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Hi all,
Working on my 87 900s passive restraint belts, I had to cut off the buckle from the shoulder strap. My method of reattachment will work on any seatbelt, and I welcome your opinions and improvements. Use at your own risk.
PROBLEM:
After cutting the belt to free the magazine from the seat, I didn't have the sewing machine that the manufacturer uses to loop the belt to hold the buckle. Remember to cut it with an extremely sharp knife, and melt the end with a flame to prevent fraying.
SOLUTION:
Glue it. I used Elmer's "PlioBond" but GorillaGlue or any ureathane glue will work. This stuff is messy beyond compare, and it expands. Wear gloves, cover everything with plastic, polyethylene trashbags and plastic wrap work well.
I made the "overlap" equal to the width of the belt, which is about double the sewn-area from the manufacturer, and more or less the typical sewn-area from older belts.
Apply glue sparingly, and if in doubt, ONLY to the overlap area. I also glued the fold-over region that would ultimatly rest inside the buckle. Make certain no glue--not even a drop--lies on the surfaces that touch the buckle. If any of that glue oozes onto your clamps, the wood, or the interior, you're doomed. (It EXPANDS.) If you make a mistake, cut it all off now and start again. When done, the buckle and the belt it touches will be free from glue, and the only glue you'll see is in the overlap region. Wrap it in plastic wrap, and apply clamping pressure while it "dries." Give it a good 12 hours.
THE RESULT
The entire cloth-loop welded into a solid composite piece. (No, the buckle is perfectly free) The overlapped area is solid, like I'd melted it together. I did end up with one corner exposed, which might lead to peeling, but there's so many square milimeters of bonded surface that I suspec it would take years or tons of force to separate.
COMMENTS AND THOUGHTS:
If anything, this repair MIGHT be too strong. I'm pretty certain that if there is a calibrated yield-strength, it is in the buckle and not the belt. I know that is now true, this composite attachment is truly solid.
Rigidity. This loop is more or less a solid piece. This might pose a cutting hazard in a side impact, it also might frustrate a rescuer trying to the belt loose at the "root."
Age. This glue is pretty invulnerable to weathering and chemicals. But anyone out there know for sure?
Stink. This glue smells pretty awful, but it does go away. (My winter coat's pocket is reattached using this same method, and there's no smell after a few days.)
Appearance. The area caught between the clamps and in contact with the plastic wrap came out GLOSSY. Almost mirror finished. The loop--without clamping pressure--shows just a hint of the yellowish color of the expanded glue. Doubt anyone would notice, but it might be important in an Aero going for Concours points.
So let me know... I'm planning on employing the method again if this belt magazine needs replacing, I'll just tell the junkyard to cut the old one loose so I don't have to buy a seat with it.
Cheers,
Ben
69 Sonett; 69 96; 73 99; 76 99 gle; 78 99 ems; 86 900 s; 91 9000 t; 87 900 s
posted by 64.81.14...
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