We recently posted a story about the basics of lowering trucks and thought it was fitting to go beyond by explaining how some trucks are able to sit flat on the ground. Many of the vehicles we’ve featured on this page are so low that some people think they don’t function. That is a bit true as they can’t really drive like that, but with the help of an adjustable suspension system, these vehicles can lay low when parked and raise up to move around.
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Although adjusting the height of a vehicle was popularized with the introduction of hydraulics on lowriders, truck enthusiasts prefer airbags. In the lowrider scene, hydraulic suspensions are a quick way to make a car go up and down and even hop on command. Well, custom trucks are more about cruising low than getting airborne and airbags are a better way of getting there.
These systems use compressed air to inflate rubber "bags" that replace conventional springs, which have a fixed height. To drop a vehicle with this setup, the air is released from the system and the bag deflates to compress the suspension. Airbags also provide a smoother ride as long as they are used in combination with shock absorbers to prevent a vehicle from bouncing vigorously. They can be also be very reliable as long as they are mounted away from hot components like an exhaust and sharp objects that might puncture them.
Here is what a typical airbag looks like with a rubber bellows implemented for adjustability. Slam Specialties is one of the leading airbag providers and this example shows the solid upper and lower parts that are used for mounting locations. There is a port located up top so it can be plumbed for its supply of compressed air.
A variation to traditional airbags is the ShockWave produced by the folks at Ridetech. These are a great way to simplify installation as the airbag is integrated with a tuned shock. Though they are limited on how much height adjustment they provide versus regular airbags, ShockWaves hold up better for vehicles with high performance engines.
Airbags require compressed air in order to function and that means there are a few other parts that must be installed along with them. They need a steady supply of air from a reserve and most people use single or dual 5-gallon tanks to meet the demands of a system. Filling the tanks is done with compressors and it’s a good idea to incorporate water traps to prevent corrosion from condensation that may develop.
To regulate airflow to the bags, a set of valves are required, which will need to be managed by a pressure monitoring system or a controller like the Slam Specialties MC.2. These accessories are available from many distributors like AVS, Lowrider Depot and Switch Suspension.
The easiest way to swap in a set of airbags is to purchase or fabricate mounting equipment. If you have a coil front suspension, the springs can be removed to allow for an airbag to go in. The preferred method for a rear suspension is to add a multi-link system.
For older trucks that are a bit more difficult to modify, there are companies like Porterbuilt that offer complete front and rear kits. These products are easy enough for the DIY builder to install in a garage or driveway with a minimal number of tools. They are also better designed for tucking large wheels and providing modern drivability.
A common problem for those working on classic trucks is rust and worn out pieces. Also, old frame rails were never designed to handle modern components and are usually tired. To really get the most out of a truck, a new chassis will get it there. Most of the offerings come with all modern components including rack and pinion steering for a better driving experience.
Though there are many options when ordering a full chassis, these systems are designed to bolt up to existing mounting points on specific bodies. Making the switch takes a bit of labor but there is very little guess work with a new chassis. Some of our recommended chassis builders include GSI Machine and Fabrication, the Roadster Shop and Scott’s Hotrods ‘n Customs.
The latest trend in slammed trucks is to add air suspensions along with 20-inch plus wheel and tire combos. Since trucks were not originally intended to tuck large rolling stock, truck bodies usually have to be modified. Yes, the inner fenders can simply be cut open to make room for them, but open spaces will lead to road grime getting flung everywhere.
For those that have metal working skills, trailer fenders can be used to make new inner fenders to cover openings. There are also companies like Slosh Tubz, which make prefabricated pieces to fill the void. They can also be finished off to compliment the rest of the vehicle. Once installed, an airbagged vehicle can look good rolling and shock all when completely slammed on the ground.
Airbags are inflatable cushions built into a vehicle that protect occupants from hitting the vehicle interior or objects outside the vehicle (for example, other vehicles or trees) during a collision.
The instant a crash begins, sensors start to measure impact severity. If the crash is severe enough, the sensors signal inflators to fill the bags with gas in a fraction of a second.
Airbags don’t typically require maintenance unless they deploy in a crash. In that case, they must be replaced at a repair shop that uses original equipment manufacturer (OEM) replacement parts to ensure that the new airbag is not counterfeit. Counterfeit airbags may fail to deploy or release metal shrapnel during deployment.
Since the model year, the federal government has required automakers to install driver and passenger airbags for frontal impact protection in all cars, light trucks and vans.
Front airbags are designed to inflate in moderate-to-severe frontal crashes to prevent a person’s head and chest from contacting hard structures in the vehicle.
They offer the most protection when occupants are wearing safety belts and sitting properly in the seat but are designed to provide protection for all occupants.
