Topic: Seat belt restoration

[Stangly]

I'm looking for a consensus among the seasoned veterans out there.  I soaked one of my existing belts in Oxy Clean and was amazed at how well they cleaned up and how much the color came back to life. Is this an acceptable restoration method for an occasional driver or are most people having the webbing replaced and parts cleaned up by one of the belt restoration companies.  I am okay with the worn look but the integrity of the belt is a concern.  The belts are not worn or damaged in any way mostly filthy from 40 years of use.

[ruppstang]

I have cleaned up several sets of belts as you have described and have been very pleased with them for my show cars. Even for a daily driver if there are signs of wear or damage I would replace them.
Marty

[WT8095]

Something to keep in mind: you're talking about belts that are 40 years old. What is the webbing made of? Plastic. Even under the best storage conditions, over time plastics lose plasticizers which causes them to weaken and become brittle. Belts that have been exposed to UV (especially in convertibles), extreme heat and cold, moisture (convertibles again!), spilled food, perspiration and various cleaning chemicals are going to degrade more rapidly. Not to mention mechanical fatigue from being fastened and unfastened thousands of times. The degradation won't necessarily be visible, either. If you see frayed, broken fibers, you've got a serious situation. But a weakened belt may look perfectly normal.

In a crash, belts can potentially see forces upwards of 3000 lbs. For a 200 lb driver (I wish...  ) in a 30 MPH collision, you're looking at around 6,000 lbs. For any vehicle that's driven, even at low, in-town speeds, are you willing to gamble on the integrity of 40+ year old belts?

[Stangly]

Guys,

This is the kind of info I was looking for "the hard spoken truth).  My family and I plan to drive and enjoy this car.  It will not be a daily driver but will be driven during the warmer months.  I have contacted both Python and Snake Oyl about restoring these belts.  I know they replace the webbing but I don't believe they replace the latching mechanisms.  As the second poster has indicated these parts have been thru several cycles of operation over forty some years. Does anybody know if either of these two companies replace the hardware and latching mechanisms.  Marty when you say you replace the belts on a daily driver are you referring to reproduction belts.

Thanks,
David,

[jwc66k]

David,
  The belts I sent to both SSnake-Oyl and Python (price and delivery problems) did have the webbing replaced, but the metal of the tang,   latches and tie down eyes was "restored", re-plated at least. I assume any springs in the latch were replaced, and the plastic of the latch painted. Python has, or had, new labels to be sewn in, Ssnake-Oyl ran out at one time. What is not replaced by either company is the bonded in plastic "supports" of the webbing used at the tang, and at the tie down eyes to the body. Read their websites for the services they provide.
Jim

[Stangly]

Thanks for the heads up Jim.  I think I'm going to find a good quality set of reproductions that are safe for family when we drive the car.  I will clean up and replace the broken pieces on my originals and put them in a tote in the trunk for safe keeping.  If I ever have the car judged I can simply swap them out.  Thanks guys for the input I really appreciate it.

[ruppstang]

Yes if you are building a concours driven car that you will be driving I would send them out and have them done.
Marty

[WT8095]

Thanks for the heads up Jim.  I think I'm going to find a good quality set of reproductions that are safe for family when we drive the car.  I will clean up and replace the broken pieces on my originals and put them in a tote in the trunk for safe keeping.  If I ever have the car judged I can simply swap them out.  Thanks guys for the input I really appreciate it.

Good plan. Stay safe!

[midlife]

Guys,

This is the kind of info I was looking for "the hard spoken truth).  My family and I plan to drive and enjoy this car.  It will not be a daily driver but will be driven during the warmer months.  I have contacted both Python and Snake Oyl about restoring these belts.  I know they replace the webbing but I don't believe they replace the latching mechanisms.  As the second poster has indicated these parts have been thru several cycles of operation over forty some years. Does anybody know if either of these two companies replace the hardware and latching mechanisms.  Marty when you say you replace the belts on a daily driver are you referring to reproduction belts.

Thanks,
David,

From a mechanical engineering perspective, the metal hardware and latching mechanisms have likely much higher strength and more fatigue resistance than the webbing itself.  Unless one sees any damage to the hardware, I would not be concerned about these parts failing.  To be truly anal, one needs to also look at the car sheet metal for good integrity that holds the main seat belt bolts in place.

[WT8095]

To be truly anal, one needs to also look at the car sheet metal for good integrity that holds the main seat belt bolts in place.

Excellent point! Up here in the rust belt, that's probably the weakest link, worse than the webbing deterioration. I've pulled belts out of junkyard cars just by pulling on the belt - the bolt, nut & everything just rips out the section of floor around it!