Chimaera seatbelts
Discussion
So here's what I went for in the end for my 95 Chimaera. I found a UK seat belt manufacturer that could supply the stalks to the same 25cm length as my original ones. They can also do whatever seat belt length for the same price, in various colours and supply the necessary hardware too. The website is https://www.beltupsafety.com and the person to speak to for TVR specific requirements is Andrew Evans. Very helpful, great quality product and they supplied some extra fixings that I needed for my car free of charge. All up the cost was £108 for both seat belts which was the price of one seat belt from the usual parts suppliers. I'm always happy to support small UK companies. These would probably suit Griffith owners too.
Really happy to have seat belts that retract properly, no more trying to jiggle the inertial reel to get the belt to release and no more patches of rust on the carpets!
By the way, the new carpets in the photos I cut and bound myself using the originals as templates. The carpet was from proper auto carpet from Coverdale and I used a heavy duty Singer sewing machine (4411) to bind the edges. It took many weeks to do but it was really satisfying to make each piece myself and make them fit properly to the car. Learnt a lot about sewing and unclogging sewing machines too!
Hope this info is helpful out there.
Really happy to have seat belts that retract properly, no more trying to jiggle the inertial reel to get the belt to release and no more patches of rust on the carpets!
By the way, the new carpets in the photos I cut and bound myself using the originals as templates. The carpet was from proper auto carpet from Coverdale and I used a heavy duty Singer sewing machine (4411) to bind the edges. It took many weeks to do but it was really satisfying to make each piece myself and make them fit properly to the car. Learnt a lot about sewing and unclogging sewing machines too!
Hope this info is helpful out there.
TVR-MADS said:
That looks like a standard "Securon" seat belt? Readily available on Ebay for less than £40 each.clicky for example
They're practically next door to my old man!
I can also recommend FDTS in West Byfleet if you're not on the South Coast. Same service, same sort of price. I got a new multi-angle reel for the driver's side and the passenger side re-webbed plus a load of fixings, bolts, spacers etc for around the £100 mark a couple years ago. They don't have the same slick website but they know their stuff and are great people to deal with.
http://www.fdts-seatbelts.co.uk/
I can also recommend FDTS in West Byfleet if you're not on the South Coast. Same service, same sort of price. I got a new multi-angle reel for the driver's side and the passenger side re-webbed plus a load of fixings, bolts, spacers etc for around the £100 mark a couple years ago. They don't have the same slick website but they know their stuff and are great people to deal with.
http://www.fdts-seatbelts.co.uk/
phillpot said:
That looks like a standard "Securon" seat belt? Readily available on Ebay for less than £40 each.
clicky for example
All the Securon belts I found had a 30cm stalk. I decided to keep to the original length 25cm stalks that I thought suited the car better. I did find a set of 25cm stalked seat belts on the usual auction site but they looked too generic for me. I'm really happy with the quality of the ones made locally.clicky for example
2gins said:
They're practically next door to my old man!
I can also recommend FDTS in West Byfleet if you're not on the South Coast. Same service, same sort of price. I got a new multi-angle reel for the driver's side and the passenger side re-webbed plus a load of fixings, bolts, spacers etc for around the £100 mark a couple years ago. They don't have the same slick website but they know their stuff and are great people to deal with.
http://www.fdts-seatbelts.co.uk/
FDTS get the thumbs up from me. Securons look cheap and chatty IMHO and if your not a powerfully built director type you might find the 30cm is too long for you.I can also recommend FDTS in West Byfleet if you're not on the South Coast. Same service, same sort of price. I got a new multi-angle reel for the driver's side and the passenger side re-webbed plus a load of fixings, bolts, spacers etc for around the £100 mark a couple years ago. They don't have the same slick website but they know their stuff and are great people to deal with.
http://www.fdts-seatbelts.co.uk/
We drove down to Torquay last week from Nuneaton (196 miles each way) in my Chimaera. When we got in the car to come home on Saturday my drivers side seat belt wouldn't pull around, it was just locked up. I eventually got it released after about 15/20 minutes of faffing about but have decided I need new set belts.
With the usual suppliers wanting about £149 each seat belt kit this post is going to be very helpful.
Thank you for sharing
With the usual suppliers wanting about £149 each seat belt kit this post is going to be very helpful.
Thank you for sharing
In case it's it's useful...