Newer airbags have a safety belt sensor and use an algorithm to decide whether to deploy the bag in a given crash, depending on whether people are using safety belts.
For unbelted occupants, a front airbag will typically deploy when the crash is the equivalent of an impact into a rigid wall at 10-12 mph. For belted occupants, most airbags will deploy at a higher threshold — about 16 mph — because the belts alone are likely to provide adequate protection up to these moderate speeds.
Front airbags may deploy to help protect occupants in side impacts if there is sufficient forward movement during the crash.
The driver airbag is located in the steering wheel. The passenger airbag is located in the dashboard.
Some manufacturers provide supplemental knee airbags, mounted lower. Knee airbags are intended to distribute impact forces to reduce leg injuries. They may also help reduce forces on an occupant’s chest and abdomen by controlling movement of the occupant’s lower body.
Head- and chest-protecting side airbags are designed to inflate in side crashes to prevent people’s heads and chests from contacting intruding parts of vehicle side structure, a striking vehicle or an object such as a tree or pole. Side airbags cushion and spread the load of impacts to prevent any part of the body from sustaining concentrated impact forces.
A head-protecting side airbag is particularly important because it may be the only thing between the occupant’s head and the striking vehicle, since window glass can shatter in a crash.
Because of the small space between an occupant and the side of the vehicle, side airbags must deploy very quickly, typically within the first 10-20 milliseconds of a side crash. Deployment thresholds can be as low as 8 mph for narrow object crashes (e.g., trees and poles) and 18 mph for the more widely distributed side impacts (vehicle-to-vehicle crashes). Side airbags also deploy in certain types of frontal crashes.
A federal regulation on side-impact protection requires a certain level of head and torso protection for all occupants. While it doesn’t specifically mandate side airbags, the required protection is typically achieved with them. As of the model year, virtually all new passenger vehicles must comply with this regulation. As a result, the vast majority of passenger vehicles come with side airbags as standard equipment.
Side curtain airbags can be designed to deploy in a rollover crash. Sensors that measure a vehicle’s sideways movement and tilting can detect if a rollover is about to occur, triggering deployment. These airbags typically inflate within the first 10-20 milliseconds of a rollover crash and can remain inflated longer than regular side curtain airbags (10 or more seconds) to protect during multiple-roll crashes. They typically cover the window opening and inflate more stiffly to prevent ejection of the occupant.
The government doesn’t specifically require side curtain airbags with this capability, but automakers have been using them to meet a requirement that all or newer vehicles prevent occupant ejection through side windows.
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Occasionally, the energy required to quickly inflate airbags can cause injury to people sitting or thrown too close to the airbag before it deploys. This was a serious concern with the first generations of frontal airbags, which deployed with greater force.
NHTSA estimates that during -, more than 290 deaths were caused by frontal airbag inflation in low-speed crashes (NHTSA, ). Nearly 90% of the deaths occurred in vehicles manufactured before , and more than 80% of people killed were unbelted or improperly restrained. Most of the deaths were passengers, and more than 90% of those were children and infants, most of whom were unbelted or in rear-facing child safety seats that placed their heads close to the deploying airbag. Short and elderly drivers, who tend to sit close to the steering wheel, also were vulnerable to inflation injuries from frontal airbags.
Today, thanks to changes in government requirements, serious injuries from properly functioning airbags are rare.
The changes came in two phases. In the first, federal rules were modified to encourage automakers to reduce the energy in front airbags. Depowering began with models. Later, NHTSA issued a certified-advanced airbag rule that required more sophisticated airbags in all passenger vehicles by the model year.
Advanced airbags modify deployment patterns if weight sensors detect a small driver or front-seat passenger or a child safety seat. Manufacturers must pass a suite of tests using different-size dummies, belted and unbelted, in a variety of crash test speeds and configurations.
Side airbags also can deploy with enough energy to cause injury, although they typically are smaller and deploy with less energy than frontal airbags. Injuries from contact with side airbag inflations in crashes have been documented (Kahane, ), but there is no indication that such injuries are common. A field study of children in side crashes found no increased risk of injury to children age 15 and younger associated with side airbag deployment ( ).
Faulty airbags also can injure people. The government issues recalls for vehicles with faulty airbag systems that result in increased risk of injury in a crash. Reasons can include failure to deploy, incorrect timing or energy of deployments, and defective parts. Recalled airbags should be replaced to ensure that occupants receive the optimal level of protection in a crash.
Consumers can find information on recalls affecting their vehicles in the NHTSA recall database. The database also has information on service centers that are authorized to repair recalled vehicles free of charge.
