SEATBELT SAFETY CHECKS

A spot of DIY maintenance on your motorhome's seatbelts might prove to be a life-saver for you and your loved ones on tour. Here's what to look out for

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Seatbelts are lifesavers, but they do wear out and develop problems, particularly on older motorhomes. Defects on the driver’s belt are likely to be noticed in use, but passengers, especially children, may not notice the belt hasn’t locked correctly, or that it’s jammed or that the material is damaged. They will be tested during your MoT, of course, but regular checks yourself will provide peace of mind in knowing the belts will work in an emergency.

Anchor points

Check the anchor points are securely fixed, and also check the body section to which they are bolted. Any corrosion underneath the mounting point (especially floor mountings) might weaken the fixing.

So if you find surface rust here, treat it quickly with rust convertor and then give it a top coat of good paint (such as Hammerite) to preserve the metal’s strength. Repairing badly corroded metal is a specialist job, though.

Anchor points at the shoulder position may be designed to pivot, or could be height-adjustable. If so, check that they are secure in all positions and that they are free to pivot (1).

Reel mechanism