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I saw a thing somewhere on TV or YouTube not too long ago about accident investigators looking at the seat belts. I guess once they get 'used' there are telltale signs that show up to the trained eye. I'm not sure what they were but I think it was small elongations of the web fibers.
I'm not going to worry about it unless I want to go really fast, and then I will want "real" belts like a 5 point.
Cleaning sounds like a good idea, maybe something like Woolite?
Our other car retracts the belts poorly, so I cleaned the grommets and sprayed with a fabric lubricant (dry, maybe some kind of wax) and that helps. Replacements are not cheap for new, and even used sell for a fairly high price on ebay.
This question crossed my mind too, especially when my kids were little and could still fit in the back. After inspecting the belts carefully I realized that if I hit something or something hit me hard enough to break the belt or mechanism I was going to have other problems, especially without air bags.
I heartily agree with thinking for one's self and letting common sense be a guide.
I also really like reproducible data.
I contacted a company who specializes in refurbishing belts/buckles/webbing/retractors, and here is the correspondence, enjoy:
Dear Sirs,
I have a 1981 Porsche 928 which I am restoring.
The car has not been in any accidents.
Is there any reason to replace webbing based on age alone?
The belts do not appear frayed or damaged.
I am just concerned mainly because the car is 33 years old,
and I wonder if the webbing material degrades significantly
with time. It is not a convertible, so I would suspect the UV light
exposure would be limited to some degree.
****
reply follows
****
Daniel - Thanks for the email.
If the webbing is not frayed or torn,
I would say that there is not really a need to change it.
If you want the color to be changed or look more new
then you might want to try upgrade the webbing.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Name withheld but company was "seatbeltdoctor.com"
As was noted, sunlight (UV rays) will degrade it.
But car window glass blocks most of the UV. The "transitions" lenses in eyeglasses are UV activated and won't change inside most cars.
I used to think that, but it's not entirely true. Whilst glass blocks most UVB, it passes most UVA. It's certainly a big help though.
The "transitions" lenses in eyeglasses are UV activated and won't change inside most cars.
Mine don't (US), but my father in-law's do (France). My optician said that the more sensitive Transitions coating will work inside a car, but I did wonder if it's not just a difference in the wave length that the two coating reacts to.
..., hear hear Matt !, many people ask what was there before "Health and Safety ", the answer of course was " Common Sense " !
Ken
80 928 S
5 Speed
UK
Yes !! Thanks Ken,
you are The Man !
Originally Posted by 85euro928
This question crossed my mind too, especially when my kids were little and could still fit in the back. After inspecting the belts carefully I realized that if I hit something or something hit me hard enough to break the belt or mechanism I was going to have other problems, especially without air bags.
..., hear hear Matt !, many people ask what was there before "Health and Safety ", the answer of course was " Common Sense " !
Ken
80 928 S
5 Speed
UK
+928. I worry about our collective future when I see the neighbor kids riding their little electric cars that go maybe 2 mph, in the driveway only, wearing full helmuts, elbow pads, knee pads and god knows what else. They can't possibly go fast enough to get hurt if they hit something, and the cars are so low they would never flip. Might as well wear protective gear to just walk on the sidewalk We go way to far.
Well said, but no one has mentioned the elephant.
The legal climate, at least in the U.S., remains thou shall cover thine own ***.
Every warning, restriction, limitation, or regulation is likely the result of a previous or potential future law suit.
Potential liability influences everything, including and especially the design of the automobile.
I want my kids safe at all times, that is a given. But if you can successfully litigate a cup of coffee being too hot -- then maybe the legal pendulum was swung too far in one direction.
Actually, I think McDonald's settled that one I think.
02-18-2015, 10:59 PM
We go way to far.
