RE: [DML] seat belt

[<rob@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Wyatt,

 

Just a FYI to ponder before you do anything to your broken seatbelt. I'm
almost certain that it is against Federal law to tamper with, repair,
relocate, or modify a seatbelt because of obvious crashworthiness
considerations. I doubt you'll find anyone willing to re-stitch a battery
acid soaked seatbelt as the parent material will also be weakened and you
can't certify the strength of the thread repair. Even then there's that
pesky Federal seatbelt law to think about even if you do have a lawyer on
retainer! The fact that the belt comes equipped with a label that clearly
states that the belt complies with Federal seat belt standard #209 allows
you to track down further information on the details of this standard if
you're so inclined. I doubt a shoemaker's thread would comply with those
standards! BTW the seat belt is usually marked left or right but the label
can fall off.

P.S. We do carry new and some good used seatbelts if cost is a leading
concern but please don't attempt a repair.

 

Rob Grady 

 

  _____  

From: dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
vin5497
Sent: Monday, May 18, 2009 12:06 PM
To: dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [DML] seat belt

 






I am in the process of repairing my passenger side seat belt and I have a
few questions and comments. The reason I have to repair the seatbelt is the
threads securing the loop at the floor bracket have disintegrated. There was
a faint smell of battery acid on the belt, so I assume that at some point
battery acid was spilled on it. This is something you may want to check on
your own car. I did not find it until the belt came completely loose from
the bracket. The belt strap appears to be unaffected, just the thread
dissolved. I have removed the belt and plan to have it stitched. Has anyone
ever had their seat belt re-stitched before?

Making sure I route the strap through the bracket the correct way, I noticed
the brackets (driver and passenger) on my car appear to be reversed from the
drawing in the parts manual. There is a slight angle to the bracket at the
end of the belt that mounts at the floor. Mine are mounted with the top of
the bracket curving towards the outside of the car. The drawing in the parts
manual shows the bracket curving in towards the car. Curving in appears to
align better with the direction the belt is in when it is buckled, but if I
mount it that way, then the lay of my belt is different than in the drawing.
There is no way I can get my driver side seat belt, in its current
configuration, to run like the one in the drawing. So how do your seat belts
compare to the drawing? Is this the difference between a LH and RH seat
belt? Could I have a RH seat belt on my driver side? If someone could email
me directly some pictures of a correctly installed set of seatbelts, I would
greatly appreciate it.

Wyatt
DMC5497@comcast. <mailto:DMC5497%40comcast.net> net
VIN5497



------------------------------------

To address comments privately to the moderating team, please address:
moderators@xxxxxxxxxxx

For more info on the list, tech articles, cars for sale see www.dmcnews.com

To search the archives or view files, log in at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnewsYahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews/

<*> Your email settings:
    Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews/join
    (Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
    mailto:dmcnews-digest@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
    mailto:dmcnews-fullfeatured@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    dmcnews-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/