stupid toyota seat belts

[Ted]

wondered if anyone has got to the bottom of this. have seat belts that dont seem to lock on the car but do off the car. got another set off an old corolla that fit but they do the same.

mot time at the moment and the tester will pull them i assume and fail the car.

anyone?

 

[mork]

The old seatbelt design worked on a ball bearing system. When the front end of the car dips (when in a crash for instance) the bearing rolls forward and locks the mechanism. It takes a lot to get them to lock when you just pull on them when stationary. Try tugging on them when doing an emergency stop, you'll find they'll lock easily. I've been thinking of getting some later generation Celica/MR2 ones that are proper inertia reel ones, but need to get the old one off first to see how they bolt to the car and the design of the anchor. I really don't feel safe knowing that the belt won't lock immediately, there's too high a chance that your head will hit something first.

 

[Ted]

know what youre saying. wondered what the mot thinks though. chris ccm on here had a bump in an old corolla and the belts didnt lock.

 

[Paul_JJ]

The old seatbelt design worked on a ball bearing system. When the front end of the car dips (when in a crash for instance) the bearing rolls forward and locks the mechanism. It takes a lot to get them to lock when you just pull on them when stationary. Try tugging on them when doing an emergency stop, you'll find they'll lock easily. I've been thinking of getting some later generation Celica/MR2 ones that are proper inertia reel ones, but need to get the old one off first to see how they bolt to the car and the design of the anchor. I really don't feel safe knowing that the belt won't lock immediately, there's too high a chance that your head will hit something first.

Apply for the passengers for sure, But if you hold your steering wheel with your hands during the crash how can you possibly hit the windscreen with your head? Also how about the air bag?

 

[Rev]

You have to consider stock belts only hold one shoulder so the body can fly out of the belt and this is especially bad with accidents that involve multiple impacts . In my experience sometimes the windscreen comes to you

 

[Al Kapone]

know what youre saying. wondered what the mot thinks though. chris ccm on here had a bump in an old corolla and the belts didnt lock.

Ive heard that the mk1 seatbelts only lock when the car is on/started.???????

 

[mork]

Apply for the passengers for sure, But if you hold your steering wheel with your hands during the crash how can you possibly hit the windscreen with your head? Also how about the air bag?

Because the car is old and the A-pillar buckles, hence the windscreen comes towards you. It happened to a friend of mine at 30mph. The stock belts are shite...simple.

As for the MOT, they're fine. Due to the nature of the belt design and the fact the car's an import the MOT tester has a different set of rules I guess. My car went through the MOT no problem last week, and it has the same belts as a Starlet.
I still think a later Toyota with proper inertia belts would be better, provided they fit. Unless you go for full harness.

 

[weeJohn]

wondered if anyone has got to the bottom of this. have seat belts that dont seem to lock on the car but do off the car. got another set off an old corolla that fit but they do the same.

Mine are the other way round, wont pull out on but do off. Have you tried swapping them round, sides I mean?

 

[corofin12345]

the old inertia mechanism's tends to fail over time cause the bearing housing gets sticky with shite over the years.. a small brush and some wd40 normally works