How to install an Air Bag Delete in 30 minutes

[KS1]

Ok, this may not be the best way to do this install, but trust me, it is definitely the easiest. After fooling around with this for over 2 hours trying to do it the "right way", I finally figured out how to get the job done fairly quickly.

Tools Needed:

Flat Head Screwdriver
10mm Wrench (preferably a ratcheting wrench)
7mm Socket Wrench with extension
Needle Nose Pliers
12 Pack of Heineken
(I was drinking while doing this install, so if my socket sizes are a little off, forgive me. )

Step 1.

DISCONNECT THE BATTERY! I don't know about you, but I enjoy having teeth, so this is a very important step. Just disconnect the negative cable.

Step 2.

Unclip the front (the side facing you) of the original air bag cover from the dashboard. This is a little tricky, but a flat head screw driver works very well. Don't worry about bending the air bag cover, it is made of vinyl laid over sheet metal and bends back to shape very easily. (Mine was completely bent out of shape, and now it looks new again.) What you do is slide the screwdriver between the dash and the cover, starting on the right side corner, until you find the fixed plastic clips. Then simply pry the cover up until the clip pops out. (If you have to pry very hard, you may want to use a piece of scrap wood to protect the dash.) There are 7 clips you have to pop out, five on the front, and two on the left hand side of the cover. Once you do this, the front of the cover should be free of the dash, though the back (windshield side) is still attached.

This shows you where the clips are


Step 3.

Bend the Air Bag Cover back so you can see the 3 bolts that attach the cover to the air bag assembly. These bolts point down from the cover and are held in place by 3 nuts, 10mm I believe. You may have to push the rolled up air bag down to see all of the bolts.

This is where the bolts are


This shows how it will look once you move the rolled up bag down a little bit


Step 4.

Use a 10mm wrench to remove the nuts from the bolts holding the cover in place. (I would recommend using a ratchetting wrench to save time.) This is the hardest part of the whole project, but I promise it is possible. The way I did it was simply push the rolled up air bag down until I could slip the wrench around the nut to loosen it. After the nut is loosened a little, it spins freely, so just use the end of the wrench to spin it off the bolt. Once you remove all three nuts, the cover should lift off.

Bolt locataion for step 4 and 5, notice holes on both sides for step 5


Step 5.

Once you remove the cover, you will see four bolts holding the air bag in place. Remove these bolts with a 7mm (I think) socket. *Don't remove the smaller bolts in the middle, only the bolts on the four corners of the air bag.

Step 6.

After removing the four bolts, you can lift the air bag assembly up to remove the wires on each side. The wires simply unplug, but you may need to use needle nose pliers. Once it is unplugged, you can take the air bag out easily.

Step 7.

Snap in your shiny new air bag delete and enjoy.





*This install may not be the most fun, but I promise it is better than the alternative method which involves taking out your glove box, removing 2 AC vent tubes, being upside down in you passenger seat, and then finding out that you can't reach the damn bolts anyway. But if you enjoy cussing a lot, have fun trying it the "right way".

[Sponsor]

[Dan-O]

Or....
You could just ask first before you wreck your air bag cover in case you need to reinstall it later.

[Jonnerboy]

I'm pretty sure that if you got in an accident with some being in the passenger seat you'd get man slaughter for sure...

Why would you not want airbags? I don't see any positive things coming from it, only a lose/lose situation.

[foxstalker88]

Some people put gauges where the passenger airbag is.

[Xetchx]

Originally Posted by Jonnerboy

I'm pretty sure that if you got in an accident with some being in the passenger seat you'd get man slaughter for sure...

Why would you not want airbags? I don't see any positive things coming from it, only a lose/lose situation.

umm unless they changed the rules I don't think airbags are required


LOL and after all the accident reports and complaints about Focus Air bags made to Ford I wouldn't relly expect them to work anyway, just hope LOL

Good write up dude!!

[j-zetec_pr]

i have friends with fast-as hell crx's and 89-91 civic hatches.. none of them have airbags. not that i'm saying it's safe (or less safe, for that matter),but i don't think that "manslaughter" thing makes any sense to me

[Dan-O]

I have friends with 1950's hot rods that don't have seat belts? Should I take mine out?

[KS1]

Originally Posted by Dan-O

Or....
You could just ask first before you wreck your air bag cover in case you need to reinstall it later.

lol, as I said, this is NOT the way the directions I have said to do this install, it is an easier ALTERNATIVE, and as far as my airbag cover goes, it looks brand new, all I was trying to do is help someone out before they get under their dash and figure out this a serious PITA, if you want, I'll send you the pdf I have on the "right way" to do this install, you can have fun with that, I'd love to watch

[KS1]

Originally Posted by Dan-O

I have friends with 1950's hot rods that don't have seat belts? Should I take mine out?

yeah, I think that would help us all out, lemme see if I can find you some directions

[KS1]

Originally Posted by Xetchx

umm unless they changed the rules I don't think airbags are required


LOL and after all the accident reports and complaints about Focus Air bags made to Ford I wouldn't relly expect them to work anyway, just hope LOL

Good write up dude!!

Thanx bro, I didn't really think this would get this much attention, I was just trying to help some people out