New Chevy (and Transit) airbags. Help a brutha out!

86Scotty · 03-28-2017, 08:18 AM

A good friend of mine recently bought a 2015 Chevy passenger van to slowly convert to an overland rig. It's Ultralite here and on Expo. I've been helping him with some planning etc. and we've run into a big issue. NO ONE will touch his rig to do a top of any kind due to the upper curtain airbags. On the newer Chevy AND TRANSIT passenger vans, per Van Specialties, they run throughout the length of both sides of the vans on the passenger models and can't be worked around safely for top cutting/modification.

Thoughts/input/advice needed here on whether or not there is a work around. Of course there are liability issues anyone must accept to try to work around airbags but is it possible? Can they just be removed with the rest intact? Any other issues besides a light? It seems with modern vehicles anything is possible electronics wise but it also seems like the safety systems would be pretty tamper proof.

We've talked to SMB and Van Specialties and he may've called others by now but no info yet.

I'm hoping a lot of the perspective Transit or Chevy buyers who are thinking of a new passenger van as a base will see this before they buy. He didn't know about this unfortunately.

TIA

**BroncoHauler** · 03-28-2017, 11:24 AM

Wow, that's an unwelcome surprise, and also makes me wonder how other converters are going to deal with this.

Herb

WhitH · 03-28-2017, 04:37 PM

I'd guess they'll likely have to just go with putting roofs on the cargo versions? No passenger vans. Kind of a bummer for me as I was considering doing a roof on mine in the next year.

mgmetalworks · 03-28-2017, 04:50 PM

Configure the van (electronically) as a cargo with windows?

As an example, on my van I used to have a gas engine and RSC but I replaced the ABS module with a base model ABS and the Instrument cluster with a diesel version. I reprogrammed the affected modules with the configuration of the base model diesel van.

I'll have to deal with this side curtain air bag problem on my Transit when I put a pop top on it but I was going to take a similar approach to the Transit that I did the E-series. Somewhere there is a VIN# with the configuration that will work...

86Scotty · 03-28-2017, 05:30 PM

Great info Michael, but who can or will do this? I don't have the ability nor does he. He's in Atlanta, though, so it seems it should be possible to find someone.

TeleSteve · 03-28-2017, 07:28 PM

You can get simulators to put in place of the airbags from Airbag Systems.
They are commonly used in race cars.

carringb · 03-28-2017, 08:43 PM

I can understand the restriction with full tops, since they require a bigger opening, which would interfere with the airbag mounting. Plus, why would you not just buy a high-roof Transit if you want more headroom?

For a pop-top, I think they'll just have to keep the opening smaller to keep it inboard of the airbags. Basically, just don't larger that the vertical parts of the roof headliner.

And yes, you can configure an all-window cargo-van with all the amenities. This is how Winebago starts the new Paseo camper van.

86Scotty · 03-29-2017, 07:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carringb

I can understand the restriction with full tops, since they require a bigger opening, which would interfere with the airbag mounting. Plus, why would you not just buy a high-roof Transit if you want more headroom?

For a pop-top, I think they'll just have to keep the opening smaller to keep it inboard of the airbags. Basically, just don't larger that the vertical parts of the roof headliner.

It has to do with how the airbags deploy, not really anything to do with how they are mounted. They are designed to deploy a certain way within the space designed around them and that's why no one wants to alter that space, even well inboard of it.

Ultralite · 03-29-2017, 08:37 PM

Eric, thanks for posting for me while I straightened out my password issue.

Thanks everyone for the replies.

I do hope soon to be van buyers find this in their research. I had bought this van a year old with very low mileage so I was initially excited about it. I bought a 2500 RB as I planned to haul our travel trailer (the wife and daughter camper). Use it as a road trip limo, which we've done and it's great. And the trifecta was going to be putting a SMB top on it as my son and I camp just the 2 of us, a lot.

I've been on the Sportsmobile website hundreds of times considering what I might build but knowing I'd do a simple, a la carte build. Perhaps in the excitement I overlooked the warning to not bring a passenger van due to these head curtains. I still haven't seen anything like that on their site.

Oh well, live and learn. It won't be the first vehicle mistake I've made.