DIY Airbag Man OA6011 install in 120 Grande

[Radow]

Hi, I've just received my new Airbag Man OA6011 kit from AU and plan to join your club. My Prado is X ver. which is European Grande. Your posts are a huge base of knowledge and experience. Usually people in EU replacing the rear air suspension by std coils but my way will different Also thanks to You... try to post next steps...

Greetings from cold Poland

[1coolbanana]

Excellent result

[kevdebbi]

I installed the lower profile fittings today and they do give much more clearance. I am able to get my finger over the top of them now so there is plenty of clearance and I don't expect any more troubles with them rubbing.


These are the old fittings, they sit 17mm high


These are the new fittings which are only 12mm high giving an extra 5mm clearance.


The new fittings installed with plenty of clearance now.

[kevdebbi]

Good old Airbagman have come through with some new fittings. They sent me 6 fittings to try, free of charge and sent via express post. I really must rate their customer service as outstanding. Even the very best products can have problems, its how the company deals with them that makes the difference. The fitting I will use is pictured below. As you can see it much lower profile, approximately 5mm, this should give plenty of clearance. The fitting is for 6mm not 1/4 so the air line is much tighter to fit and may not be able to be easily removed, not really a problem as you just disconnect the airline at the other end and draw it through.

I will try and install them this week and get some pictures.

[kevdebbi]

Bugger, I wonder if theres a problem with the old version NOT having the retaining screw as on the new.
Havent really heard on any problems with any of them really, old or new?

I really don't think you will have any problems, there is always pressure applied by the airbag to the top plate holding it in place, this stops it from moving. I think the newer style was easier to make as the top plate will fit either side. I don't think there was any actual problem with the old plate. You might be lucky, maybe the older style was better and gave a little more clearance?

[1coolbanana]

Bugger, I wonder if theres a problem with the old version NOT having the retaining screw as on the new.
Havent really heard on any problems with any of them really, old or new?

[kevdebbi]

I could be wrong (usually am according to the missus) but I think its more likely to be different fittings on the airbags than the car being different.
Yours and mine are the same, 2003, Grande V6.
The top of my airbags look different to yours although they should be identical.

I think you have their first version, the top plate was a little different as shown in your pictures as it has three locating dowels. The newer ones only have the one and use a screw to lock it into position.

[macaroon1]

The top of my airbags look different to yours although they should be identical.

I'll check mine. The OA6011 did change slightly from Amts' very first post and pics. The top of the bag gained a retaining nut to screw into the chassis so essentially it was retained from the top?? Whether the actual design of the bag changed though is debatable?? My bags should be like Kevdeddi's though. Pls keep up the investigations!!

[kevdebbi]

Best I could do but you can see I have tons of clearance and my fitting look smaller

Thanks for the pictures looks like you have plenty of clearance. The fittings look the same, I think its just the angle and shading that makes them look different. The guys from Airbagman are sending me some new fittings that are meant to be a little lower in profile. The guys in their technical department have been fantastic, even though its well over 12 months since I brought the airbag they are still going out of their way to help.

I am also thinking about making a shim plate 4-5mm thick to sit between the top of the airbag and the mount, this will space the fitting down by the thickness of the shim which will give me plenty of space. Or I might do the small body lift which will also give me more clearance for the bolts mounting my side steps on.

[1coolbanana]

I could be wrong (usually am according to the missus) but I think its more likely to be different fittings on the airbags than the car being different.
Yours and mine are the same, 2003, Grande V6.
The top of my airbags look different to yours although they should be identical.

[kevdebbi]

Maybe the floor of your boot has a dent in it (??)

The floor is fine, I recently had the rear carpet out after a water leak and every thing was normal. The bit that was making contact was the reinforcing rib, roughly 50mm square which runs forward to back. It appears to to also be fine with no evidence of distortion. I have been all over this car and have never seen any evidence of accident damage which could have explained the difference in dimensions. Maybe there was some very slight variation over the years?

[1coolbanana]

Best I could do but you can see I have tons of clearance and my fitting look smaller

Maybe the floor of your boot has a dent in it (??)

[kevdebbi]

Mine are 16mm driver's and 18mm passenger's side.

I have clearance above the elbow air fitting and no damage visible to the air fitting.

Thanks for the measurements amts, looks like my body mounts are fine as these measurements are all within a few mm of each other. Airbag man has offered some lower profile fittings which will give a few extra mm clearance.

Might be the go I think.

Mine are 16mm driver's and 18mm passenger's side.

I have clearance above the elbow air fitting and no damage visible to the air fitting.