Anyone install driver side air bag before?

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Rock777

Member

Aug 22, 2004

195

1

16

Troy, IL

Dec 9, 2004

#1

• Dec 9, 2004

• #1

I have an 89 GT and am wanting to put steering wheel w/ an air bag in. I realize that the easiest way is to put in a 90-93 steering wheel, but do the electronics match up? Would the cruise control work? What else would I need besides the sensors, which I am only going to get the front ones? How complex will this project be? Has anyone ever tackled this before, any tips if so? Thanks in advance for any input!

 

jadedinpa

Founding Member

Aug 2, 2002

1,094

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lancaster, pa

Dec 9, 2004

#2

• Dec 9, 2004

• #2

do the electronics match up? NO.
would the cruise work? if you rewired it correctly, YES.
what else would i need? all the wiring (and there is a lot of it), the airbag module (located under the dash somewhere) and of course the whole column. remember, you'll lose your tilt wheel if you add the airbag.

my advice, for what it's worth.... don't bother. either sell your car for an airbag-equipped car, or forget about the airbag. i don't mess with safety equipment (those airbags do tend to go off when someone is messing with the wiring, i've heard of a few autosound installers setting them off during alarm installs and the like).

 

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Rock777

Member

Aug 22, 2004

195

1

16

Troy, IL

Dec 10, 2004

#3

• Dec 10, 2004

• #3

On that note, maybe I don't really want an airbag that bad. I was just curious what is all entailed in the installation, but it sounds like it involves more than I want to take on. To be honest, the only reason I was even interested is because my girlfriend is on my butt about not having an air bag. She said she would pay for everything if I did get one so I just wanted to see what it would take. Maybe I can convince her to put a cage in in the future (for safety reasons, of course ). Thanks for your advice jadedinpa.

 

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Racerjoey1

Founding Member

Oct 21, 2002

76

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7

Birmingham, AL

Dec 10, 2004

#4

• Dec 10, 2004

• #4

I think a cage would probably come out cheaper than putting an airbag in. Plus, I would rather have a cage and a good 5 point harness than a crappy stock seat belt and a airbag.

 

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Rock777

Member

Aug 22, 2004

195

1

16

Troy, IL

Dec 10, 2004

#5

• Dec 10, 2004

• #5

Racerjoey1, I couldn't agree more, but convincing my girlfriend of that might be different, since she was going to pay for the airbag.

 

tunedin302

I AM the law!!!

Jul 29, 2004

1,251

2

36

Pennsylvania

Dec 10, 2004

#6

• Dec 10, 2004

• #6

Perhaps she should get breat implants for "safety" since your passenger side doesn't have an airbag.

 

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Rock777

Member

Aug 22, 2004

195

1

16

Troy, IL

Dec 10, 2004

#7

• Dec 10, 2004

• #7

tunedin302, thanks for the advice but I'm not a fan of fake ones.

 

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BaXTeR3221

Member

Jan 12, 2004

917

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16

Orange County, NY

Dec 10, 2004

#8

• Dec 10, 2004

• #8

I agree with the cage and 5pt harness, thats probably safer as well.



And i do happen to enjoy fake ones

 

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tjm73

Founding Member

Aug 3, 2000

2,418

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48

Rush, NY

Dec 10, 2004

#9

• Dec 10, 2004

• #9

Get your balls out of your girlfriends purse. She wants you to have an airbag and you're willing to do it if she pays for it? WTF?

If a girl said that to me, first I'd laugh, then I'd say well it doesn't have an airbag so end of discussion.

What would she say if you have a '48 Ford like my fathers? No airbag, seatbealts, break away steering column, safety door latches.....

One of my friends said to me as we were driving down the road once "What happens if we run off the road and flip this old car over?" I sat there silent for a minute......."We die." was my response.

 

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Rock777

Member

Aug 22, 2004

195

1

16

Troy, IL

Dec 10, 2004

#10

• Dec 10, 2004

• #10

How bout I get my balls on your chin, ,lol. The point is I wouldn't mind having an airbag, would like one, but it isn't a must. If she is willing to pay for it and would feel better by me having an airbag, then why wouldn't I do that if it isn't too complex, which was the purpose of this thread. I guess you missed that point. By the way, regaurding the '48, that's his choice to have a car like that. I had a '67 mustang with no power steering, no brakes, no A/C, etc.. but decided it wasn't worth having to me, but to some it might be. I bought a fox body and never looked back. Thanks for your subjective opinion on safety features, but I was just looking for some advice on the extensiveness of an airbag installation.

 

Kid wita 5oh

I'm definitely not in the original hole

Founding Member

Nov 5, 2000

1,406

149

93

Saugus, MA

Dec 10, 2004

#11

• Dec 10, 2004

• #11

im pretty sure installing an air bag in a car to old to be factory equiped would be pretty damn illegal, the federal gov is pretty strict when it comes to saftey euipment and if your car is old enough to have one then dont try to retro fit a newer one....

 

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Rock777

Member

Aug 22, 2004

195

1

16

Troy, IL

Dec 11, 2004

#12

• Dec 11, 2004

• #12

Interesting, I was not aware that you couldn't add safety features to an older car to make it safer, I guess you learn something new everyday. I wonder the why they would prohibit that? After hearing everything that was involved, I pretty much had my mind set on not doing the conversion anyway. I just kind of wanted to see what was involved.