Reliability of stock seat belts

[mejulihn]

I have begun thinking about the reliability and safety of 25-30 year old factory seat belts and wonder how well they will perform their intended function (i.e., to keep you inside the car) after so many years of use. While the belts themselves may not fail, what about the retracting and inertia lock mechanisms? What are your thoughts?

[JmuRiz]

As far as I have experienced, my seatbelts work well in the retracting and inertia lock mechanism department. In fact they don't let out very easily, I need to get in there are find out what the problem is. It's better to have them lock and retract well and sacrifce the let-out feature.

Nathan

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'73 2.0 914

[bowlsby]

You can test their inertial response on a quiet road without traffic you know...it doesn't take much for them to engage,and then release. There might be something on the label that tells what load rating they are supposed to resist and that could be tested, if you think the webbing may fail.

Sometimes my seatbelts require s-l-o-w withdrawl when first buckling up, and if jerked too fast, they lock-up and resist. I wonder if that response can be adjusted or maybe the mechanism just needs to be lubed?

Up for the 9:14 breakfast tommorrow?

[John Rogers]

For hi speed competition events there is a 5 year replacement rule due to deterioration of the stiching and webbing from the sun's radiation. They have no retarator mechanism but may be bolted to rusty floor pans? Of course in a 914 you can't go very far in a crash, but just in case I use a competition belt on the street too and they seem to intimidate the SUV pushers just a little?

[24flys]

Has anyone ever put other seat belts(from a chevy, ford, etc) in a 914. I've been thinking about replacing by seatbelts but I want the ones that will wind up. i've kinda been looking at other cars to see if I can find something that will work. I the winding mechanism needs to be thin enough to fit between the seat and the door sill. let me know if anyone has any ideas.

scott

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

If you have an early car that came with the non-retractible belts, your options are very limited. There is a belt sold by some company in the southeast with a very poor reputation whose retractor bolts to the shoulder belt mounting point. And that's about the only thing I've heard of for them.

You can, if you are motivated, find a later backpad which has more room for the late-style (72+ or 73+) retractor. You will quite possibly also need a small bit of the firewall modified to help make room for the reel. Check a late car to see the differences.

If you have inertia-reel belts and merely want to replace them, I hear that some 944 and Rabbit belts bolt in with a very small amount of modification (one of the locating pins gets ground off, I believe).

--DD

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Pelican Parts 914 Tech Support

A few pics of my car: http://www.pelicanparts.com/gallery/Dave_Darling

[John Rogers]

924 front belts bolt right in. Good luck.

[HMeeder]

Just a quick thought, but why not rebuild the reels? I was having some of the same problems (I was worried most about the inertial clutch not cinching the belt wheel.) Mine were sticking quite a bit. I pulled the reels apart and found lots of fuzz and grime intermingled with some very old grease. A good cleaning and some teflon based lubricant restored the reels to perfect working order.



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Herb
'72 1.7 Tangerine 'Teen
'74 2.0 Red Rustmobile

[24flys]

I have a 72 with the non-retractable seat belts but thanks for the tips. I'll see what I can come up with later. right now I'm still putting the pieces back together after a fresh paint job.

thansk

scott