Does anyone know the size of an airbag???

[stalker]

Does anyone know what the size is of a "deployed air bag" on a Toyota Supra (RZ model)????

Would it be about the size of the steering wheel??

*Please, no guesses, as I will be fighting with On Road/VTNZ tomorrow*

[RunningRich]

A steering wheel airbag is normally a little larger than the wheel.

[Lloyd]

Fighting VTNZ why?

And yes they are all a bit bigger than steering wheels. I know this isn't a Supra but gives you an idea:

http://www.seriouswheels.com/pics-2008/klm/2008-Mitsubishi-Lancer-Evolution-X-SRS-Airbag-1024x768.jpg

[Leon]

I'm certainly intrigued to know how the size of an airbag you were told by somebody off the interwebs will help with a compliance issue. Evidence in writing via Toyota would carry more weight.

[Alex B]

Im guessing its to do with having stuff on the dash, gauges etc. That would become a projectile in a crash. Basically thats what you get for going to a testing station.

[stalker]

basically whats happend so far is we took wifeys car down to VTNZ in Takanini on the weekend, and we got the grumpy old fart there that just hates "boy racer" (looking) cars.
He failed her WOF on her oil temp guage thats mounted on her A pillar, he said that its not allowed to sit behind the steering wheel as it interfers with the air bag! Now in the 2+ years shes had the car, its always been taken to a VTNZ place for its WOF's and no one has ever said anything till this guy.

Now after looking at the LTSA website and (trying) to read all there rulz etc, I have found that:
7-7-1 states that as long as anything (guages, switches, cell phones etc) is fitted forward of the steering wheel, OR between the steering wheel and the nearest door, then it is ok (and no cert is required)!

I asked the queston above so I knew for myself as more of a matter of interest.
When I go down to the place, I will be asking them to show me their manuals to show where this is a fail warrant issue. I will be pointing the above out, and also stating that it couldnt affect the workings of the air bag as it is to far away for it to get caught in the air bag! (im guessing here, but its almost a foot away)

Now, im stuck at home with a back injury so I am very very board at home and well, im ganna go down and see what the manager is going to say (if im happy ill do nothing) before I start screaming "discrimanation"(sp) against people who are NOT boy racers, but like to have a nice car and take this to the press and to the commerce commission (yes, I am that board!!!)

Cause at the end of the day, the wof guy has changed a rule to suit him, and to be a pain in the ass to us!

[pc]

Good luck. In my experience if they dig their toes in there is nothing you can do about it.
Fair Go or Campbell Live may listen... no-one with authority will.

[cat007]

So how about my partners Caldina which has a steering wheel airbag.
If it goes off from a small bang, it could kill her. She's so short and has to sit so close, the airbag is dangerous to her

[RunningRich]

So how about my partners Caldina which has a steering wheel airbag.
If it goes off from a small bang, it could kill her. She's so short and has to sit so close, the airbag is dangerous to her

And hitting the steering wheel wouldn't be?!? An inflating airbag will be a lot less painful than impacting a steering wheel.

If she doesn't fit the car buy a smaller car.

[biga69]

VTNZ guys can be dorks at times thinking that they know the law behind modifying cars etc but some of them like your guy in Takanini carry a grudge for the performance based cars.
My example of this was I was failed on my VR4 Legnum 5 speed because he thought the vehicle was on a recall list (which was actually the triptronic model) and that the front tyres(tread) where outside of the guard (only by 1mm) and that the aftermarket front end needed to be certified. The problem was that my wife took the car down to get the warrant and the guys thought that heres a lady lets see if we can put one over on her. Needless to say I took it upon myself to go and see this outlet which was the kingsland VTNZ and tell them where there mistakes were. Did they listen...no even after I went over the details from the LVVTA certification manual and pointed out the only thing that they could really ping me on was the tyres.
Even after I called Tony Johnson who is the guy who put the LVVTA manual together (Family friend) and talked about this with him the only thing I was told was to try another WOF place due to the fact that you are going to come across these idiots every so often.
Went to another VTNZ station and passed without a fuss.
A normal equation for you is this old WOF inspector + boy racer looking car x closer inspection = failed WOF for things that they would let other cars go on.

