Replacing seatbelts - Audi 80 cabriolet 1996

edwardbear · 25-02-20, 02:19 PM

Hi All

Another week another problem. I went to test my seat belt this afternoon, giving it a firm yank 2 - 3 times. There was no resistance at all.

Has anyone replaced these seat belts before, could it be a fault with the mechanism or just wear and tear?

BackintheFold · 25-02-20, 02:39 PM

its an inertia reel belt-it locks up when there is forward motion that comes to a stop suddenly. It may not lock up when you just yank it.

edwardbear · 25-02-20, 02:42 PM

I'd hope yanking it would force it to lock up. I don't want to crash to test the theory further.

BackintheFold · 25-02-20, 02:53 PM

Imagine a ball bearing in a cone.
No matter how much the ball moves up and down at the wide end, it isn't going to lock up.
At the pointy end, it is already locked up.
There must be diagrams on the net to show this better than my explanation, take a poke around...

Ringmaster · 26-02-20, 09:36 PM

I don't think you have a problem.
If you do it's probably old age (the belt, not you)...
Get it checked if you are worried.

Have a look at this. Not Audi specific, but I found it interesting.....

https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/...on-them.11113/

25-02-20, 02:39 PM	#2
BackintheFold Senior Member Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Near an MB ur Quattro Posts: 1,171	its an inertia reel belt-it locks up when there is forward motion that comes to a stop suddenly. It may not lock up when you just yank it.

25-02-20, 02:42 PM	#3
edwardbear Grown up member Join Date: Jan 2017 Posts: 48	I'd hope yanking it would force it to lock up. I don't want to crash to test the theory further.

25-02-20, 02:53 PM	#4
BackintheFold Senior Member Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Near an MB ur Quattro Posts: 1,171	Imagine a ball bearing in a cone. No matter how much the ball moves up and down at the wide end, it isn't going to lock up. At the pointy end, it is already locked up. There must be diagrams on the net to show this better than my explanation, take a poke around...

26-02-20, 09:36 PM	#5
Ringmaster Senior Member Classic Audi Club Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 1,326	I don't think you have a problem. If you do it's probably old age (the belt, not you)... Get it checked if you are worried. Have a look at this. Not Audi specific, but I found it interesting..... https://wranglertjforum.com/threads/...on-them.11113/