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  #1  
Old 06-03-2006, 11:19 PM
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Just lit off an old air bag!

*******DONT DO THIS AT HOME (or anywhere else...)*******
I had this old air bag sitting in my garage from the 87 300D I used to own. It had some breaks in the cover so I replaced it. So today I got this bright idea, "why not light off this puppy?" I took the wiring out of the old steering wheel, hooked it up to a 25' extension cord and ran it out my garage window so it was about 20' away on a patch of gravel (I wanted to do this as safely as possible you know). Then I took the male end of the cord and hooked up my trusty battery charger and........
KABOOOOM!!!!!!!
That freakin thing when up with a hell of a blast for up to at least 5' up into the air in a huge cloud of smoke! Man I wish I could have filmed it go off. What an amazing sight! The air bag isn't made of any soft material either. It's kind of like the bags they use for those 50 lb bags of beans you see at Costco.
After seeing how one of these things go off, I'd hate to have one go off in my face in a car in a crash. If the crash doesn't hurt you, one of these bags would for sure.

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  #2  
Old 06-03-2006, 11:36 PM
carson356
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here is a video made by mercedes

SRS Airbag Disposal video
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  #3  
Old 06-03-2006, 11:37 PM
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a friend of my family she was in a car accident and she almost lost her eyesight because her eyes had actually detached within, and she had to have surgery to actually reconnect all the loose nerves and muscles, she actually will have partially fuzzy vision in one eye for the rest of her life. well this was caused by the air bag going off, she would have been better off the way she was hit. if the bags didn't go off. we were flat out told that by tyhe officers and the doctors. now don't get me started on seatbelt dangers we all need a 5 point harness.
-Steven
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  #4  
Old 06-03-2006, 11:43 PM
ForcedInduction
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Check out these videos.
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  #5  
Old 06-03-2006, 11:43 PM
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Steven, I work in a ophthalmology clinic specializing in retina. Retinal detachments are not to uncommon when air bags go off. She was lucky she didn't lose her sight altogether.
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Old 06-03-2006, 11:54 PM
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My air bag looked kind of like the one going off in the Cadreghino video. It too had all this powdery crap coming out of it. My stunt wasn't as elaborate as that one but it was more spectacular. It sort of looked like a flying saucer lifting off though. The blast was about as loud as a shotgun blast. It was fun but I did get a slight burn on one of my fingers when I picked up the bag and touched the gas generator part by accident.
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  #7  
Old 06-03-2006, 11:56 PM
overdue returnee
 
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This might start a new trend.

Setting off air bags instead of fireworks on the 4th of July.

I'm sure different colors and even smells could be added
for a more diverse effect.

Louis.
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  #8  
Old 06-04-2006, 12:04 AM
Craig
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Scary, makes me glad I don't own any.
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  #9  
Old 06-04-2006, 12:06 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mybenz123
This might start a new trend.

Setting off air bags instead of fireworks on the 4th of July.

I'm sure different colors and even smells could be added
for a more diverse effect.

Louis.
Now that's an idea! The 4th is just about a month away.
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  #10  
Old 06-04-2006, 11:13 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lietuviai
...After seeing how one of these things go off, I'd hate to have one go off in my face in a car in a crash. If the crash doesn't hurt you, one of these bags would for sure.
An airbag is not a soft, comfortable cushion, but it controls deceleration forces.

Hitting the air bag is a lot better than hitting the steering wheel, dashboard and windshield.

I applaud the new commercials that show airbag deployment in real time. Crash/bang, it's over in the blink of an eye!

There is no claim that you won't be hurt, but you won't be hurt as much, or killed... it is still a crash, after all.
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  #11  
Old 06-04-2006, 11:18 AM
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i think it was on the show Dirty Jobs when they were at an auto salvage yard the salvage guys took some airbags and but a 55 gallon drum on top of it and launched it 15 feet into the air... fun stuff
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  #12  
Old 06-04-2006, 11:26 AM
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If anone else does this (NOT ADVISABLE AT ALL) I caution to MAKE SURE THE BAG IS FACING UP, NOT DOWN, and THERE IS NO CHANCE AT ALL that the metal part will go in the other direction and come flying at anything.
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  #13  
Old 06-04-2006, 11:42 AM
Tabor
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim H
There is no claim that you won't be hurt, but you won't be hurt as much, or killed... it is still a crash, after all.
Air bags are designed to deploy at one or two speeds (originally just one). They work really well for crashes at 30mph into solid barriers (what they were originally designed for). At higher and lower speeds they can do more harm than good.
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  #14  
Old 06-04-2006, 12:03 PM
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This is a personal issue. I love airbags. My daughter's life was saved by an airbag in 97. She hit a bridge abutment at 40mph. She was a teenager then. After the crash, the front struts and engine of the LeBaron were up and back from where they should have been. One of those gruesome looking hulks. I thank Iacocca & Chrysler for pushing safety back then and being first of the big three with airbags. Wish I could have afforded an MB back then.

Her injuries were shoulder belt burn and the rear view mirror coming loose and bouncing of the windshield back at her head. She's tall and I think tall people may avoid the full impact of the airbag blast. Just a thought.
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  #15  
Old 06-04-2006, 12:32 PM
Tabor
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 97dieseldriver
This is a personal issue. I love airbags. My daughter's life was saved by an airbag in 97. She hit a bridge abutment at 40mph.
I mentioned in another thread that everyone who has ever been in a crash where the airbag has deployed is convinced it saved their life. I highly doubt that your daughter would have died without it (unless she wasn't wearing her seatbelt). However, this is very close to the exact situation the airbag was designed to combat, and I don't doubt it reduced her injuries.

I would rather have a 5-point harness than an airbag... but that would require automobile manufacturers to make cars that can actually withstand roll-overs.

What really angers me is that if I want to weld a roll cage into my car, add a five point harness, and remove my airbag I can... but I can't pay a shop to do it. That would violate federal law. Also, their is only one 5 point harness that meets DOT requirements so technincally I could be sited for driving without my seatbelt on... even though I would be MUCH safer than the average joe.

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