The driver's side seat belt buckle refuses to hold on to the belt.
Has anyone found a source for a buckle with the warning contact? I'm not keen to have a used one.
I can't find anything the right length (27cm) and most come without contacts - including the ones SJSportscars sell according to their pictures.
I'm guessing that the warning light is an MoT item.
Bill
Clunk no click
Moderator: Board Moderators
- bash
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 2222
- Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2005 15:34
- Model: Se, V8
- Colour: white
- Year: 1986
- Location: Doncaster
- Contact:
Re: Clunk no click
Its usually because they get full of fluff and debris not because its worn out. If you take it to pieces I would bet that the holding spring is clogged up, a clean with some brake or carb cleaner and a squirt of wd40 should get you sorted at no cost.
Bash
Bash
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe.
- Hawaiis0
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 4146
- Joined: Sun Jun 30, 2013 18:39
- Model: Excel SA (No 3); Elite 504
- Colour: BRG; Dirty White
- Year: 1986
- Location: West Oxfordshire
Re: Clunk no click
Not sure if it is but I would follow your assumption. However, it can be easily be cobbled to bypass for an MOT test
Nothing is fool proof. Fools are clever!
-
- Regular Poster
- Posts: 125
- Joined: Sat Sep 01, 2007 16:51
- Model: Excel SE
- Colour: Silver
- Year: 1990
- Location: Camberley, Surrey
Re: Clunk no click
Thanks for your thoughts.
This is now resolved.
The buckle was broken, the catch mechanism has a very delicate pivot between 2 plastic parts that had failed after 30 years.
I couldn't find any wire stalks with contacts so I got a pair of rigid buckles, about 100mm shorter.
Https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08MQF4ZC3
They're designed to go on a seat frame so I straightened out the bend closest to the bolt eye and connected up the wires on the driver's side. I added a thick washer as the bolt eye is larger than required.
Works well for a rectangular belt tongue with a rectangular hole, not sure whether all our cars have these.
As an aside Securon list a belt 500/15EL for all our cars but the buckle design appears different and that's a rigid stalk as well
Bill
This is now resolved.
The buckle was broken, the catch mechanism has a very delicate pivot between 2 plastic parts that had failed after 30 years.
I couldn't find any wire stalks with contacts so I got a pair of rigid buckles, about 100mm shorter.
Https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08MQF4ZC3
They're designed to go on a seat frame so I straightened out the bend closest to the bolt eye and connected up the wires on the driver's side. I added a thick washer as the bolt eye is larger than required.
Works well for a rectangular belt tongue with a rectangular hole, not sure whether all our cars have these.
As an aside Securon list a belt 500/15EL for all our cars but the buckle design appears different and that's a rigid stalk as well
Bill
- Alan_M
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 1134
- Joined: Sat Aug 12, 2017 01:17
- Model: Excel SE, Excel SA, Elan SE
- Colour: Red, red, white
- Location: South Wales
Re: Clunk no click
The real thing - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/353412014073
Would this fit?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/123380522069
Would this fit?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/123380522069
-
- Regular Poster
- Posts: 134
- Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2016 22:21
- Model: Elite Type 75
- Colour: blue
- Location: Buckinghamshire
Re: Clunk no click
I'd be very suspicious of cheap stock from China. I would want correctly type approved fixings.
Hope you find something suitable.
Hope you find something suitable.
Re: Clunk no click
Have you contacted the manufacturer or are they bankrupt?
Usually seatbelts are made by big companys for all the cars in the world.
Usually seatbelts are made by big companys for all the cars in the world.
-
- Regular Poster
- Posts: 125
- Joined: Sat Sep 01, 2007 16:51
- Model: Excel SE
- Colour: Silver
- Year: 1990
- Location: Camberley, Surrey
Re: Clunk no click
The ones I got from Amazon are made in China but do appear to have all the type approval markings on them so fingers crossed....
The wire stalk one from eBay probably would fit but I wanted to use the car before Easter and not tangle with customs.
As for the complete belts, the only thing that's Lotus about them is the sticker on the box.
Bill
The wire stalk one from eBay probably would fit but I wanted to use the car before Easter and not tangle with customs.
As for the complete belts, the only thing that's Lotus about them is the sticker on the box.
Bill