I replaced both sets for around £180, I kept the buckles because they're fine, but new webbing, reels and fixings. I separately bought new bolts and stainless steel spacers for the outrigger fixings for another tenner from ebay (the original spacers were quite rusty).
Also had a choice of colours (went for blue to match the car).
https://www.quickfitsbs.com/ in High Wycombe were great.
I replaced both sets for around £180, I kept the buckles because they're fine, but new webbing, reels and fixings. I separately bought new bolts and stainless steel spacers for the outrigger fixings for another tenner from ebay (the original spacers were quite rusty).
Also had a choice of colours (went for blue to match the car).
https://www.quickfitsbs.com/ in High Wycombe were great.
It can be very challenging undoing the seat belt bolt in the outrigger if it’s never been undone since new!
Copious amounts of penetrating oil from below the car directed at that bolt. Each bolt goes through the body or side of the floor more precisely and usually have lumps of mastic applied between bolt and floor before it’s pinched up tight to rigger. You might be best advised to use a sharpe knife to cut some of that mastic away from under the car so you can get your oil to penetrate down the bolt threads and into the rigger.
Breaking that bolt can cause great pain to drill out.
Friction and trying to undo that bolt to aggressively will heat that bolt up very quickly and it can twist and snap off no bother.
Take your time and undo it slowly, if in doubt feel the bolt head with your finger, if it’s warming stop, and add more oil and let it cool down.
I’ve had one experience of that exact issue which I caused by doing exactly what I’ve mentioned above even though I knew bolt was getting hot,,,, I ruddy snapped it!
Took many good drill bits and a lot of hours to drill that bolt out.
If in doubt let a good TVR man change them for you.
Copious amounts of penetrating oil from below the car directed at that bolt. Each bolt goes through the body or side of the floor more precisely and usually have lumps of mastic applied between bolt and floor before it’s pinched up tight to rigger. You might be best advised to use a sharpe knife to cut some of that mastic away from under the car so you can get your oil to penetrate down the bolt threads and into the rigger.
Breaking that bolt can cause great pain to drill out.
Friction and trying to undo that bolt to aggressively will heat that bolt up very quickly and it can twist and snap off no bother.
Take your time and undo it slowly, if in doubt feel the bolt head with your finger, if it’s warming stop, and add more oil and let it cool down.
I’ve had one experience of that exact issue which I caused by doing exactly what I’ve mentioned above even though I knew bolt was getting hot,,,, I ruddy snapped it!
Took many good drill bits and a lot of hours to drill that bolt out.
If in doubt let a good TVR man change them for you.
Edited by BritishTvr450 on Monday 17th June 10:20
)dickb
dly said:
dly said: Just for information really! I have found if the car is parked on to much of an angle from side to side my seat-belts lock up, if i then drive a short distance onto a flat surface the belts pull out fine!!
Yes, they are 90/90 cartridges, designed to lock up if on a tilt forward/backward and side to side.It can take a little bit of tweaking to get them sitting right when installing, need to park the car on a flat area.
Can be knocked out of position by the seat sliding back into it, but easy to correct.
Thank you for this, I have been thinking about changing my belts for a while and have ordered some.
Can I check about the buckle mount? Is it a captive nut or will I need a ratchet on both sides? The bolt seems to come out on the tunnel side; do I need to get my hand all the way up there?
Thanks
Richard
Can I check about the buckle mount? Is it a captive nut or will I need a ratchet on both sides? The bolt seems to come out on the tunnel side; do I need to get my hand all the way up there?
Thanks
Richard
Bolted into chassis rails via a captive nut or threaded bar to be more precise.
It’s probably a good idea to use some penetrating oil from underneath the car to help removal as breaking any seat belt bolts off is to be avoided like the plague.
You might be restricted by mastic surrounding the bolt so cut through it to get oil down the threads.
When replacing bolts use plenty of mastic to seal between chassis rails or you’ll get water entering the car via the hole in the body the bolt goes through. Wet carpets behind the seats is a tell tale sign the sealant is not doing its job.
It’s probably a good idea to use some penetrating oil from underneath the car to help removal as breaking any seat belt bolts off is to be avoided like the plague.
You might be restricted by mastic surrounding the bolt so cut through it to get oil down the threads.
When replacing bolts use plenty of mastic to seal between chassis rails or you’ll get water entering the car via the hole in the body the bolt goes through. Wet carpets behind the seats is a tell tale sign the sealant is not doing its job.
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