belts and harnesses

[DB&KJP <motoduo@domain.elided>]

>(would you trust yourself hanging in mid-air 2000 feet above
>the earth to a shoe repairman's needle?)

Shoe repair pros have these things now, they are called "sewing
machines" and they work just like the ones that Mr. Parachute
Maker has.  They come in the heavy duty industrial variety and
the technology is based on the same principal that it was born
from around the turn of the century, the one before y2k.

The point is, there is no mystery to splicing new web onto a
seat belt.  It needs to be the right type of web specifically
made for the purpose, you need an industrial machine like the
one I make motorcycle seats with in my shop, and you need to
use nylon thread, at least 10 pound break strength.  You can
(if you had all of these things and some affinity for sewing)
use the same stitch pattern as on your existing belts, a
standard method with several boxes and x's, not overlapping but
sewing one line of stitches close to the next, in one unbroken
seam, turning corners changing direction.

The shoe repair guy is not a seat belt rewebber by trade, but
maybe he should be.  Sounds like a hundred bucks for an hour
of work (that's what mine took) could be a bit more lucrative
than resoling work boots.

I only spliced new web in the Alfetta after I got tired of the
original ones refusing to retract.  They twisted up in the
mechanism so many times that they were binding and it's
questionable as to whether they could be effective in a crash.

Here's how I did mine.

I took the pieces out of the car and layed them out on the
floor.  Pulled the web all of the way out and held it there
with a spring clamp.  Cut it about 6 inches from the end, then
cut the male latch piece off of the other end.  I took that
used it to measure the new piece, allowing for overlap at both
ends.  Then, I put the new web through the hardware in exactly
the same order.  Copied the stitch pattern at the sewn end,
overlapped and box stitched the other end.  (Which is hidden
with interior trim when installed.)  I was concerned about the
overlap being to bulky for the housing to hold.  Not a problem,
they work perfect.

Still, you are assuming that your latches and hardware are
going to be as reliable as new ones.  Which they almost
surely aren't unless they have seen little use.  It makes sense
to me that the latches would be more prone to fail than the
web itself.  Even the weakest, most tired examples don't
shred or rip, do they?  Has anyone actually seen the stitching
come undone?  I don't recall seeing that happen before.  But
then again, maybe I have led a sheltered life.

Send me your old tired belt assemblies and I will re-web them
for a hundred bucks a piece!  (like I need another thing to do
right now)  Seriously, after I'm moved I'll put some pictures
up on the web and you can see for yourself.

Kathy Jo
fledgling mechanic out of necessity but a pro with a sewing
machine.

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