The Takata airbag recall, which began in , is the largest recall in U.S. history, with an estimated 67 million vehicles recalled by . Of that number, 6 million have yet to have their airbags replaced. The problem that prompted the recall has been tied to 23 confirmed deaths in the U.S. and more than 250 reported injuries.
As technology advances, manufacturers are finding new ways to integrate airbags into vehicles.
In Ford rolled out an inflatable seat belt aimed at reducing rear-seat injuries. The inflatable seat belt is intended to enhance protection for adults and for children using booster seats or seat belts alone. In a crash, the shoulder belt inflates, distributing crash forces across the torso and chest.
The inflatable belts are currently available as optional equipment in the outboard second-row seating positions of several Ford and Lincoln vehicles. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class comes with standard inflatable belts.
Also known as the front-center airbag, the far-side airbag is designed to prevent front passengers from colliding with each other during side-impact crashes and to maintain occupant position in far-side or rollover crashes. General Motors was the first to introduce the front-center airbag in .
Toyota has developed a similar concept aimed at rear-seat passenger protection that deploys from the rear row’s center console.
In , EuroNCAP introduced a new side crash test to promote far-side airbags. A far-side airbag is currently available on the Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, Buick Enclave, Genesis G80 and Genesis GV80.
In , ZF Lifetec introduced the active heel airbag, designed to protect the lower extremities of front-row occupants. It is designed to work with a knee airbag to create a stable heel impact point. It can be installed under the carpet and deploys around the accelerator and brake pedal.
In , Hyundai Mobis, an automotive supplier, introduced the first panoramic roof curtain airbag. It is intended to prevent ejection of occupants through the sunroof during rollovers.
NHTSA has identified 260 occupants ejected through sunroofs from - and the problem is expected to grow as panoramic sunroofs become more popular.
Many design challenges delayed the implementation of these kinds of airbags in vehicles. The airbag must properly deploy with the sunroof open or closed and be stored in the headliner without interfering with headroom or visibility.
Seat cushion airbags are designed to reduce forces on an occupant’s chest and abdomen by controlling movement of the occupant’s body.
Rear seat airbags are being developed to provide head protection for rear passengers. Rear seat airbags are located in the back of the front seat and deploy with less force than traditional airbags. They are only partially inflated, unlike normal, full-powered airbags, so even if the airbags contact objects or child seats, they deflect instead of striking them. Mercedes-Benz is planning to introduce this optional airbag on the next generation of S-Class.
Future vehicles with flexible seating options (reclining seats, campfire configurations, etc.) will require innovative airbag systems for protection. Airbag suppliers are developing seat-mounted airbag systems that provide cocoonlike protection for passengers. Two examples are Autoliv’s Life Cell airbag and Joyson’s Embrace.
The external side airbag, developed by ZF, is designed to reduce crash forces on a vehicle during side crashes. This airbag uses precrash sensors to detect an imminent side impact and deploys a large external airbag from under the side sill of the vehicle to cover the driver and rear passenger doors. When inflated, it is approximately the size of a life raft. There are currently no production vehicles with this technology.
Volvo developed the first hood airbag designed for pedestrian protection. When a collision with a pedestrian is detected, an external airbag deploys from under the hood and covers the hard parts of the windshield and the A-pillar, locations that pedestrians frequently contact. The pedestrian hood airbag is standard on the Volvo V40, available only in Europe, starting with the model year.
Autoliv has developed an external airbag concept for autonomous vehicles to provide protection in collisions with vulnerable road users. The airbag concept can deploy over the entire front surface of the autonomous vehicle since driver visibility is not a concern.
A frontal airbag is offered as an option on and later models of Honda’s Gold Wing touring motorcycle. Honda’s airbag is designed to deploy in severe frontal impacts and absorb some of the forward energy of the driver. No studies have been conducted on the real-world effectiveness of motorcycle airbags.
Autoliv has developed and tested an airbag concept for motorcycles, mopeds and e-scooters. This airbag is designed to be mounted on the vehicle frame.
Wearable crash-activated airbag vests are another option for motorcyclists. The vests, available from several companies, including AlpineStars Tech Air, HitAir and Helite, are designed to protect the rider’s neck, torso and spine during a crash.
During normal riding, a tether connects the vest to the motorcycle. During a crash event, when the rider and the bike begin to separate, the tether is pulled, activating a CO2 cartridge to inflate the vest within milliseconds. This canister is replaceable, meaning the jacket or vest is reusable.
A bicycle helmet airbag has been developed in Sweden by Hovding. The airbag for bicyclists is meant to be used instead of a traditional helmet. It is designed to deploy out of a collar worn around the neck when sensors detect abnormal movement of the cyclist indicating a crash. The airbag deploys in one-tenth of a second.
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