TheOtherEric

Rennlist Race & DE braintrust, I need some advice. Need to replace my broken steering wheel, and can't decide between airbag vs. non-airbag.

My car sees 15-20 DE days per year, and it's driven to the track, with some weekend trips around town as well. So it gets ~6k miles/ yr. Since my fiancee also drives (around town AND on the track) I'm worried about airbags since she sits so close to the wheel, being 4'10". I run 6-pt belts with race seats at the track, stock belts otherwise.

If I'm risking her (and maybe my) safety by having an airbag, then I think I should go non-airbag and put the savings toward another safety item. But I also don't want to put myself at risk by driving with 3-pt belts around town with no airbag. Thoughts?

Mark in Baltimore

Eric,

Get a Momo Mod .07/Porsche Motorsports wheel. Feels and works great.

What's the concensus on full-face helmets and airbags? If they're seen as a danger, then the choice is obvious.

JCP911S

If your are running full harnesses, I do not think the airbag is effective, and could, in fact cause additional injury...the airbag is designed to counter-act the force of your body accellerating at many Gs.... since the harnesses do this work, you body would not be moving forward much when the airbag went off...

No experimental evidence to quote here.... just supposition.

If you go to non-airbag, you have a wider range of steering wheels to pick from... easier to find one that works better for you driving

David 23

I would think you and your fiancee are at greater risk of an accident driving to and from the track . At those times you don't have on your harness, and the airbag would be desirable. There are several really nice wheels available with airbags, so I don't think you give up much buying one of those. Just my opinion.

sjanes

I wouldn't be so sure about that if she's only 4'10. A friend of mine that is the same height had the airbag removed from her car since her height requires her to sit very close to the steering wheel.

Z-man

While I have read some of the 'theories' of the dangers of combining helmets and airbags, I do not think there is enough proof to point to helmets and airbags combined are dangerous. I believe SCCA was strongly suggesting (or even making it a rule) to disconnect airbags if a full-face helmet was being used. Again, I do not think they have enough evidence to support their claims.

That said, I would have to believe that the combination of airbags, helmets and stock seat belts may not be the wisest, but if one is using a full harness (5/6 point with shoulder harnesses), I think the harnesses would keep the body in place and prevent damaging contact between the airbag and helmet. And the airbag may help cushion as well.

Again, this is all just speculation. And BTW: I do run with a full harness setup, hybrid (ie: open face with a chin guard) helmet, and an airbag equipped steering wheel.

Just my $0.42,
-Z-man.

TheOtherEric

It seems like there's not a lot of hard knowledge out there about the dangers and safety of airbags. I want to kick myself because I had a project last year where I could have asked these questions to the people who DESIGNED our airbag systems.

pshahn

If you have the first generation airbags, the bags are on full power and will, most likely, cause injury in slow speed crashes. Women are more susceptible to injury than men in those types of crashes. My wife is relatively small as well and sits close to the wheel. She drives 97 BMW 328i that, I believe, has the first generation airbag and luckily it has not gone off in the one slow contact she was involved in. These airbags, due to regulations in the US, are on full power since the bags are required to slow down the fast-moving un-belted occupant. The second generation airbags' power has been reduced to prevent slow speed crash injuries. I'm not sure how much the power has been reduced. I'm sure there are plenty of literature on the subject available via Google.