Carbon fiber airbag cover

[teeje]

Hey all I've recently been skinning some passenger airbag covers with carbon fiber as sort of a project since no one makes or even sells them for what I can see. I have the full carbon fiber interior but that only includes the cluster bezel, the center and passenger side vent. I was wondering, if I made a few of these would anyone be interested in them? (These will only work on an IUP dash) I am still in the early stages of development with these. There are two weaves. Plain and 2x2 twill weave. Plain weave will match the carbign craft and apr kits while 2x2 will match the carbon overlay kits. I tried many overlays and the fitment was just piss poor. I will not make these out of purely carbon fiber but only skin them as in fact they are the airbag cover and if it deploys it will still have the aluminum and plastic/rubber backing so it doesn't fly apart and shatter everywhere.

AS STATED BEFORE. THIS WILL NOT IMPEDE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. THEY REPLACE YOUR EXISTING AIRBAG COVER PANELS. YOU WILL NEED TO REMOVE YOUR PANELS TO INSTALL THESE. THEY ARE HELD ON WITH PLASTIC AND METAL RETAINERS. THE FACTORY TEAR SEAM AND AIRBAG HOLDER IS UNTOUCHED.


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[Iceman62]

Those are awesome....if mine wasn't a Bullitt, I'd definitely be interested.

 

[toroweeedeater]

i would be very interested in this. What price you thinking Msg me.

 

[teeje]

i would be very interested in this. What price you thinking Msg me.

Well, I am unable to start a conversation with you. Looks like you may not have posted enough yet so I will post this here.
You said you would be interested in this? I'm still in development of this but so far its turning out great. I just want to be sure you understand these are carbon fiber skinned with real carbon fiber and resin. The whole cover will not be made in carbon fiber as of right now. Two patterns are available. 2x2 twill weave or plain weave. 2x2 twill weave ( like in the picture above) or plain weave like in the pic below? Plain weave still looks awesome in light, its just that the pattern is different.

Ccmustangvent2

• teeje
• Mar 31, 2019

 

[gostang9]

Are you making them with a split over the factory tear seams so your cover won’t impede Airbag deployment?

I would personally be very hesitant doing anything they might prevent my passenger airbag from deploying properly. We have enough to worry about with delays in getting the airbag inflators changed to fix a potential defect without creating our issues.

FWIW, my most frequent passengers happen to be the two most important people in the world to me (wife and daughter) and no visual modification would ever be worth putting them in uneven art danger.

If you have already taken that into account, then you might want to spell it out and also give some kind of warning text to reduce your personal liability.


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[teeje]

Are you making them with a split over the factory tear seams so your cover won’t impede Airbag deployment?

I would personally be very hesitant doing anything they might prevent my passenger airbag from deploying properly. We have enough to worry about with delays in getting the airbag inflators changed to fix a potential defect without creating our issues.

FWIW, my most frequent passengers happen to be the two most important people in the world to me (wife and daughter) and no visual modification would ever be worth putting them in uneven art danger.

If you have already taken that into account, then you might want to spell it out and also give some kind of warning text to reduce your personal liability.


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These play no part in the mount that holds the airbag. The factory tear seams are not touched. The airbag cover pieces are held on with plastic and metal retainers on the rubber backing with the tear seam...to explain this a little better...the non iup dash airbag cover is one solid piece with the tear seam built INTO the cover because theres no cover there as its just one solid piece. The IUP dash has the "holder" or whatever you want to call it for the airbag that has the tear seam built into it and the stock oem aluminum covers flap out and let the airbag out. The covers have no effect in airbag deployment. This is purely cosmetic. This would be similar to putting a overlay on your dash but instead of it being a sticker, the carbon fiber wraps all the way around the panels. I havent seen anyone do it other than me, but the aluminum covers on the airbag do in fact come off.

