Landrover Seatbelts wanted

You shouldn't be able to get s/h ones.

Richard

I had the tapes on the driver's side replaced because of a cut and it cost less than 50 quid.

AJH

i think the landrover just uses bog standard inertia reels. so anywhere should sell em?

£50 seems a lot for a fix. I bought new inertia reels for the front of my 2A and they only cost £30-£35 for each side IIRC.

but I'm sure can do better.....?

Nigel

The garage has quoted me £250 plus fitting.

Richard Beamends's site says £35ish for each belt OEM. There are 3 bolts holding each belt in, do you really need to get a garage to do this job? its not really a hard or dirty job.

Probably not, it's just sat there waiting to go through the MOT once I have some seat belts.

Will give beamends a try - many thanks for the links

On or around Tue, 12 Sep 2006 16:56:58 +0100, beamendsltd enlightened us thusly:

any breakers yard... unless they've actually stopped selling 'em. The middle belt is a fixed lap strap such as was used on most saloon cars.

3 points to consider:

1) make sure the belt is in good condition (no fraying, no loose stitching).

2) make sure the plug-in part is identical to the one you're replacing, or get the plug-in part from the donor car as well.

3) check that the inertia reel works correctly. It should lock under 2 conditions - if the base unit is at the "nominal" angle (i.e. car sitting level) then it should lock if pulled rapidly, and it should also lock if the base unit is more than a few degrees off that angle. Oh, and check that the base unit is the correct orientation - some of the ones in the back of saloon cars, for example, are designed to be bolted on at an angle, and if you bolt it on with the reel horizontal, it won't work.

I can't see why it's a problem to re-use second-hand belts, especially from newish cars, provided they're sound. That, of course, won't stop the government from making legislation to prevent it.

MOT test doesn't test the inertia mechanism anyway - and although a frayed belt for example is potentially dangerous, and inertia one that doesn't lock when it should is just as much risk, if not more.

On or around Tue, 12 Sep 2006 20:52:32 +0100, "Trevor" enlightened us thusly:

bloody crooks.

Seat belts are required to be cut when removed, unless somethings changed in the last few years.

Richard

On or around Wed, 13 Sep 2006 08:49:04 +0100, beamendsltd enlightened us thusly:

but what if they're not removed...

another fine example of waste of resources. A simple examination of the belt and unit should determine whether or not it's usable, and as I say, the MOT doesn't test the function of the inertia bit, though it would be tricky to achieve that, perhaps. you'd have to have a ramp to get the vehicle on an angle, or something.

Whatever the ins-and-outs of recycling, when we used to do s/h parts there was no way I'd sell s/h belts anyway, as it is practically impossible to tell if they are working correctly. The thought of someone going through the windscreen as a result of a defective part.......

Richard

In message , Trevor writes

What are they - diamond studded gold braid??

Get on to Paddocks, they're a fraction of that.

Which strikes me as just plain stupid. No point in having the belt at all if the fing thing doesn't lock.

Well to check that it locks at silly angles I guess but the primary reason to lock would be paying out to fast due to seat occupant moving when the car has stopped (ie. hit something...). A simple yank test would be to simple and not consistent enough but I can envisage a frame and a tension spring that you release pulling the belt with a given force. If the belt locks before x" of belt has been released pass if it doesn't fail.

Don't fit second hand ones, if a belt has been involved in a crash it may not be functioning properly but you can't necessarily tell, that's why they should always be replaced after a crash. Unbranded ones are only =A323 for an inertial reel type and less for lap belts from Paddocks, I've seen the same ones for only =A315 at rallies. I've just fitted a pair to my 109 because the old ones are fraid and of unknown history, my life's worth =A323 !. Greg

On or around Wed, 13 Sep 2006 11:47:13 +0100 (BST), "Dave Liquorice" enlightened us thusly:

not actually true... the mechanism locks due to impact of the vehicle BEFORE the belt moves. Find an old one and take it apart, and see how it works. A heavy weight (there are a couple of designs) moves as soon as the vehicle accelerates more than a preset amount in any direction, and locks the reel mechanism. This is why, when the vehicle's on a steep slope, the belts lock, even if they've not been pulled. They also have a centrifugal type arrangement which locks it if it's pulled too fast, but that, AFAICS, is a belt-and-braces thing in case for some reason the inertia lock doesn't operate.

This, of course, is the bit that isn't tested in the MOT. I think they do a basic yank test which in fact is probably good enough to test that aspect - if you pull it by hand and it doesn't lock then it's not locking when it should.

The other part could be checked by having a sloping ramp and running the vehicle up it. A few simple calculations would determine the angle at which the belt should lock due to gravity acting on the weight. I daresay there's a requirement in the standard for inertia reel belts that they lock at a given acceleration.

Well by the time the weight has moved so has the occupant thus pulling the belt but this is very fine timing. B-) Obviously there is a bit of slack on a pure centrifugal system but I thought that's what the preload thingy in the static side took care of by shortening when stressed.

Can't say I've ever noticed that but then I may not ever have been on a steep enough hill...

On or around Wed, 13 Sep 2006 13:35:10 +0100 (BST), "Dave Liquorice" enlightened us thusly:

they do though. the weight in the mechanism only has to move a few mm. to make it lock. likesay, play with an old one... they're fun.

Rear belts in my 1986 Rangie were Stupidly sensitive to roll. Sometimes a fat bloke (ahem) in the drivers seat would tilt the vehicle enough to lock them. Frequently would have to get out and rock the car whilst the kids would tug at the seatbelts until they would extend.

Not a fault, just character.

David