Seat Belt Question
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 785
Likes: 1
From: Middletown PA
Seat Belt Question
Never noticed until today, but my driver's side shoulder belt has a bunch of acordian folds/gathers in it, right down near buckle. The folds are all sewed togehter at each end.
Almost looks like an arrangement I have seen on safey harnesses that tear loose in the event of a fall to gradually take up the shock rather than hitting the end of the tether all at once.
The passenger belt isn't like this. The other thing I thought is maybe it is set up so that if the driver gains weight, you can "let it out", ha, ha.
Anybody else have this or know what its purpose is.
Almost looks like an arrangement I have seen on safey harnesses that tear loose in the event of a fall to gradually take up the shock rather than hitting the end of the tether all at once.
The passenger belt isn't like this. The other thing I thought is maybe it is set up so that if the driver gains weight, you can "let it out", ha, ha.
Anybody else have this or know what its purpose is.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 34,873
Likes: 487
From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
My 02 has the same stiching on the driver's shoulder belt. Inside the first fold, there is a warning message that says "Caution Belt must be replaced". It may very well be what you described to soften the shock of a crash. But I would think the airbag would push you back quicker than the time it would take for the belt to cinch up and the stitching to break.
The owner's manual says that the belt should be replaced after a crash or if that yellow label becomes visible.
According to the owner's manual, the dealer is supposed to provide an "extender" for free if the factory belt does not fit.
The owner's manual says that the belt should be replaced after a crash or if that yellow label becomes visible.
According to the owner's manual, the dealer is supposed to provide an "extender" for free if the factory belt does not fit.
Instructor
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 186
Likes: 0
From: Greenville NC
Originally Posted by c4cruiser
My 02 has the same stiching on the driver's shoulder belt. Inside the first fold, there is a warning message that says "Caution Belt must be replaced". It may very well be what you described to soften the shock of a crash. But I would think the airbag would push you back quicker than the time it would take for the belt to cinch up and the stitching to break.
The owner's manual says that the belt should be replaced after a crash or if that yellow label becomes visible.
According to the owner's manual, the dealer is supposed to provide an "extender" for free if the factory belt does not fit.
The owner's manual says that the belt should be replaced after a crash or if that yellow label becomes visible.
According to the owner's manual, the dealer is supposed to provide an "extender" for free if the factory belt does not fit.
and if you need the extender, just go to any dealer parts department and ask/order it. No charge. the factory pays for it.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,227
Likes: 15
St. Jude Donor '06
Originally Posted by rwsr50
Never noticed until today, but my driver's side shoulder belt has a bunch of acordian folds/gathers in it, right down near buckle. The folds are all sewed togehter at each end.
Almost looks like an arrangement I have seen on safey harnesses that tear loose in the event of a fall to gradually take up the shock rather than hitting the end of the tether all at once.
The passenger belt isn't like this. The other thing I thought is maybe it is set up so that if the driver gains weight, you can "let it out", ha, ha.
Anybody else have this or know what its purpose is.
Almost looks like an arrangement I have seen on safey harnesses that tear loose in the event of a fall to gradually take up the shock rather than hitting the end of the tether all at once.
The passenger belt isn't like this. The other thing I thought is maybe it is set up so that if the driver gains weight, you can "let it out", ha, ha.
Anybody else have this or know what its purpose is.
During the event if a collision, the stitching breaks loose and "lays" you into the airbag. They do exactly what they are called, they absorb energy. They eliminated them from the 00 or any vette with the airbag turn off switch because if the airbag is off, and you crash, the EA loop would break and instead of laying you into an airbag, you hit the dash. No Good.
Newer seatbelts incorporate a EA system into the retractor itself; usually some type of metal bar that twists and allows the spool to pay out webbing extremely slowly.
Seatbelts should be switch after just about any major collision. Just as the belts says, if the EA loop breaks or the yellow label is visible, it needs replaced. Even if the webbing looks OK after a crash, it has become stretched and thus, is much weaker. Its not worth it not to replace them. A new set is 500 bucks or so...buckles should also be replaced for the same reason.
Last edited by Stealthy4; May 21, 2006 at 12:11 AM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 785
Likes: 1
From: Middletown PA
Thanks for the replies. You guys are too smart! Where do you learn these things?
I guess my hunch was right. The thing that seems strange though is you'd think they wouldn't want the EA folds on the driver's side either since you have the steering wheel that could impale your chest should the air bag malfunction. Oh well, hopefully I won't ever get to test any of those systems.
I guess my hunch was right. The thing that seems strange though is you'd think they wouldn't want the EA folds on the driver's side either since you have the steering wheel that could impale your chest should the air bag malfunction. Oh well, hopefully I won't ever get to test any of those systems.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,227
Likes: 15
St. Jude Donor '06
The way i know this is, my dad is was a seatbelt engineer for GM until this year when they cut his position. He was actually the follow up engineer on the C5 program. I am also a seatbelt engineer but I work for a supplier. Although my company was not the supplier of the C5 belts, everyone uses similar designs. This is actually old technology which makes sense since the C5 was developed in the early 90's.
My company is also the supplier of airbags and I have never heard of a failure to deploy. The electrical system for the airbags and pretensioner seatbelts are a system to themselves. They only interact with the crash detection system and the computer itself. Deployment is usually around 10 milliseconds after crash detection.
I have heard that after a crash, people replace the airbags using parts from ebay or somewhere else....anyway...some of these guys are rip off artists and they sell you an airbag module with out an airbag...its simply a new steering wheel cover...ALWAYS buy the parts from a GM dealer. Its not worth it for the extra bucks you would save going through someone else.
My company is also the supplier of airbags and I have never heard of a failure to deploy. The electrical system for the airbags and pretensioner seatbelts are a system to themselves. They only interact with the crash detection system and the computer itself. Deployment is usually around 10 milliseconds after crash detection.
I have heard that after a crash, people replace the airbags using parts from ebay or somewhere else....anyway...some of these guys are rip off artists and they sell you an airbag module with out an airbag...its simply a new steering wheel cover...ALWAYS buy the parts from a GM dealer. Its not worth it for the extra bucks you would save going through someone else.
Last edited by Stealthy4; May 21, 2006 at 01:42 PM.
