Re: 90q Seat Belt Question

[STEADIRIC@aol.com]

KSMITH1@mailgw.sanders.lockheed.com said:

>Having spent a considerable time this past weekend hugging the front 
>differential of my wife's 90q in order to install a new "automatic" 
>seatbelt, I came to question the efficacy of Audi's design.  The seat 
>belt assembly includes a cable that starts at the take-up reel, 
>travels forward along the edge of the passenger compartment, 
>penetrates the firewall, and has its outer cover fastened just beyond 
>that point.  The inner part of the cable continues to pass over the 
>transmission to the other side of the car where it is fastened.  My 
>assumption is that tension on the inner cable with respect to the 
>outer cable locks up the belt.  However, the mounting points allow 
>several inches of slack to exist over the transmission.  This suggests 
>that the vehicle frame would have to be seriously ravaged before the 
>belt would be locked due to cable motion. Under these conditions, the 
>belt's acceleration lockup mode would surely be expected to already be 
>in operation.  So, can any of you more experienced Audinauts explain 
>under what conditions the cable part of the belt assembly is 
>functional?

That's the Procon TEN system, it's designed to make sure the seatbelts 
are tight AND yank the steering wheel into the dash in a HARD frontal 
impact.  The tranny tunnel is also armored to help push the engine and 
transmission under the car. I've seen three cars come through the yard 
that I get parts at that all have been hit so hard the bumper was at the 
shock tower yet the interior was fine except for the steering wheel in 
the through the dash.......


Later!


Eric Fletcher S.O.C.
'87 5KCSTQIA2RSR2B
St. Louis, MO

STEADIRIC@aol.com