NZVC - Service Centre
Seatbelts-Compliance-WOF-Service-Brakes
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New Zealand Vehicle Compliance
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SEATBELTS
The seatbelts in your vehicle are your primary source of safety in the event of an accident. With multiple working angles and many shades, seat belts are a complex business which can be quite daunting if you have to replace one. Thats why here at NZVC we have been installing seatbelts for over 20 years and are experts in the field... so you dont have to be! We also offer a mobile call out service covering all of the Wellington area!
STANDARD BELTS
When we look at replacing a seat belt in any vehicle there are three key components. The Seat belt itself, this is the material part which you bring over your shoulder. The retractor; this is the part behind the panel where you can't see that rolls the belt up and locks in the event of an accident. The Buckle; This is the "clasp" that you plug the seatbelt into. All three of these parts can cause a seat belt failure.
Seat belts come in more than 10 different colours, a multitude of working angles with over 30 different mounting arrangements. This combined with many varying buckle lengths makes establishing the right belt for your vehicle critical to your safety.
One of our experienced technicians can ensure you get the right belt for your vehicle every time and we carry a full stock of belts and buckles for your convienience.
PRETENSIONERS
Pretension seatbelts are a variation on the standard replacement seatbelt. With air bags becoming standard on most vehicles in the mid 2000's these seatbelts have become more common. The seatbelt operates the same as a normal belt however in the event of an accident a explosive cannister mounted to the side of the belt detonates. This causes the retractor to wind the seatbelt back into its reel reducing belt stretch and the travel of the passenger being restrained.
Due to the nature of these belts they cannot be replaced with a standard style belt.
We offer many options for this form of belt should you require it to be replaced. If you are unsure if you vehicle has a pretensioning seat belt one of our technicians would be more than happy to inspect your belt at anytime.
SERVICE & REPAIR
Some seatbelts may fail a warrant due to requiring servicing or repair. This can include faults such as the belt not retracting or jamming, tongue stop button being missing or even the belt just being dirty! Another common problem is the seatbelt buckles not securing completely which can be caused by broken inner components and unknown items inside jamming the mechanism.
In these cases and many others we can offer a much more cost effective service or repair option for your seatbelt. Our trained technician will inspect the belt to ensure that the same level of safety is maintained after the repair.
As your safety is our priority no repairs or servicing will be conducted if we cannont ensure the integrity of the seat belt and its operation.
CENTER REAR LAP AND DIAGONAL REPLACEMENT
One of our most common queries is customers with vehicles that have a center lap belt wanting to fit a lap and diagonal belt in its place. They are generally concerned for safety and would like some kind of additional belt fitted. There are a few options to solve this issue and at varying costs.
First, fitting a lap and diagonal belt to the vehicle. We can definitely fit a lap and diagonal belt to most vehicles! (there are very few that can't). The next most popular question is the cost. It's not as simple as just bolting in the new seatbelt unfortunately so there is some cost involved. To start with the hidden costs, when modifying anything in a vehicle that is to do with safety the vehicle must have a Low Volume Certification carried out. This is to ensure that the modifications have been made safely and that it complies with all of LTNZ regulations - the vehicle will will fail a Warrant of Fitness without this certification.
Fitting the belt itself requires a few aspects of the vehicle to be looked at. First is the mounting, we must ensure that there is somewhere to mount the top point (the one up by your shoulder) and the retractor itself. In most vehicles this requires a frame to be built behind the seat out of steel for this to be fitted to. There are some special cases where the belt can be fitted to the seat it self, these are quite few and far between. When building the frame all welding and materials must be to standard to ensure the vehicle is safe. At NZVC all our modifications are to certification standard, including materials used and our certified welders.
Once the frame has been built the seatbelt can be fitted and tested. This process can take up to three days, and is labour intensive.
One alternative to fitting a three point belt is using a child safety harness. This does not require certification and can be used by children up to the age of 10 (depending on weight). The harness clips to a child seat anchor bolt mounted to the rear of the seat and is then threaded through the lap belt. This gives restraint over both shoulders to the wearer.
Give us a call today and we can arrange a free inspection of your vehicle to ensure that you select the best option for you and your family.
REAR SEATING IN VANS
Another common query we have from our customers is whether or not their van can have a seat and seatbelts fitted in the rear. The answer is yes! However, every vehicle is different so we do ask if we can view the vehicle and the seat first. This free pre-inspection is to determine whether the vehicle has any factory anchorages for the seat and seatbelts – some vehicles have all, some or none at all and some are there but hidden. We also ask to view the seat as some seats are classified as stressed as opposed to non-stressed, we also make sure it meets the safety requirements and it is the correct seat for the vehicle. This inspection only takes around 15-30 minutes.
The next question our customers ask is how much this process costs – and once again this varies. If we determine that your vehicle has no anchorages then as this modification is to do with the safety of the vehicle it must have a Low Volume Certification carried out. This is to ensure that the modifications have been made safely and that it complies with all of LTNZ regulations - also the vehicle will will fail a Warrant of Fitness without this certification. However, if we determine that your vehicle has the required factory anchorages then the certification is often not needed.
The fitting of the seat and seatbelts does require some time, as we plan, mark & measure the correct position and working angles for each component, installation of the other components necessary follows this.
We often ask for the vehicle to be with us for a minimum of 2 days for this work to be carried out. At NZVC all our modifications are to certification standard, including materials used and our certified welders.
If this is something you are interested in then feel free to give us a call today and we can arrange a free inspection of your vehicle to ensure that you select the best option for you and your family.
MOTORHOME / CAMPERVAN / BUS SEATBELTS
There is no task too big for us – which therefore includes your motorhome, camper van or bus. We can modify, fabricate and install seatbelts to your home on wheels at any stage whether it is fully functional or in the early stages of converting. Every moveable home is different so we do ask if we can view the vehicle first. This free pre-inspection is to determine the possibilities of seatbelts and the structural integrity of the vehicle for the placement of anchorages.
In most cases we are able to install lap and diagonal seatbelts to forward facing seating positions, and lap belts to side facing positions. As this modification is to do with the safety of the vehicle this modification requires Certification which occurs throughout the installation process. The cost of installation truly does vary on how many seatbelts are to be fitted, the amount of fabrication required, removal of interior components, if any steel or other such materials are necessary etc. Therefore, viewing of the vehicle is vital for us to give you a better indication of what is to be expected.
The installation of seatbelts does require some as it can be quite extensive. At NZVC all our modifications are to certification standard, including materials used and our certified welders.
If this is something you are interested in then feel free to give us a call today and we can arrange a free inspection of your vehicle to ensure that you select the best option for you and your family.