When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
When I got my 964 the original seat belts where in terrible condition. The passenger side was virtually unusable. I appeared to be chewed up by a mouse. I did some research and found a few places that sold replacement. Used Factory for about $130 a set or some custom ones for $230 a set (ouch!). I couldn't understand why I couldn't just replace the belts. So I bought a used cheap one and took it apart to see what was going on with it. You can replace just the belt and it's quite easy. The are only held in my a single plastic pin on the very end.
That led me to find this. Nice strong high quality Seat belt webbing rolls. Countrybrook design (I have no affiliation with them) sells 10 yard rolls for $15.99. They have just about any color you can think of. One 10 yard roll is more than enough for the front belts.
I chose red:
First thing you need to do is get those seat belts out. Remove your rear side panels covering the units. You'll have three bolts to remove on each. An eye bolt, a top bolt, and a bolt holding the man unit to the car. You'll have to remove two small vents to access them, it's not hard. Wait, before you remove the last bolt holding the main piece, you need to pull the belt all the way out until it's fully extensding and have an assistant, in my case a vice grip firmly clipped to the old belt to hold the belt from being reeled back in. Once done, remove the last bolt and remove the entire unit.
Now you'll need to figure out some way to lock the unit from reeling back without a belt in it. I used an 8mm bolt, two washers, and two nuts.
With the unit locked in place with the bolt, you can now remove the webbing from the reel. Just push it into the reel and the it will push out on the opposite end, remove the move the pin, note the position of the belt (I used my cell phone and took pics) and remove it.
Now take out your old belt and lay it out on the floor noting the position on the clip and top. Layout your need webbing next to it and match up the length (don't forget to include the folds that are stitched to the old webbing. No cut your old belt and slide your clip and top onto your new webbing. Make your folds and use a paper clip to hold folds in place. Also, use a lighter to sear the edges after you make your cuts to keep them from fraying.
Now you're gonna have to find a place that can stitch them, unless you have an industrial grade sewing machine at home. MAKE SURE YOU CHOOSE A REPUTABLE SHOP THAT HAS EXPERIENCE IN SOWING SEAT BELTS. Luckily the place I took mine to does and does it locally for dealerships, car enthusiasts, and restorers. They charged me a total of $17 to stitch both belts. It's a small family owned shop that has been opened for years. If you are unforgettable with do this there are a few members here that know the right places to have this done and can steer you in the right direction. I believe the London 964 group have a vendor that can handle this.
Last edited by DobermanDad; 05-14-2015 at 08:12 PM.
Now that you have your belt back from the shoe repair it's time to install them. Simply reverse your order of assembly. It's not hard. I used my seats folded down to hold the belts while I put the rear panels back together.
If you mess up an let go of the belt and it spins back into the reel, you're gonna have a heck of time unreeling it unless it's bolted down.
What you can do is remove the LARGE side cover and manually release it. Let is spin in a little and with you holding the clip open it should release the lock.
DO NOT remove the small side cover, it holds a spring that will explode on you if you release the cover, ask me how I know.
great post - thanks for that. I guess though someone will point out that it is probably no longer complaint for insurance reasons etc. I know here in Australia that seatbelts (along with seats and all sorts of stuff) have to be ADR (Australian design regulation) complaint.
Maybe someone else on the forum will know the legalities of it all?
Figured this may be usefully to a few people. It's not a hard job, takes some time though. Just note everything as you go. You'll get the idea real fast once you start. The hardest part I found was getting those rear panels off for the first time and if the belt get's pulled back into the reel after you remove the unit, it's a PITA to get back out, but if you remove that large cover and pull that little clip back it will release it. Let it spin in a little and pull it the belt. The cover pretty much comes right off. On the top just press a little flat blade screw driver in the hold and it pops right off.
To answer hepkat63's question, I have no idea. We aren't as strict as you guys overseas. No yearly checks or anything like that. You can put most anything on the road in Michigan as long as you have brake lights and insurance. Dealerships and people restoring cars do this all the time here. The shop I took it too, knew exactly what I needed as soon as I showed them the belts. The owner was interested in where I found the webbing, I guess people have a hard time finding it.
These belts are definitely stronger that was originally on there. It has a tensile strength of 6,000 lbs, seat belt webbing won't shrink, rot, mildew, or mold. Definitely an upgrade over the ones I had on. My passenger side was literally held on by a few threads. For some old cars this may be the only option for new belts, I"m sure even new units for ours are becoming scarce.
I want to find a source for new springs. Then I could really restore these belts. Just have to figure out the size. They come locked, so it's probably not that hard to replace them.
I only did the front on mine. I'm in the process of removing the rear seats and making a rear seat delete.
I like mine. It's kinda shiny, so if the light is right on it, it makes it look less red, but that doesn't bother me. I'm sure the shiny will wear over time.
Compared it to some red ratchet straps I had, and they do the same thing.
Was actually gonna do black, but then decided red at the last minute. I have a roll of each color.
05-12-2015, 03:18 PM
New seat belts... the inexpensive way.
)