 

[toroweeedeater]

i got a 2011 gt500 and was looking at maybe hydro carbon dipping pieces, but this might be a better avenue. IDK this might be a better way to spruce up the interior than putting on stickers.

 

[teeje]

i got a 2011 gt500 and was looking at maybe hydro carbon dipping pieces, but this might be a better avenue. IDK this might be a better way to spruce up the interior than putting on stickers.

I have a feeling that its the same process for 2010-2014 as long as it has the aluminum covers. Since these will be skinned, It will more than likely add a few mm. Im trying to develop these so it adds as little thickness as possible so the rest of the panels will look uniform.

 

[toroweeedeater]

you done any pieces yet with the factory stereo w/ nav? i would jump all over that piece in 10 mins. I hate that big part of grey boring.

 

[teeje]

you done any pieces yet with the factory stereo w/ nav? i would jump all over that piece in 10 mins. I hate that big part of grey boring.

Not yet but I'm sure I could. I would need a panel to try it out on. I know there is a place that sells them but I don't think it's the one for the oem NAV. Just the one with the small screen.


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[toroweeedeater]

yeah i can be on the look out for one. it looks nice and i love the depth it give. you did a damn good job on the airbag piece.

 

[teeje]

yeah i can be on the look out for one. it looks nice and i love the depth it give. you did a damn good job on the airbag piece.

If you cant find one already made and want me to do it, you can send me the bezel just pay shipping and ill try it out. Ill only charge for material costs if it doesnt work out well but im sure it will.

 

[toroweeedeater]

ok ill try and get my post up so you can message me and we can talk further lol

 

[gostang9]

These play no part in the mount that holds the airbag. The factory tear seams are not touched. The airbag cover pieces are held on with plastic and metal retainers on the rubber backing with the tear seam...to explain this a little better...the non iup dash airbag cover is one solid piece with the tear seam built INTO the cover because theres no cover there as its just one solid piece. The IUP dash has the "holder" or whatever you want to call it for the airbag that has the tear seam built into it and the stock oem aluminum covers flap out and let the airbag out. The covers have no effect in airbag deployment. This is purely cosmetic. This would be similar to putting a overlay on your dash but instead of it being a sticker, the carbon fiber wraps all the way around the panels. I havent seen anyone do it other than me, but the aluminum covers on the airbag do in fact come off.

Glad to hear it, you seem to understand the importance of the split in allowing the airbag to deploy. Some people don’t and so it’s good to highlight the point so that someone else doesn’t go and put a solid cover over the entire airbag area.



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[teeje]

Glad to hear it, you seem to understand the importance of the split in allowing the airbag to deploy. Some people don’t and so it’s good to highlight the point so that someone else doesn’t go and put a solid cover over the entire airbag area.



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I've seen people vinyl wrap the airbag cover and they wrap both pieces together as one. I understand it's vinyl but that will delay the airbag from deploying even more. It would definitely be an issue if I were to make them as one solid piece which I will never do. Plus, I just don't think it would look right without the split there anyhow. I won't even bother if someone asks me to make a solid cover. It will not ever happen even if the buyer understands the risk. If you want a solid piece that bad, they can make it themselves


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[gostang9]

I've seen people vinyl wrap the airbag cover and they wrap both pieces together as one. I understand it's vinyl but that will delay the airbag from deploying even more. It would definitely be an issue if I were to make them as one solid piece which I will never do. Plus, I just don't think it would look right without the split there anyhow. I won't even bother if someone asks me to make a solid cover. It will not ever happen even if the buyer understands the risk. If you want a solid piece that bad, they can make it themselves

A lot of testing and tuning goes into ensuring the airbag gets out in time and in the right position to ensure the occupant is properly protected. The split line construction is a big part of this and anything that alters it has the potential to change the deployment characteristics and reduce or eliminate the protection level.

If someone does something to their own personal vehicle they led to an unnecessary injury or death they would be bad. If someone sold something to someone else, I imagine they could lead to potentially serious legal / lawsuit risk. Again, sounds like you’re aware and are being careful not to impede the split, so my words are more for anyone else that reads this thread.

