Seatbelt replacement.

downshifter

Dear all

As I've mentioned on the pet's thread, my dog has chewed my car seatbelt. Last time (last year)this happened, a really excellent company down in London replaced the webbing, however I don't really want to drive for 3 hours to have this done again so have been ringing local garages. They all say they don't replace webbing only, in fact one says it can't be done, and need to replace the whole mechanism. When I've said I had it done before, I'm told it isn't safe etc etc, even though it's since passed the MOT. I'm a tad worried now, in case that seat won't hold up in an accident.

I'm waiting for a couple of garages to come back with a price, though neither seemed keen to take on the job, muttering about long ordering times, need to ring round their suppliers etc. so I might be in for a long wait. Can anyone give me a rough idea of how much this might cost, or maybe a recommended garage or specialist company who could sort this out for me? (Pref north midlands/sth yorks or thereabouts)

Thanks

Mankysteve

You cant just replace the webbing there factory sealed units seat belts now days older non inertial seat belt you can replace the webbing

downshifter

Mankysteve wrote: »

You cant just replace the webbing there factory sealed units seat belts now days older non inertial seat belt you can replace the webbing

Many thanks, yes that confirms what these garages are telling me, however I had just the webbing replaced last year, that's why I'm now worried that might not have been safe though the company that did it seems good and came recommended.

Maybe I'd better have that seatbelt completely redone like the others - oh dear, more expense!

Thanks for your advice

Hammyman

No idea what your car is but you may be able to get a complete replacement seatbelt from a scrapyard for around £20. Fitting would be no more than the minimum labour charge of the garage you use.

GabbaGabbaHey

Hammyman wrote: »

No idea what your car is but you may be able to get a complete replacement seatbelt from a scrapyard for around £20.

The problem with buying a second-hand seat belt is that you don't know its history.

In fact, if the car is reasonably recent, then the likelihood is that the donor car will be in the scrapyard precisely because it was involved in a write-off accident, so the seat belts really should not be re-used.

Hammyman

GabbaGabbaHey wrote: »

The problem with buying a second-hand seat belt is that you don't know its history.

In fact, if the car is reasonably recent, then the likelihood is that the donor car will be in the scrapyard precisely because it was involved in a write-off accident, so the seat belts really should not be re-used.

You can tell its condition from looking at it. A worn one will have frayed webbing. One that's had the pretensioners fire will be immediately obvious. Scrapyards can't sell dodgy ones.

If its a standard pawl and ratchet one then even if it has been in a write off accident, it'll be fine.

Gloomendoom

Hammyman wrote: »

You can tell its condition from looking at it.

I'm afraid you can't.

The webbing is designed to stretch on impact to lessen the shock on the body. If you use a belt that has been used (during a crash) there will be less, or no, stretch left in it. That means all the impact forces will be transferred to your, or your passengers' bodies. It could mean the difference between life or death.

Hammyman

Gloomendoom wrote: »

I'm afraid you can't.

The webbing is designed to stretch on impact to lessen the shock on the body. If you use a belt that has been used (during a crash) there will be less, or no, stretch left in it. That means all the impact forces will be transferred to your, or your passengers' bodies. It could mean the difference between life or death.

There shouldn't be any stretch in a belt so if you come across one that has some, its duff...

Gloomendoom

Hammyman wrote: »

There shouldn't be any stretch in a belt so if you come across one that has some, its duff...

The seat belt is designed to stretch under impact forces. Unless you have specialist test equipment, I doubt very much that you will be able to determine whether, or not, it has been stretched beyond its elastic limit.

However, don't take my word for it...

Belts can become damaged at any stage of the vehicle's life and a small 4 mm cut or a hole the size of a shirt button in a seatbelt may reduce its strength by a staggering 70%.

Under no circumstances, should used or second-hand belts be fitted.
In an accident the belt absorbs some of the enormous energies by stretching.
Even at just 30mph the rapid deceleration is equivalent to hurling an adult seatbelt wearer against the belt with a weight equivalent to a three-tonne elephant.

This can cause the belt to permanently stretch by up to 13%.
Next time round it would not absorb the same energy in an impact and that could mean - the difference between life and death.

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