thinkin about cutting into airbags for mod.. opions please

Tylerc161 · #1 05-08-2005, 08:37 PM

Ok.. well, the mod would be for my XM radio. I would simply cut a piece of the center piece on the steering wheel out. now, i should probably disconnect my airbags for good. which, i dunno if problems would arise. would insurance frown upon that and raise my rates?

sierrap615 · #2 05-09-2005, 12:10 AM

i can advise nothing except leave the airbags alone.

mysatilac · #3 05-09-2005, 12:28 AM

My thoughts are that your insurance company would frown on it, but they would only find out if your airbags should have deployed, in which case I can only hope you're still around not to get paid...

the airbag/sir light would stay on if you left them disconnected,

Doesn't sound like a good idea, I put a stock exterior badge on the steering wheel, but never glued it down, I'm not going to or suggest you should tamper with the air bags,

Sure this isn't what you wanted to hear, sorry

Tylerc161 · #4 05-09-2005, 07:41 PM

heh. i was thinkin about your emblem the other day. if you got in a wreck, and that flew off. i imagined it hitting you in the forehead leaving a saturn logo.

mysatilac · #5 05-09-2005, 09:22 PM

Yeah, I dont have it on while I'm driving most of the time,
Its in my passenger seat and I put it on if I'm going to show my car to someone or if someones riding with me,
But not on long drives or if I dont think that its needed

BTW, yeah, ouch...

What are you trying to put in the steering wheel for the XM? Tune/Volume or somethin?

Tylerc161 · #6 05-10-2005, 10:16 AM

the actual unit.

but, i decided not to do it.. i put it into the center console instead. Right below the shifter, theres a pocket (since i dont have auto windows) i took out the pocket, and this happens to fit in there perfectly. Gives it a real custom look. When i get home in a few hours, ill snap a pic. But now, im thinkin of doing another mod to my steering wheel.

in the upper right corner of this pic

that little circular thing. what it does is it lets you change the volume, and change songs or whatever on the psp when plugged into the headphone jack.

what i'v already done is got a headphone to RCA adapter, i plug the headphone one into my psp, and the RCA into my head unit. Since my PSP is mounted in my dash, what else i will do is extend this wire to the center of my steering wheel. that way i can change songs or change the volume by touching the buttons on this, as opposed to trying to drive and play with the PSP buttons itself.

Tylerc161 · #7 05-10-2005, 12:26 PM

its bearly finished. i plan on covering up the holes, and makeing it look more like it was meant to be there, but this was a 5 min mod i did in the dark last night

sierrap615 · #8 05-10-2005, 12:28 PM

keep in mind the wheel turns, if you are are going to wire something to the wheel, its very its very hard to make work and look good.(i'm not a fan of wraping a coiled wire around the column) plus, headphones may be illegal for the driver to wear in your area.(in my area, only one ear is allowed)

Tylerc161 · #9 05-11-2005, 07:33 AM

yea. i was thinking about that turning. i figured id just leave some slack. and, i hope you didnt get the wrong idea. but i wouldnt be wearing any headphones. I am just using the adapter. which, yes, headphones plug into, but i wont be using that feature. the sound comes out of my speakera via RCA jack plugged in from the PSP to the head unit

sierrap615 · #10 05-11-2005, 09:24 PM

then why not just use the volume on the head unit?

Tylerc161 · #11 05-12-2005, 12:42 PM

its not necessarily the volume i need to change. It'd be the song. as of now, the only way to change the song it to hit the R or L button on the psp itself. and when its in a little area like that, it can be kinda hard. Thats why i wanted to put a remote song changer on my steering wheel, or at least near my fingers somewhere

mysatilac · #12 05-12-2005, 12:58 PM

I'd figure out how to mount it next to the radio or somethin,
or cut a cicular hole the right size and mount it near your DRL switch,

I think it'd look better, be safer off the wheel,

Just IMHO, your car so I can't decide,

emkay4597 · #13 05-12-2005, 10:21 PM

back to the airbag itself, they are explosive and in my opinion a poor substitute for seat belts. if you drive a car with an airbag, OSHA im assuming would not only recommend saftey glasses but a face shield as well. i dont personaly think they (being law makers insurance companies etc) should influence our use of this crap. i'd like to remove it all together myself. also, if you could actualy take it out, taking out the dummy light should be cake, also if anything is between that airbag and your face when it blows, its going to become a projectile.

mysatilac · #14 05-12-2005, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emkay4597

back to the airbag itself, they are explosive and in my opinion a poor substitute for seat belts. if you drive a car with an airbag, OSHA im assuming would not only recommend saftey glasses but a face shield as well. i dont personaly think they (being law makers insurance companies etc) should influence our use of this crap. i'd like to remove it all together myself. also, if you could actualy take it out, taking out the dummy light should be cake, also if anything is between that airbag and your face when it blows, its going to become a projectile.

It is for use with a seatbelt, not as a substitute... Without a seatbelt, you are thrown towards it and it hits you in the chest, as opposed to folding forward and your face hitting it instead of the wheel, ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SEATBELT

If you're wearing glasses or a face mask they will be smashed onto your face,

Yes you shouldn't have anything between yourself and the airbag, or on the rear deck next to the windshield, or hard cups in your cupholder, or anything solid loose in your car, they all become projectiles, but something mounted on the steering wheel pretty much assures its being shot at you

Theres an old saying that a box of tissues can kill you, and its true, its happened, people often toss them on the rear deck and it has killed people by flying forward and hitting them in the back of the head when they've hit something head on,
Anyway wrecking is inherently dangerous, so dont wreck!

emkay4597 · #15 05-12-2005, 10:41 PM

i totaly agree, but im just saying cars are being engineered for convience rather than saftey. id actualy use a five point if my car had one. anyway, my beef is that at low speeds an otherwise non lethal accident could blind you, break your jaw, ribs, hands, i dunno, yeah, dont wreck seems to be the way to go. also the glasses and shield would distribute the force more evenly, and being that close to your face and being somewhat rigid, would absorb some of the energy.

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