Daniel5691

Hi,

I wonder about the effective lifespan of a seat belt.
My 928 is 34 years old.

I did find this study published in regard to aircraft safety belts, which is interesting,
and shows degradation as a function of time out to 8 years of use.

http://easa.europa.eu/system/files/d...nal_5-2010.pdf

Any recommendation for seat belt shelf life?

Dan

Speedtoys

This is why race cars have a 2yr limit on use. Sunlight degrades them very fast.

Normal cars have windows, so it's not such a huge issue.

Planes have much more regulation in place, because planes are expected via inspection and mandatory replacement/rebuild requirements, to be like-new for it's entire lifetime, which is unlimited in many cases.

Rob Edwards

All I can glean is that you want old, blue, belts (Figures 35 and 38...)

I guess it's reassuring that none of the belts outright failed? And don't some of the newer belt designs have a little 'give' in the pretensioner in the case of an accident? Old belts seem to have that built in, right up to where you impact the steering wheel.....


The only person I know who has swapped out seatbelts was Dan Hebert, who bought new ones for the Turquoise car. 'Cept they were 20+ years old (pic from 2013):

So the real question is which shop can re-string the originals with new webbing?

Speedtoys

http://www.safetyrestore.com/

The Fixer

Daniel,

I think you may be worrying about your belts for no reason.

But replace them if it helps you sleep at night.

One thing that will keep your original seat belt action in good working order

is to pull them all the way out and clean the belts well with soap and water

dry them as best you can with a few clean towels. Repeat if they are really cruddy and hard. Once clean they will be supple again and the action will improve.

-Matt

terry gt

As a boat trailer manufacturer(me) ,the winch straps used the haul boats , are made of surplus seat belt material . the straps are rated at 4000# load . the only way I have seen them fail is the stitching or a cut in the side . And these straps suffer years outside .

Speedtoys

And that's OK, because there is zero certification of standards applied to them.

If there were any reasonable legal requirements whatsoever, you'd be swapping those out a lot.

I wouldn't use the lack of regulation, to justify the performance of a product over an undefined lifetime or environmental use case.

The Fixer

Right, the material lasts a very long time.

Daniel use your common senses and look at your seat belts and decide whether YOU think they are safe.

Regulations schmegulations I'd never be able to handle living in California.

Speedtoys

Good news!

Its not a set of California regulations within racing and the FAA.

Wisconsin Joe

I'm a skydiver and parachute rigger (FAA Senior Rigger).
I know a fair amount about nylon webbing.

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.

Damage is a seatbelts biggest threat.
Cuts, abrasion damage (getting dirt ground into them is bad), spills of acidic or caustic liquids.

It doesn't take much damage to seriously reduce their strength.

But if they look and feel good, they should be fine.

The Fixer

I'm aware of this Speedtoys.

My comment was regarding regulations and the herd of sheep mentality that
it creates.

I think for myself.

Speedtoys

Considering that such regulations are written to protect people, I'm not sure why you think they are troublesome to you.

Don't let your politics get in the way of why rules exist..they mostly exist because someone played lose without them, and started killing people.

For my hobbies, those rules keep me safe, and the people I'm personally responsible for on track and in the air safe.

terry gt

Air bags are much more concerning , 20+ year old explosive sitting in front of you face

Speedtoys

The propellant charge decays, but the material in the sealed package, does not.

But maybe a first gen airbag coming out softer, is a good thing.

The Fixer

Regulations are not so much "troublesome" for me Speedtoys..

it's more a question of why many people no longer think for themselves

and why others feel they need to think for them.

It has nothing to do with "my politics". I just make observations.

But thanks for making my point for me.