MossRoad
Super Moderator
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- South Bend, Indiana (near)
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- Power Trac PT425 2001 Model Year
Need seat belt
- Thread starter Anonymous Poster
- Start date
- Views: 3558
markie61
Veteran Member
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- Mar 31, 2001
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- Northern Virginia
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- 2019 Rural King RK55HC with Loader & Backhoe; 2001 New Holland TC40D with Loader
It kept Jetho's and Ellie Mae's pants up just fine..... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
hazmat
Elite Member
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- Feb 12, 2002
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- West Newbury, MA & Harrison, ME
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- Kubota L5460HSTC
Great suggestion OkieG.
I'll add a comment. When you cut the belt, melt the end with a fireplace/grill lighter. Keeps the nylon from unravelling. Sewing a hem on it is additional security.
I'll add a comment. When you cut the belt, melt the end with a fireplace/grill lighter. Keeps the nylon from unravelling. Sewing a hem on it is additional security.
OkieG
Veteran Member
Howdy,
Bought a generic seat belt at NAPA tonight. After cutting the belt to size, I sewed on the original hardware (after my wife set up the sewing machine for me). It's now installed and seems to work fine. I carefully singed the end of the belt with a propane torch before sewing, per your recommendation. Lookin' good.
OkieG
Bought a generic seat belt at NAPA tonight. After cutting the belt to size, I sewed on the original hardware (after my wife set up the sewing machine for me). It's now installed and seems to work fine. I carefully singed the end of the belt with a propane torch before sewing, per your recommendation. Lookin' good.
OkieG
b249
Bronze Member
For what its worth, spend the money on the OEM seatbelt!
Come on guys were talking "life & limb" here and you want to make your own safety equipment? OEM safety equipment is made and tested to pass certain standards (at least in the auto industry). I would think that any seatbelt that is OEM would be constructed to pass similar standards (I'm fairly certain that Ethels' sewing machine (and the seatbelt constructed by it) would not hold up in any type of product liability case.
Worst case scenario: you/friend/family roll your tractor and the Ethel-made belt fails and you have an injury or someone that is d.r.t. (dead right there) and you have no legal recourses.
Better case scenario: you spend the foldin' money on an OEM piece of safety gear, roll the tractor and (for the most part) you could be uninjured. You may also have some legal recourse if the belt was used properly and it failed.
Best case scenario: you spend the foldin' money on the OEM piece of seatbelt and never need it.
BTW: did you know that if your in an auto crash and the seatbelts are in use they should be removed and replaced with the other damaged car parts?
After investigating many serious injury and fatal traffic crashes over the last 15 years I can say that I would trust OEM much more than "ethell-made"
just my two-cents,
b249
Come on guys were talking "life & limb" here and you want to make your own safety equipment? OEM safety equipment is made and tested to pass certain standards (at least in the auto industry). I would think that any seatbelt that is OEM would be constructed to pass similar standards (I'm fairly certain that Ethels' sewing machine (and the seatbelt constructed by it) would not hold up in any type of product liability case.
Worst case scenario: you/friend/family roll your tractor and the Ethel-made belt fails and you have an injury or someone that is d.r.t. (dead right there) and you have no legal recourses.
Better case scenario: you spend the foldin' money on an OEM piece of safety gear, roll the tractor and (for the most part) you could be uninjured. You may also have some legal recourse if the belt was used properly and it failed.
Best case scenario: you spend the foldin' money on the OEM piece of seatbelt and never need it.
BTW: did you know that if your in an auto crash and the seatbelts are in use they should be removed and replaced with the other damaged car parts?
After investigating many serious injury and fatal traffic crashes over the last 15 years I can say that I would trust OEM much more than "ethell-made"
just my two-cents,
b249
<font color="blue">Come on guys were talking "life & limb" here and you want to make your own safety equipment?...OEM safety equipment is made and tested to pass certain standards </font>
Yes, and you have a point about the liability lawsuit stuff.
However, your premise that the "Ethell" version will be an inferior product is one that I do not agree with. Just because Ford, GM, Toyota, etc. makes it doesn't mean that it is the "best" one can get by any means. I've seen malfunctioning and defective OEM seat belts over the years that had to be replaced in NEW cars! Doesn't mean all are defective - just that the OEM stuff isn't perfect.
As far as "home made" safety equipment - yup, I use it - and it has saved my skin. Specifically I'm talking about a roll cage (not just the "bar" that comes "OEM") that I installed on my CJ. Rolled the Jeep off roading (long story - I wasn't the driver. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif) Anywho, windshield folds around the cage - without it, it would have folded in on my face and quite frankly, instead of walking away cussing, based on the accident, I would have most likely been wheeled away in to surgery (if I was lucky) Yea, that "home made" piece of “unreliable junk” saved my.....
Anywho, my point is that just because someone makes something from scratch, or modifies something that already exists, it doesn't translate that it automatically turns in to a piece of junk. (Yes, I've seen "factory welds" break on vehicles even under "light use".) Safety is what you make it, and Original Equipment Manufacturers aren't perfect nor do they have all the answers. (The engineers at New Holland, Deere, etc. don't have a monopoly on brains or good ideas.) After all, how many years were tractors produced without a seatbelt at all??? /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Not to mention not having a ROPS.
Yes, in today’s lawsuit-happy, off the shelf, I’m the victim/sue “The Man” society, unfortunately you have a point that I can’t disagree with (unfortunate that society has gone that way). However, I will continue to disagree with ‘If it’s home made, it must be crap” mentality.
Just MY $.02....
Oh, BTW, in your “worst case” scenario, thinking like a lot of folks do now days, seems to me the previous owner who removed the seat belts would get sued, along with the tractor manufacturer because he made a "defective product" because it allowed the end-user to "easily" remove the belts. After all, folks most often sue the ones with "deep pockets."
