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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Seat belt housing rattles

Hi People. Apologies, I am new to old cars/MG/midgets and so never seem to be able to help anyone, I just read the threads and am amazed at all the knowledge out there. Maybe one day someone will start a thread with has anyone got a 13mm spanner and I'll feel needed.
We have had a de bumpered, restored (ish) 78 midget for maybe 6 months now and this fault is next in the queue for sorting: The seat belt inertia reel units rattle especially on bumpy roads funnily enough. The drivers one is right behind my ear. If I grab the passengers one and squeeze it as I drive the rattling stops. Its the same rattle from each unit and I am wondering if anyoine knows what it is or a fix. Is it the long curly spring in it's housing, or maybe the plastic locking mech. Seatbelts are old and faded so I would consider new units if they wont rattle. Anyone recommend a replacement or an easy fix please? Best regards, Jon, Lincoln UK, sorry I only check messages every few days. Thanks all.
JE RYDEN

Jon,
are you sure it's the seat belts and not the overcentre fastening toggles on the roof header rails when the roof is (hopefully folded) down?

If the seat belt fixings are all tight then it's the belts' internals. If you have any concern about them I'd very strongly recommend you replace them with new, just like brakes, tyres and suspension and other safety items you want them fully working especially when they're need in an emergency.

Secron tend to be the easiest to fit to Midgets and such like as they can be set for different fitting orientations. I'm not sure if you'd also need the fixing brackets to get better positioning, *think* you might.

Spanners for these cars are generally imperial so 1/2" rather than 13mm, or more often 7/16" - of course I'm now wondering if the seat belt bolts are metric(?).

Another 6 months and you'll know a reasonable bit about these cars too - and a lot more if you read that Driver's Handbook.

If you're hearing and worrying about rattles you're probably doing well with the Midget, well done.






Nigel Atkins

A second recommendation for Securon, easy to fit and not that expensive.
Chris Madge

Thanks Nigel and Chris, yes defo seat belt reels as no roof at all currently. Mine look like the original ones from 1978. Thanks re Securon, I'll look them up, thanks muchly.

Jon
JE RYDEN

Jon,
I had some club seat belts and to my surprise I found the locking mech was just plastic, obviously that must fine, just surprised me.

12 - Securon inertia seat belt M070 [12] - £44.95

The fitting brackets I mentioned are -
11 - Fitting kit M090 [11]

https://www.mgocspares.co.uk/acatalog/MGOC_SPARES_SUN_VISORS___SEATBELTS__MIDGET__200.html
Nigel Atkins

For heaven's sake don't open the inertia reel box. The spring will burst out and attack you, and you will fight it for days to get it back in. How do I know this?

Les
L B Rose

This thread was discussed between 27/06/2020 and 28/06/2020

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.