Have you ever noticed that your seat belt is a bit too short? Perhaps you are expecting a child and the belt cannot fit over your belly. Or maybe you have had your child and there is not enough belt to wrap around the baby’s car seat.
If this has ever happened to you, then you may think that there is nothing you can do. Well, we’re here to tell you that there is a quick and easy fix. Let us introduce you to the seat belt extender!
This small gadget is ideal for adding a few more inches to your seatbelt. Keep reading to learn all about seat belt extenders and how they can work for you.
What Is A Seat Belt Extender?
Seat belt extenders are an extra piece of seat belt material that clips in between the male and female parts of your seat belt (that is the clip on the end of the belt, and the little box that it goes into).
Is Extender Size Important?
You must choose an extension for your belt that is of a suitable length to guarantee that you will remain safely seated during the duration of any trip.
When determining the length of your harness that is most suitable for your needs, the first rule that you should follow is to choose the extension that has the shortest possible length while still enabling you to buckle in safely.
If you are unsure about what to do, pick the choice that is the shortest.
Your belt will automatically retract after an extension has been buckled in, making use of the full length of the extender. Because of this, you must select an extension that is as tiny as is practically possible.
The majority of seat belt extenders have a single length. If the extension is cut down in length, your belt will continue to perform more efficiently than it would otherwise.
When you are wearing the extender, you want it to fall six inches to the side of your body that is furthest away from the middle of your torso.
It is to your benefit to have as much of the original seat belt stretched across your chest and waist as feasible to maximize the protection it provides.
When it comes to most extenders, companies measure them based on the amount of extra length that you get once you have strapped in the extender.
This suggests that the length of the seat belt extensions is not measured “tip to tail,” which refers to the length from one end of the metal tongue to the other end of the belt.
They are measured from one end of the metal tongue to the other end of the belt rather than the other way around. Imagine that the metal tongue is inserted into a container, which would cause it to vanish because it is now out of sight.
The length would be the amount of residual visible distance between the tip of the metal tongue and the tip of the receptacle.
Common Extender Lengths
Standard Lengths
- 7 Inches – Because it is adaptable to such a broad variety of people and situations, the length of our extender that is most commonly purchased is 7 inches.
- 10 Inches – If you like the traditional look but the 7″ doesn’t allow you to buckle up, the 10″ would be a good option for you to consider.
Adjustable Length
The length of the Adjustable Extender may be lengthened or shortened in a manner that is akin to that of an airplane belt extender, and the range of possible lengths is from 9.5 inches to 26 inches.
It is a fantastic alternative for anyone who needs a length that is larger than 10 inches, as well as for instances in which it is uncertain how much length will be required.
Ridged Lengths
- 3 Inches – The 3 Inch Extender, sometimes referred to as the Mini Seat Belt Extender might be an effective answer in a variety of different settings. The Mini is an ideal choice for a solution in situations in which a receptacle is located too deeply or too low in the front or back seats, making it impossible to access.
People commonly feel that this extender is advantageous when the belt is tight to a point that the user can’t move or breathe correctly, and when wearing the belt in such a way that it makes it impossible to drive.
In both of these scenarios, the seat belt is too tight. This is especially true when the person is dressed for the colder weather in bulkier winter clothes.
- 5 Inches – An extension of this size is helpful in circumstances where the Mini simply isn’t going to be adequate. Proceed to the 5″ option if you discover that the 3″ is not adequate to address the issues that were discussed before.
- 7 inches – The 7″ Rigid Extender could be an excellent solution for people who have mobility issues that inhibit motion in the shoulders, neck, and back and who are unable to buckle their seatbelts as a result of these issues. These people are unable to buckle their seat belts because their mobility issues prevent them from doing so.
Safety Restore
Safety Restore is another option for you if you are looking to extend your seat belts. This company provides a webbing replacement service with oem parts making it safe, durable, and long-lasting that’s suitable for every car.
If you send your seat belt to them, they will be able to replace the webbing for you, which will massively improve the safety of the seat belts, and if you ask, they can also add a few inches on the end to make the seat belt longer.
That’s not all that Safety Repair offers though. From this company, you can also change the color of your seatbelt. With more than 31 colors to pick from, if you do not find the one you want, you can even supply your own sourced webbing for them to use!
Summary
If you feel that your seatbelt is too short, the best way to fix this issue is to buy a seat belt extender or have Safety Restore reweb your seatbelts.
When buying a seat belt extender, you may need to test out a few different sizes to find the best one for you. This is because the various sizes of extenders are ideal for different situations and people, so one size does not fit all with this product.
If you enjoyed this post, you might enjoy our article on ‘How To Clean Car Seat Belts‘.
