ksrturbo

i have an 08 tc and i just recently bought a triple pillar gauge a-pillar but the thing is that i have the side curtain airbags and i wanted to know if any if you guys have installed them with haveing the airbags and if so how did you do it with out taking off the a-pillar and if you got any pics it will help too... (i know that there is other threads related to this topic but it really wasnt what i was looking for) so please i need your help i know there has to be somebody in here that has done it lol

p.s i know its kinda stupid to do the install but oh well lol

Ace83

iTrader: (6)

you will have to take off the stock a-pillar, there's two ways to mount it..

1. Put it over the stock a-pillar, involves removing the stock a-pillar and cutting holes on it to make the gauges and new pillar fit.

2. Remove the stock one, and just use the new A-pillar pod..

I dont think air bags are located where the stock A pillars are, maybe the sensor is.. not 100% sure.. but if you wanna be very safe, disconnect the battery

dave2610

I had it in mine its no big deal you best bet is to take off your stock pillar and just use the gauge pod. So if you ever go back to stock your a pillar isnt all chopped up. The side curtain air bag deploys mostly from the headliner like 3 inches stick down into the pillar theres a pic on here of it deployed somewhere

ksrturbo

yeah but i heard that the a-pillar the one that has the airbag in it like mine it has a one time only use clip so once i take it off it breaks and therefore i have to buy a new one i dont know if thats exactly true but thats what i heared

Ace83

iTrader: (6)

they use same clips wether you have air bags or not.. as per toyota its not reusable, but most of the time you can still reuse it.. i might have some extra of those clips here, or you can buy at the dealership.. but you should be able to reuse those.. but you will not need those if you will not use the stock a-pillar.. your new a pillar pod will be installed by drilling a hole into you car, unless you will use method 1 i mentioned above

Luc1f3r

ACE, have you ever taken an Airbag pillar off?

in the 05-07 tCs where the side curtain air bags are optional they use different clips if the pillar had or didnt have the air bags. i would assume the 08+s use the "air bag clip" it IS a one time use clip, you WILL break it to get the pillar off. you can usually use what is remaining of that clip to make the pillar work. idk if it will work with the added weight of the gauges tho.

also, your best option is to use the pod on top of the oem pillar so that when the air bag deploys the pillar will stay in place like it should, and not be knocked off from the force of the bag.

and ACE, if you do have those clips lieing around you should sell them, they are between $13-$25 each from the dealer....

Ace83

iTrader: (6)

^^ the other clip closer to the air bag is a push lock clip type the other one is like the standard clip.. the push lock type clip can be purchased on autostores or something similar should work if you cant find the exact ones, but to save the headache just go to the dealer.. 13-25 seems pretty high lol, ill look for my spare if I still have it

Carlanga

it can be used, I do. I bought an extra pillar and made holes in it and then mounted a creative compacts triple gauge pilar on it. Before that I had a autometer triple one by itself, but had to hold it in place with zip ties and it still worked.

if my airbags deploy, the only thing is gonna happen is that it might separate the pillar pod from the pillar about an inch or two if any.

Carlanga

the clip u guys r talking about is a big green or white (seen both) and is the closer one to the driver, it can be removed without breaking it. It's kind of hard to explain, but don't try to pry it off from the hole. It has to be shrink-ed towards the pillar cover and the part that is inside the hole in the pillar itself will shrink up and pop out. It's kind of like the same sistem used on the bumper clips, that once u remove the popper part the plastic will becomes smaller and comes out of the hole.

Hope that helps

BZinn1

I have gutted car and the very easiest way to do what you want is just order new clips for the Apillar from dealership,it will take them 24hours to get them and they are like $4....for two of them.

Unhook battery and wait 90 seconds.......to pass the time I have a nice cold beer...lol

then grab pillar at the top sides and give it a tug,it will pull out very little but just enough that you can get a set of dikes in there and cut the littel clip that is attached to the car metal,then rotate the clip around a bit and make another snip

Once you have the clip like half cut,you can grab pillar and pull out a bit more,now you have a bit more room,continue to cut.......mind you this wiull take less than 5 minutes.

Once you are all the way around simply remove the pillar,it will be kinda snug but the back half o fthe clip will fall in the body and come out under the dash in 40 years.....

Put new clip in hole

Attach using epoxy the new pillar pod to the stock one,depends on if yours is an overlay one or direct replacement,drill holes for wires in pillar and install gauges and good to go.

To reinstall the pillar just set it in place at the bottom,dash area,and rotate top up into place the metal pin in the stock pillar will catch the clip and you jsut give it a tap with hand and it is good to go.

Then reattach battery and enjoy.

Total cost $6,one beer and 30 minutes........

BZinn1

Also to note the airbags will not be effected as behind the pillar is only the mount strap anchor for the side bags,when they deply it pushes past the Bpillar at the top and Apillar at the top and pops out the headliner edge.

The Cpillar on side bags has a flap like thing built in behind the fabric that allows bag to come out the top of it,that is why it also has an airbag clip.

the clips keep the panel from becoming projectiles in the cabin in the event of deployment,that is why not to reuse them as they may fail....plus they are a pain to get out without just plain cutting them with snips and saving all the time fighting it.

ksrturbo

thanks for all the help i cant wait till they come in

AZGuy

iTrader: (1)

ANyone have any pics of this done? I had been avoiding the A pillar gauge setup because I thought I couldn't with the sidecurtain airbags. Sounds like it can be done which would be good news for me.

Ace83

iTrader: (6)

ill take some pics when we install it

ksrturbo

finally got my pillar pod and gauges in so soon hopefully when we install them i'll or ace will post some pics when done with the install damn... cant wait

BZinn1

Yep as long as the pillar is securely attached to the stock pillar you have no worries,the A pillar basically moves out like an inch in a side impact at the top to allow the bags to drop,the bag is not even behind the A pillar,just its secure strap and about 2" of the end of the bag at the top.

I would recomend an epoxy over tape to install,and take off the cloth on the A pillar and get to the clean plastic pillar piece.

I am thinking about doing a CF piece over mine this spring or leather.....stepping up the game from suede.....