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TSB 96-02-04 Snow Plowing and SRS
Publication Date: JANUARY 15, 1996

LIGHT TRUCK: 1994-96 F-150

ISSUE: Some customers have questioned if snowplowing will lead to possible unintended deployment of the air bag supplemental restraint (SRS) in the subject vehicles. The following general information is provided to assist you when responding to these inquiries.

ACTION: Refer to the following information when responding to customer inquiries.

GENERAL INFORMATION

SRS AND PERSONAL USE SNOW REMOVAL ARE COMPATIBLE
The F-150 Regular Cab 4X4 is equipped with safety belts and a driver SRS. Ford engineers evaluated the SRS on an F-150 Regular Cab 4X4 in snow removal applications by installing representative snowplow hardware. They tested the vehicle under a variety of conditions to simulate low speed, personal use snow removal. The results of the tests indicated an appropriately equipped, F-150 Regular Cab 4X4 and its SRS are compatible with low speed, personal use snow removal.

The driver SRS is designed to deploy in moderate-to-severe frontal crashes.

The SRS is designed to activate in a frontal collision equivalent to hitting a solid barrier (such as a wall) at about 23 km/h (14 mph) or more, or roughly speaking, a full frontal perpendicular collision with a parked car or truck of similar size at 45 km/h (28 mph) or more.
Careless or high speed driving while plowing snow which results in vehicle decelerations equivalent to or greater than the air bag deployment threshold described above, would deploy the air bag.
Such careless driving also increases the risk that a driver may become involved in an accident. If this occurs, the SRS is designed to deploy and provide protection for the driver.

RECOMMENDATIONS
When using the vehicle for snow removal, never modify or defeat the "tripping mechanisms" designed into the snow removal equipment by its manufacturer. Doing so may cause damage to the vehicle and the snow removal equipment as well as possible SRS deployment.
Commercial snow removal applications should utilize F-250 HD Regular Cab 4X4, F-350 Regular Cab 4X4 or F-350 4X4 Chassis Cab vehicles which are much more appropriate for the rigors of long hours of plow operation.
As with all vehicles which contain an SRS system, Ford recommends that you always properly wear your safety belts and never tamper with, disconnect, or deactivate the SRS.

As with earlier model F-150's without SRS, Ford continues to recommend vehicle specifications for F-150 Regular Cab 4X4 vehicles suitable for snow removal which are found below:
F-150 4X4 Regular Cab* - 133" Wheelbase
84 Amp Battery
Super Engine Cool
V-8 Engine
Manual Locking Hubs
Front Suspension Package
Automatic Transmission
All Terrain Tires
NOTE: (*) F-SERIES SUPERCAB AND SHORT WHEELBASE MODELS AS WELL AS BRONCO AND ALL COMPACT TRUCKS ARE NOT RECOMMENDED FOR SNOW REMOVAL.

SNOW REMOVAL HARDWARE
Only installations shown in the appropriate Ford Truck Body Builders Layout Book have been evaluated by Ford. Different snow removal hardware may have different attachment points to the frame and may or may not affect deployment of the SRS.

OTHER APPLICABLE ARTICLES: NONE
SUPERSEDES: 94-02-19
WARRANTY STATUS: INFORMATION ONLY

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