 

[mrt2you]

i am just expressing my OPINION.
what you do to your car is your business not mine. but just remember for every 1 bad thing you can think of can happen. in real life 10X of that can go wrong.
i have taken several classes to be certified by several car manufacturers on air bag repairs.
from what i have learned you NEVER INSTALL ANYTHING over the air bag cover.
car manufacturers spend millions upon millions of dollars for proper air bag operation and still things go wrong. installing anything on them can change how they deploy and can end up with a fatal downside. selling something that change their deployment can open yourself to bankruptcy sized lawsuits.
when a air bag deploys not only does the center of the cover tear, the sides do also. when they deploy they do so with SIGNIFICANT forces and you have something solid mounted on the cover it can easily shatter sending shrapnel in places you can't anticipate.
to help understand how forceful a air bag can deploy. my co workers and i have played with defective air bags that have been replaced under warranty. you have to deploy them before you can toss them in the garbage. we took 4 passenger side air bags from 1st gen chevy cavaliers, placed them under a rolling garbage dumpsters, the ones about 7'- 8' long. when deployed the air bags threw the dumpster 3' in the air. a single drivers side air bag can throw a cement block used in most commercial walls about 2' in the air.
enough of my crazy rant, again it's YOUR car do what you want to it.

 

[Iceman62]

^^^All good points/info^^^

But...have you ever seen this "skinning" process? It's literally like a layer of liquid skin over the surface. IMO - no way it affects airbag ops in any manner. Also, OP states this fact in his initial post. If my bags deploy, I'm sure there'll be other things I'm more worried about like...who am I going to kill for wrecking my baby. >.<

 

[mrt2you]

NO i haven't seen his process.
and if you get in a crash you will be extremely happy that the air bag deploys. they have saved hundreds of thousands, if not millions by now, of lives and the only injury they might get is slightly burned arms from the air bag heat. if that air bag didn't deploy they would be significantly injured and possibly dead.
my understanding what the OP is describing placing something SOLID over the air bag cover. in my OPINION this is a extremely bad idea. no matter how you attach is it has the ability to become a projectile that has the ability to do serious damage. when a air bag deploys the cover doesn't just pop open like it's on a hinge. it opens up like blowing up a balloon, in all reality a AIR BAG IS A BALLOON. because of the curved opening it will easily displace anything solid attached to it no matter how it's held on or how thin or thick it is. once the bond is broken it can easily become a projectile with deadly force. if you use something strong to hold it on it will change the way the air bag deploys. in some situations this has potential to have deadly consequences.
the only thing i would ever consider, but I myself wouldn't do it, is something like hydro dipping the cover. after it's done i would cut the decal at the break lines to ensure the air bag will deploy properly.
again it's your car do what you want with it.
but think about this, carbon fiber and fake wood grain dash overlays have been out longer than air bags, yet WHY HASN'T ANYONE DONE THIS YET? to the best of my and the OP knowledge it hasn't been done.
in my opinion the chances something bad could happen are EXTREMELY REMOTE. but when it does there won't be enough insurance coverage to protect you financially, and can you live with the thought of a product you made caused serious injury even death.

i will get off my pedestal and enough of my preaching.

 

[teeje]

I literally said it does NOT affect the way the airbag deploys. There are TWO panels in that picture. The IUP dash airbag cover has TWO panels. I skinned them separately meaning the airbag can STILL DEPLOY. I SKINNED them. Basically like vinyl wrapping but with real carbon fiber.
You really wasted your time preaching. Should have read a little more on this whole thread. You talk of hydro dipping them..that's putting a skin over the cover basically the same thing I'm doing but with carbon fiber.
Also THESE DO NOT GO OVER THE AIRBAG. THESE REPLACE THE EXISTING AIRBAG COVERS. Please read before you post. Thank you.
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