Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) Seat Belt Replacement

I'm getting ever closer to my first proper drive ( that is outside of my street) with 2 things left to complete - replacing the brake hoses being the most critical. I also don't feel too comfortable relying on the original seat belts. Could anyone please share a recommendation as to what would be a good like for like replacement or can I just pop down to the local store and buy a generic 3-point harness.

Something like this for example

Thank you !

If I'm reading your profile correctly, yours is a '74 car ? True a 47-year old barn find sounds like a potential age issue, but what leads to the conclusion that that would necessarily mean the seatbelts (fabric / mechanism / anchorage) would be terminally deteriorated / "worn out" ? There's probably a rule of thumb which others will know about (just like with batteries and tyres), that after X years they really need to be replaced ??

Great question, I was just about to edit my question with these points !
Yes, 1974 4/4 - there's nothing particularly wrong with them. - apart from the age (as I'm over the age of 47 I shouldn't use that as a prime motivator)

The tend to lock very easily, so makes it a pain to extend, multiple tugs and the lap extender seems to be locked in place so I have to take a deep breath before fastening the belt - fine for driving up and down my street, but not for much further than that.

The fabric is fine and they appear to unfasten easily - my biggest concern (but I do carry a knife with me every time I venture out, just in case)

if there are maintenance tips, lubrication and W-40 etc , I'd be willing to apply these as a first resort.

I would suggest generic/aftermarket. The key things is that the inertia reel bit is fitted in the correct angle/plane (should be the same as the old one) and that the stalk bit is the correct length.

Personally I'd go for something branded like securon or britax, or US equivalent.

I've got some TUNAP 104, following suggestions on here, but not used it yet.

Eek !! I got my U.S. drivers licence in Bakersfield CA in 1989. I suspect my driving career might have come to an end very rapidly had I been stopped and found to be in possession of a knife.....mind you, a ladyfriend in New Orleans had a bright red Pontiac Fiero and drove around with a .45 in the glove box.

Well, a box cutter to be exact , but I'd rather be without it :-)

Phil, thanks, as always, I'll look for the brands you recommended.

I suspect an average recent Eurobox will far outperform an old Morgan in a crash safety test situation...? My guess is that those who ride m/cycles, climb mountains or go to sea in small boats have to employ a reasonable degree of risk management relative to their choice of pastimes..?

If I care to think back to some of the rot boxes I nailed back together and drove around in, which barely scraped through an MOT, and their likely rate of conversion to something akin to Albran flakes if involved in a collision, safety was not the primary consideration, transportation was, jeez anything was thought to be better than waiting for a bus..

I guess much can be down to expectations again..? A Morgan from the 70`s would seem to be nothing like it`s modern-day counterpart in terms of design and construction even though they might look similar in overall appearance. If one cares to add in a few decades of possible decay to the materials involved in the old Mog`s construction, let alone the by comparison the somewhat loose construction and use regs that might have been in place in the 70`s, then my guess is ones expectations might just require a bit of adjustment..?

It is many a year since I had a seat belt mechanism apart. As I remember the one I stripped had a pendulum which acted as a an inertia sensor locking the reel that stored the belt material once the angle of the pendulum travelled off plumb by a measure of degrees..?

Dependant on where and how the reel was fitted to the car if the pendulum within was not sitting plumb, it could be close to engaging the locking teeth on the drum which logically (?) would create issues when trying to pull out belt material from the drum... That perhaps being the case if one is moving about in the car while trying to extract more belting or applying shock the the belt and thus the reel`s mechanism, then the pendulum may be inclined to move a little and disengage the locking mechanism momentarily allowing a bit more belting to be released before locking again..?

If I have any of the above correct, then it is possible that adjusting the angle of the reel mounting in such away that the unseen pendulum within might return to a central position (plumb) might just help things a tad..? I guess much depends on the conditions the reel has lived in over the decades, as you can well imagine and system where a pawl and teeth are part of the action, then dust and or corrosion may play their part..? The one I stripped was a pretty simple bit of kit with no special tools required to take it apart, clean and re-assemble... Though best not to attempt it if you can not understand it`s simple design and operation..?

Fire appliances serving aerodromes tend to carry a "V" shape blade cutter with no moving parts or sharp external edges, which can engage the belt without any possibility of cutting the wearer and with a one pull on the handle of the blade, will cut through the belt material in an instant..

I've just replaced the seat belts on my 1972 4/4 with internal reel units.

The unit you need is a 90/90 angle unit - I got mine from Quickfit Safety Belt Services but not sure they export to the US.

The MSA require stage rally cars to carry a seatbelt cutter/life hammer for both driver and co-driver and fitted within easy reach of driver and navigator.

Arwyn

. Never pull them with a sharp jolt. Always found a gentle pull works better.