VansAirForceForums  
Home > VansAirForceForums

- POSTING RULES
- Donate yearly (please).
- Advertise in here!

- Today's Posts | Insert Pics


Go Back   VAF Forums > Main > RV General Discussion/News
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 03-17-2009, 08:43 AM
Crossbow Crossbow is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Charleston, WV
Posts: 139
Default Does Anyone Make Their Own Seat Belts?

Hello all!

While I am still a good ways from installing the seat belts in my RV-8, but for some reason I have been thinking about them lately.

Every case that I have seen either involves the installation of new production seat belts or the installation of used production seat belts. While that is a quite logical decision, it got to thinking why it is so.

Anyway, I have been thinking that I could probably make my own seat belts. And while I am sure that my design would not be quite as elegant as the production models, I am sure that they would be satisfactory for my humble purposes.

So I am just curious, has anyone made their own seatbelts?

And if so, then could you post a few thoughts about them?

Many thanks in advance!

Steve Kimble
Charleston, WV
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 03-17-2009, 09:24 AM
JDRhodes JDRhodes is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Taylorsville, GA
Posts: 748
Default

I'm sure you could...
I kind of prefer the idea of someone that does it as a full time pro making items like seatbelts. They know what they are doing and test their product for functionality. You'll only get to use the seatbelt once and it had better work.

FWIW - Our project came with Crow belts. They are more than we need, but a very good product and cheaper than the aviation equilivent (Hooker).

My $0.02.
__________________
Jeff Rhodes - Taylorsville, GA
RV-9, 7 - going fast
BC-12D - going slow
jrhodes@v1salesmgt.com
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 03-17-2009, 10:10 AM
gasman gasman is offline
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Sonoma County
Posts: 3,821
Default

I keep thinking that the seat belts in my 97 F-150 would work just fine in an RV for normal use. They are just about the same as I have in the Warrior. You would not need a crotch strap. The upper part would connect to the lower part of the roll bar. And mount the retract at the base of f-605.

NASCAR type 3" seat belts are just not needed in a structure that is not designed to crash. The first seat belt used in an aircraft was used to keep the pilot from falling out. You could use rope for that.

Last edited by gasman : 03-17-2009 at 10:14 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 03-17-2009, 11:25 AM
Danny7 Danny7 is offline
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: central oregon
Posts: 1,089
Default

there isn't anything special about seat belts, if you have done stitching before. WV has some good climbing areas, check around a climbing shop and see if there are any local harness/ webbing sewers. I'm in central oregon and if i wanted i could stop in at metolius and ask someone if they wanted a job for a quick $100
__________________
nothing special here...
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 03-17-2009, 12:04 PM
vonjet vonjet is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Thousand Oaks, CA
Posts: 183
Default Why? Why? Why?

Why would you mess with making seatbelts when you can buy them for next to nothing? You can get Hooker 5 point harnesses with a rotary buckle in almost any color for $350 each. And they aren't 3" webs. You can get 1 3/4" webbing like in aircraft. You can get other brands on ebay for even cheaper with less color options.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 03-17-2009, 12:14 PM
Danny7 Danny7 is offline
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: central oregon
Posts: 1,089
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by vonjet View Post
Why would you mess with making seatbelts when you can buy them for next to nothing? You can get Hooker 5 point harnesses with a rotary buckle in almost any color for $350 each. And they aren't 3" webs. You can get 1 3/4" webbing like in aircraft. You can get other brands on ebay for even cheaper with less color options.

you'd buy seatbelts off of ebay?

as for why, because it is experimental aviation! and i don't know how much the hardware would cost, but the webbing is probably 20-30$ for the whole project. You could probably save $100 pretty easy
__________________
nothing special here...
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 03-17-2009, 12:28 PM
vonjet vonjet is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Thousand Oaks, CA
Posts: 183
Default Ebay belts

I myself would not buy off ebay. I am buying directly from Hooker. I was referencing it for you since you seem determined to save to save money on seatbelts. FYI...The seatbelts on ebay are for sale by the same companies that make them for pro motorsports. ex. CROW, which is far superior to any belt your gonna make on your Singer. So dont try and throw some sarcastic jab at me as if to imply ebay belts are worse than making your own when you haven't done your research on the belts listed on ebay. Was only trying to help.
Have a good flight.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 03-17-2009, 01:12 PM
az_gila's Avatar
az_gila az_gila is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: 57AZ - NW Tucson area
Posts: 10,011
Smile A parachute rigger...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Danny7 View Post
there isn't anything special about seat belts, if you have done stitching before. WV has some good climbing areas, check around a climbing shop and see if there are any local harness/ webbing sewers. I'm in central oregon and if i wanted i could stop in at metolius and ask someone if they wanted a job for a quick $100
...may also be a good source for high quality stitching.

Parts can come from here....

http://djassociates.thomasnet.com/ca...itary-hardware

If you stick with the MS hardware, it should be strong enough for our function.

Other interesting stuff...

http://djassociates.thomasnet.com/vi...are?&forward=1

...another parachute source...

http://www.paragear.com/templates/pa...l=2&parent=193
__________________
Gil Alexander
EAA Technical Counselor, Airframe Mechanic
Half completed RV-10 QB purchased
RV-6A N61GX - finally flying
Grumman Tiger N12GA - flying
La Cholla Airpark (57AZ) Tucson AZ
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 03-17-2009, 01:28 PM
Norman CYYJ Norman CYYJ is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Victoria B.C.
Posts: 1,266
Talking

Just go to the flea market on Saturday and buy some of the $3.00 belts and use them. Get the kind that are webbed they are fully adjustable. Or order them from Van's they are cheap enough. I know that you want to have a plane that you can say that you built but most of it you didn't anyway, it is just a collection of parts made by a host of other people and assembled by you.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 03-17-2009, 03:04 PM
1:1 Scale 1:1 Scale is offline
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: S21, Oregon
Posts: 161
Default

I've been working on my own harnesses for a while, still have a couple years to get them perfected....


Quote:
Originally Posted by vonjet View Post
ex. CROW, which is far superior to any belt your gonna make on your Singer.
Here's my Singer:



If you're planning on making your own, or as Gil suggested, having a rigger make some, Hooker uses Mil spec Type-13 webbing, for reference. I think you might have a hard time getting a rigger to make some for a competitive price though.
__________________
Kelly
RV-7 empennage done, wings done, fuselage to QB stage.
1973 Maule M4-220C flying
Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:54 AM.


The VAFForums come to you courtesy Delta Romeo, LLC. By viewing and participating in them you agree to build your plane using standardized methods and practices and to fly it safely and in accordance with the laws governing the country you are located in.