Yes, and you have a point about the liability lawsuit stuff.
However, your premise that the "Ethell" version will be an inferior product is one that I do not agree with. Just because Ford, GM, Toyota, etc. makes it doesn't mean that it is the "best" one can get by any means. I've seen malfunctioning and defective OEM seat belts over the years that had to be replaced in NEW cars! Doesn't mean all are defective - just that the OEM stuff isn't perfect.
As far as "home made" safety equipment - yup, I use it - and it has saved my skin. Specifically I'm talking about a roll cage (not just the "bar" that comes "OEM") that I installed on my CJ. Rolled the Jeep off roading (long story - I wasn't the driver. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif) Anywho, windshield folds around the cage - without it, it would have folded in on my face and quite frankly, instead of walking away cussing, based on the accident, I would have most likely been wheeled away in to surgery (if I was lucky) Yea, that "home made" piece of “unreliable junk” saved my.....
Anywho, my point is that just because someone makes something from scratch, or modifies something that already exists, it doesn't translate that it automatically turns in to a piece of junk. (Yes, I've seen "factory welds" break on vehicles even under "light use".) Safety is what you make it, and Original Equipment Manufacturers aren't perfect nor do they have all the answers. (The engineers at New Holland, Deere, etc. don't have a monopoly on brains or good ideas.) After all, how many years were tractors produced without a seatbelt at all??? /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Not to mention not having a ROPS.
Yes, in today’s lawsuit-happy, off the shelf, I’m the victim/sue “The Man” society, unfortunately you have a point that I can’t disagree with (unfortunate that society has gone that way). However, I will continue to disagree with ‘If it’s home made, it must be crap” mentality.
Just MY $.02....
Oh, BTW, in your “worst case” scenario, thinking like a lot of folks do now days, seems to me the previous owner who removed the seat belts would get sued, along with the tractor manufacturer because he made a "defective product" because it allowed the end-user to "easily" remove the belts. After all, folks most often sue the ones with "deep pockets."
hazmat
Elite Member
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- West Newbury, MA & Harrison, ME
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Ranchman's right. OEM doesn't mean safer. It is actually the government that writes most of the safety standards Including seat belts (#209). DOT FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards)
OkieG
Veteran Member
<font color="blue"> Come on guys were talking "life & limb" here and you want to make your own safety equipment? OEM safety equipment is made and tested to pass certain standards </font>
As Ranchman said, you may have a point with the litigation thing, maybe. But, the OEM belt, at 5 years old, has failed. My confidence in the standard is diminished. In years of owning vehicles, this is the only seat belt I've had that has ever failed...and it doesn't even get close to daily use.
The only "Ethyling" necessary was sewing the ends of the lap belt to the anchoring hardware. As you can see, the sewing pattern is not hard to copy.
You are right, in that I should not be encouraging TBNers to try this kind of a stunt where safety is an issue. Despite the cavalier challenge in my previous post, my "sew it yourself" option is only offered for careful consideration as a possible (maybe not the best) alternative to options already posted.
However, I admit that I Ethyl all the time and you kinda get a feel for it after a while. Many times this Ethyl thing produces equal if not superior results to the original (in my opinion). In this case, I don't know, but I doubt that the stitchwork will ever fail. I feel comfortable my safety is not compromised. I do appreciate and thank you for your comments.
OkieG
As Ranchman said, you may have a point with the litigation thing, maybe. But, the OEM belt, at 5 years old, has failed. My confidence in the standard is diminished. In years of owning vehicles, this is the only seat belt I've had that has ever failed...and it doesn't even get close to daily use.
The only "Ethyling" necessary was sewing the ends of the lap belt to the anchoring hardware. As you can see, the sewing pattern is not hard to copy.
You are right, in that I should not be encouraging TBNers to try this kind of a stunt where safety is an issue. Despite the cavalier challenge in my previous post, my "sew it yourself" option is only offered for careful consideration as a possible (maybe not the best) alternative to options already posted.
However, I admit that I Ethyl all the time and you kinda get a feel for it after a while. Many times this Ethyl thing produces equal if not superior results to the original (in my opinion). In this case, I don't know, but I doubt that the stitchwork will ever fail. I feel comfortable my safety is not compromised. I do appreciate and thank you for your comments.
OkieG
Attachments
b249
Bronze Member
<font color="blue"> </font> If it’s home made, it must be crap” mentality.
I did not mean to imply that home made = crap. I've seen some pretty cool home made stuff that is very functional and safe.
As far as the FMVSS; I'm familiar with them but I now question whether tractor seatbelts are made to any standard at all let alone the FMVSS.
I just don't want anyone to get tied up in a needless lawsuit, let alone an injury...again, were in a very litigious society. The lawyers would say that the way safety is improved is a direct result of the suits.
Take care!
b249
I did not mean to imply that home made = crap. I've seen some pretty cool home made stuff that is very functional and safe.
As far as the FMVSS; I'm familiar with them but I now question whether tractor seatbelts are made to any standard at all let alone the FMVSS.
I just don't want anyone to get tied up in a needless lawsuit, let alone an injury...again, were in a very litigious society. The lawyers would say that the way safety is improved is a direct result of the suits.
Take care!
b249
OP
Anonymous Poster
Epic Contributor
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Well, I got lucky and didn't have to spend any money. I called the guy I bought from, and he still had the old seat. Was more than happy to give me the belt (and the seat!).
Thanks for the input. I had decided to modify my own if I couldn't get the old one.
GregM
Thanks for the input. I had decided to modify my own if I couldn't get the old one.
GregM
