JZX100 drivers SEATBELT, replacement options

[23T-GTE]

Hi Guys, havent posted for a while but now own a Jzx100 and have enjoyed it for many years, still daily use.
In need of a drivers factory seatbelt as it is getting frayed, usual local supplier can't help (wilshires in SA) and Toyota reckon there's only one left in Japan, and want 400ish. Before people bash me for trying to save on safety yes I know and am aware I can't put a price on surviving a crash, thanks. I will fork out 4hunj if I have to to keep her on the road, no worries.

But..
Is this my only option?
Surely JZX100 owners have replaced drivers seat belts before ?
Is factory the only thing I can use?
I know most parts for these cars are premium priced, as I've got used to having maintained her as a daily for a number of years..
But is there any option other than factory? Can I look NZ dealers or would there be anything aftermarket that is ADR-approved/street-legal?
Does anyone re-belt a seatbelt set-up? It has a pre-tensioning system built into the retractor unit I believe.

Cheers,

[lexsmaz]

There is a seat belt supplier here in Melbourne that said they could do my Soarer belt if I took the belt off the reel & supplied it to them, but as your has a pre tensioner it would probably start to limit who would be willing to do it ?? as i would think the belt webbing & stitching is probably different with belt pre tensioners ..

$400 is a lot but I would have thought it could have even been more ..

[23T-GTE]

Thanks for the reply, what business is that you speak of?
Yeh the price is on par with all other genuine factory spares, wasn't surprised. If it lasts another 18 years it's not bad, especially containing some electronics/fast-acting-solenoid or something like that. I've never looked into how the seatbelt system works in the 100.

Just curious as one dealership here reckon there was only 1 available in J-land... Which I think is b/s to try get me to order it then and there, and there may be some element of truth to it that they are getting low.
So if they became unavailable, say for arguments sake, what could be done?
I'm sure people have adapted an ES300 Lexus or something similar as same body type? Possibly same harness/loom plugs? BCM?
Any Lexus / jzx100 gurus out there?

[lexsmaz]

Hi, I thought I had saved the supplier but I couldn't find it, so I googled it & I'm pretty sure it was this mob, they are called Hemco & they are in Ballarat 1300 065 057 ..

[Javal]

If the seatbelt does have a pretensioner in it then don't fuck around, go straight for the genuine item. The pretensioner is an extremely important part of the airbag system and if the worst happens, you have a big crash and the pretensioner fails to deploy when the airbag does, the airbag will cause you serious injuries on top of what you'd sustain in the crash.

Seatbelts are generally sealed units, perhaps some really oldschool inertia reel belts could be reconditioned (I have never heard of this but i've never looked in to it either) but every seatbelt i've ever changed has 'DO NOT OPEN' written on the casing. So, yeah, do not open.

That said, as a thought, I wonder whether the electrical connector on the seatbelt reel is just for the seatbelt lamp - as I know some toyotas of that era extinguished the seatbelt lamp when you pulled the belt out, not when you actually buckled it. A bit of food for thought.

$400 is a steep price, but it is the price you pay for your safety should worst come to worst. Try getting a quote on the genuine part though Amayama.

[23T-GTE]

Thanks heaps

[lexsmaz]

You don't actually pull the seat belt real apart to change out the webbing, on the soarer you extend the belt out the whole way & then lock / hold the reel itself ( tricky thing as it can slip ) & the belt is actually just held on by a loop section of the belt with a filler piece in the middle of the reel so you push the filler piece & belt out & withdraw the filler piece & then pull the belt back out through the slit in the reel & the belt is then free from the reel & ready to fit a new belt webbing by repeating the same in reverse ..

Hope that makes sense .

The most awkward bit is holding the reel so it doesn't spin back as its under a fair bit of tension as the reel is fully wound out, but it certainly can be done just take care & take your time as if it does spin back it usually causes the internal spring to come off so you then need to really replace the whole assembly, as you are not meant to pull off the side cover ..

[23T-GTE]

thanks for the advice, yeh Im not trying to find a cheap alternative, more so if a genuine becomes unavailable what one could do.

[23T-GTE]

Yeh cool thanks lexsmaz , that makes sense, that's the sorta thing I was thinking about..
Instead of doing the assembly if a new belt could be fitted to it.

I'll probably just bite the pillow and get it new, at least I have a mate in the industry who I get my genny parts thru.
Cheers

[23T-GTE]

Good explanation!