[xsspeed]

yet another reason why I never ever ever ever ever... go to vtnz

[stalker]

Cheers for the info there guys...ill go down and see what they have to say and ill let everyone know how I get on. (will have to be in a few days time as I left the wof sheet at wifeys place lol)

Its the one guy there thats the prick, I have taken my car, and all the flatties go there and non of us have ever had any issues with the other guys...in fact, one of the guys there is building his own V8 chevy, and at my last wof we spent more time talking about cars than them actually looking at my car
Plus the main reason I got to VTNZ and the like, is the fact I wanna know that my car is safe, and nothing has been missed. (guess I just take the risk of getting the one pillick that thinks hes better than the government)

[Calvin]

yeah, dont got to VTNZ. I had a guy fail me on a cracked power steering belt that had absolutely no cracks, or sections of missing teeth.
However i wasnt to worried about a $33 belt so changed it.
when i went back the buy didnt even look at it he just took my word for it and gave me my warrant sticker.

But, who really cares if my belt does snap. Its still driveable?!

[cat007]

And hitting the steering wheel wouldn't be?!? An inflating airbag will be a lot less painful than impacting a steering wheel.

If she doesn't fit the car buy a smaller car.

nnnnnnnnnegatory.
Airbags go off with remarkably small accidents. i.e. it would go off when it wouldn't need to, and because she sits so close, she's right in the firing range. Nothing to do with how big/small the car is - her arms/legs aren't going to grow if she gets into a smaller car. She still has to try and reach the pedals, and how do you do that; by moving the seat forward, bringing you......wait for it......closer to the steering wheel

but this is way beside the point of this thread

[rollaholic]

going to VTNZ is no guarantee of nothing being missed.

got a car back from VTNZ compliance the other day (which is supposed to be the super thorough safety check) and the left rear wheel bearing was so far gone that wheel cant have been far from falling off. there was literally about 10cm of travel at the outside of the wheel, back and forth. the weird placement of the wheel when the car was on the ground meant the brake hose had been rubbing, and was pretty much ready to pop.

course, it didnt fail for either of those things.

at the end of the day, people are fallible. to the old fellas down at VTNZ, modified cars are an unknown area - so they go super paranoid and ping em for everything they can think of, because VTNZ has a long history of being extremely unkind to inspectors that cost them money.

in my experience of owning modified / dodgy looking cars, it pays to find a garage that you trust, and build a bit of a relationship with them. they get to know you and your car, and it makes the whole thing a lot easier.

plus its cheaper, i hear VTNZ are charging $52 for wofs now!

[Lloyd]

$52! Far out. We are still $40

And as above, have had stuff come through for compliance repairs with ever so slightly damp shocks failed yet ball joints about to fall apart get through. Same with doing repairs on stuff that VTNZ have failed, sometimes find some pretty bad stuff that gets through.

But, who really cares if my belt does snap. Its still driveable?!

If it goes mid corner you're likely to fall off the road.

Airbags go off with remarkably small accidents. i.e. it would go off when it wouldn't need to, and because she sits so close, she's right in the firing range

There are a few things that have to happen for an airbag to go off, and they are pretty well setup to only go off when needed.

As for being more of a hazard, the car manufacturer probably took things like that into account when they decided how far forward the seat can move etc.

[Lloyd]

And for that matter, airbags have bloody big holes in the back of them so it wouldn't really matter how close you sat to it, assuming you had your seatbelt on of course

[rollaholic]

ya, if shes close enough to airbag for it to be a hazard chances are she cant see over the steering wheel.

just how old is your missus?!

we are still $40 too HRT, i was shocked when i found out.

[stalker]

lol, one thing I noted down when looking at the rulz for airbags is that you can remove an airbag providin you put a sticker where the airbag used to be so the person sitting in the position of where the airbag would deploy had it still been in the car can clearly read the said sticker!

[Lloyd]

And have it certified