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MG MGF Technical - Seat belt holder broken

1996 BRG P100 VVC

The plastic casing on the seat belt holder has now broken on both drivers side and passenger side. It really is just the plastic housing. The lugs that hold the two halves together are sheared and the housing just fell away. The internals are all fine and the set belt still functions perfectly. The housing doesn't seem to be a structural part of the holder and so I've just reassembled the two halves around the mechanism and taped them up. I don't suppose it is possible to buy just a new housing is it? I guess I need to replace the whole unit - which means removing the seats etc etc? Any one else experienced this problem?
Gordon Dickman

Not heard of this, but yes you can replace the whole unit and yes you have to remove the seat. The clips are quite expensive because they are packed with explosives.

Removinf the seat is ovious except for remembering to unclip the trigger wire, for this you should disconnect the battery 15 mins before you play, and when putting the seat back remember not to trap the wire or the seat won't move as far as it used to.

Will
PS you appear to be in the US!
Will Munns

Oh - my membership details were wrong. No I'm not in the US, but the UK. I am really hoping to avoid paying for complete new assemblies. It's only the plastic casing - seems a bummer having to buy a whole new part.
Gordon Dickman

The SRS system is very rarely triggered in a crash, so you might well be in luck if you were to phone somewhere like the MGF centre* or Midland MGF, but would you know what to look for to tell that they haven't gone off before? Would you trust your life to somthing that might have been shock loaded in an accident?

Will
*MGFC break ex rover test cars, so may have some non accident cars with seatbelt clips - but I would check with you local dealer that the item number is the same for the old and new versions.
Will Munns

The driver’s seat belt lock stopped working on ours. I snapped off the case to free up the inside and drove around for a couple of months with just the metal bit. A real bugger finding the slot without the plastic but other than that, OK.

In removing the plastic, I split the lugs and therefore could not re assemble. I got some two part glue from Halfords that claimed to stick nearly all plastics and used it at the weekend. Seems fine so far and no nast glue lines to give way my repair!

I was going to buy a whole new assembly but local dealer would not supply as he said it needed to be fitted by a professional as it contains explosive. My (admittedly old) qualifications from the RN to handle serious explosives apparently did not quality me to a fit this item!

The other source might be to get second-hand items from Victoria of Midland MGF. I saw some at Stoneliegh this year but did not buy as they looked far more “second-hand” than my current ones.

As Will says, you will need to remove the seat. This is not difficult but you will need a special bit to undue the bolts – again good old Halfords to the rescue! All the manuals say disconnect the battery and I am sure this is a good idea. However I have changes the steering and fitted two seats without doing this and am pleased to report I am still alive to tell the tale! (Mamby pamby Health & Safety!)

Cheers

Patrick
Patrick Beet

Yep, pain in the bum - i'm on my third one now and the last time i bought one it cost £65.00 ish.

Photos:

Seat bolt #1
>> http://www.sfforever.co.uk/mainpage_29/viewgallerypicture.asp?id=1-23-976-980-979-978-977-975-974-971-981-1034-1033-1032-940-939-941-942-938-693-691-690-692-694-846&queryon=76&pageid=102&sid=72585821762959928631020040415142352513 <<

Seat bolt #2
>> http://www.sfforever.co.uk/mainpage_29/viewgallerypicture.asp?id=2-23-976-980-979-978-977-975-974-971-981-1034-1033-1032-940-939-941-942-938-693-691-690-692-694-846&queryon=76&pageid=102&sid=72585821762959928631020040415142352513 <<

Seat bolt #3
>> http://www.sfforever.co.uk/mainpage_29/viewgallerypicture.asp?id=3-23-976-980-979-978-977-975-974-971-981-1034-1033-1032-940-939-941-942-938-693-691-690-692-694-846&queryon=76&pageid=102&sid=72585821762959928631020040415142352513 <<

Seat bolt #4
>> http://www.sfforever.co.uk/mainpage_29/viewgallerypicture.asp?id=4-23-976-980-979-978-977-975-974-971-981-1034-1033-1032-940-939-941-942-938-693-691-690-692-694-846&queryon=76&pageid=102&sid=72585821762959928631020040415142352513 <<

Seat belt to seat mounting bolt
>> http://www.sfforever.co.uk/mainpage_29/viewgallerypicture.asp?id=5-23-976-980-979-978-977-975-974-971-981-1034-1033-1032-940-939-941-942-938-693-691-690-692-694-846&queryon=76&pageid=102&sid=72585821762959928631020040415142352513 <<

Seatbelt pretensioner wire
>> http://www.sfforever.co.uk/mainpage_29/viewgallerypicture.asp?id=6-23-976-980-979-978-977-975-974-971-981-1034-1033-1032-940-939-941-942-938-693-691-690-692-694-846&queryon=76&pageid=102&sid=72585821762959928631020040415142352513 <<

Removal of the Seat belt clip and pretensioner
>> http://www.sfforever.co.uk/mainpage_29/viewgallerypicture.asp?id=8-23-976-980-979-978-977-975-974-971-981-1034-1033-1032-940-939-941-942-938-693-691-690-692-694-846&queryon=76&pageid=102&sid=72585821762959928631020040415142352513 <<

Tools required:

T50 Torx bit
Ratchet + extension(s)

Notes:

MUST disconnect the battery (both terminals) and leave for 15-20 minutes or so before unclipping the pretensioner wire - Airbag system has a battery back up and this time is to allow it to drain - there is a small risk of them firing when the plug is disconnected if there is any residual charge in the system.

Also, bolts are quite long and therefore time consuming to remove/replace. I eventually invested in some socket adapter bits for a cordless drill from >> http://www.screwfix.com << as this made the job a LOT more enjoyable. ;-)

Good luck

SF
Scarlet Fever

And you ought to use threadlock when you put the bolts back in!
Will Munns

Given the length of the bolts and the fact that there are 4 of them, i'd have thought threadlock was about as necessary as an ice cream on an antarctic expedition...

;-)

SF
Scarlet Fever

blob of copper grease wouldn't do any harm though...they are very long bolts !


Grahame ( very tired of taking bits out of my car now.....)
Grahame

This thread was discussed between 15/04/2004 and 16/04/2004

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