid plates on their half tons and as a result we have had two silvys get a busted oil pan and in all my years of doing what I do we have never had that happen. The guys in the silvys have had to get the 2 inch spacers put in the front to be able to go the places they used to go with half tons in the past. It is not just a GM thing, the half ton truck has basically become a grocery getter IMO and one may need to go up to a 3/4 ton if they want what they had out of half tons in the past.

MrSteam · March 14, 2017

2002 and up GM 1500's will deploy airbags at 9mph and up, under that speed you are okay.

2007-2017 JEEP Wranglers it is 8-12MPH, not sure of the criteria for that minimum speed gap.

Those are the only 2 I know.

Great Info. Thank you.

I don't think you have anything to worry about unless you are doing some extreme off-roading. You are correct that what I do for a living puts trucks in rough places (timber buyer) but myself and the guys I work with have never had a problem with air bags deploying. The biggest problem we have had out of the 2014 and u[ half ton chevys in our fleet is poor front ground clearance/approach angle. We don't have as big a problem out of the ford and dodge half tons bet even those brands are worse in that department than they used to be. All 3 manufacturers put much softer front suspension in them and when we put on a brush guard and a winch it lower the already low front bumper down another inch or two. Too make things worse GM has quit putting on real skid plates on their half tons and as a result we have had two silvys get a busted oil pan and in all my years of doing what I do we have never had that happen. The guys in the silvys have had to get the 2 inch spacers put in the front to be able to go the places they used to go with half tons in the past. It is not just a GM thing, the half ton truck has basically become a grocery getter IMO and one may need to go up to a 3/4 ton if they want what they had out of half tons in the past.

Sounds like you guys would know very well what these trucks can and can not do out of the box. I was very surprised when I started looking at new trucks how little front clearance they have stock. I have pulled the lower most air dam and installed a 2.5" leveling kit just to get it to where I can use it at camp. When the sales guy told me I had a skid plate I thought it was like my 01 Z71. It had a nice heavy alum. plate. Then I stuck my head under there and saw plastic. I said that's not a skid plate. I would break that hitting a lawn sprinkler. So like you I am going to fab something out of 1/8" thick sheet steel.

Thank you very much for you replies. You have been very helpful.

tnchevy · March 14, 2017

Great Info. Thank you.

Sounds like you guys would know very well what these trucks can and can not do out of the box. I was very surprised when I started looking at new trucks how little front clearance they have stock. I have pulled the lower most air dam and installed a 2.5" leveling kit just to get it to where I can use it at camp. When the sales guy told me I had a skid plate I thought it was like my 01 Z71. It had a nice heavy alum. plate. Then I stuck my head under there and saw plastic. I said that's not a skid plate. I would break that hitting a lawn sprinkler. So like you I am going to fab something out of 1/8" thick sheet steel.

Thank you very much for you replies. You have been very helpful.

You don't have to fab anything, GM makes a 2 piece aluminum skid plate that replaces the flimsy plastic one. Although it is not as thick as the one on my 2002 it is still better than what is on there. Do a search on here and you will find the thread talking about it with the part number. I think I got mine for under $200 on fleabay but can't remember.

RocNYRunner · March 15, 2017

My 2008 4Runner had an "RSCA Off" switch to turn the side curtain air bags off. I still like my 17 Sierra better.

MrSteam · March 15, 2017

You don't have to fab anything, GM makes a 2 piece aluminum skid plate that replaces the flimsy plastic one. Although it is not as thick as the one on my 2002 it is still better than what is on there. Do a search on here and you will find the thread talking about it with the part number. I think I got mine for under $200 on fleabay but can't remember.

Thank you I will look into that. You have been very helpful Sir