9 Ways To Keep Your Jeep Seatbelts From Flapping When The Tops Down!
The annoyance of a seat belt flapping completely defeats the purpose of a nice ride with the top down. Sometimes you just want to enjoy the fresh air, but if your seatbelts are constantly flapping this can be hard to do. Lucky for you, there are a few ways to fix this problem. We’d love to share them with you.
9 Ways To Keep Your Jeep Seatbelts From Flapping When The Tops Down!
- Buckle the Seat Belts When They Are Not In Use
- Twist the Belt Around A Few Times
- Place Velcro Straps On the Roll Bar
- Use Seatbelt Shoulder Pads To Weigh Down the Belts
- Tuck the Belt Into the Seat Recliner
- Zip Tie the Belt Into Place On the Rollbar
- Place the Seatbelt Behind the Plastic Panel
- Try Wrapping Electrical Tape Around the Roll Bar
- Utilize Bungee Cords to Adjust Positioning
To fix the problem, you need to understand why the problem exists, to begin with. The seatbelts flap in the wind, but why? Find the answers to all of your questions below.
What Causes the Seatbelts to Flap
Seatbelts flap because of wind gusts. The seatbelts are very loose and have a lot of give. This allows the wind to shove against it, causing the flap. Jeep’s are especially prone to seatbelt flap because the belt is very exposed.
If you look at the seatbelt in a Jeep, the belt is just hanging there. In contrast, the seatbelt in a sedan is tightly tucked against the back of the seat.
When you combine the differences in the position of the seatbelt with the very different uses of these vehicles, you can understand the flap. Sedans are commuting vehicles.
The windows may be rolled down on occasion. Jeeps open up, allowing the passengers to enjoy an expedition. The wind rushes into the vehicle, especially when the doors are off.
Find the Cause, Fix the Problem
Once you understand that the problem is caused by gusts of air moving the seat belt, you can begin to consider ways that prevent it from happening. The first reason that the seat belt moves so much is that the belt is loose.
It makes sense that any technique that would involve tightening up the belt could prevent the obnoxious flapping.
The less give the belt has, the less it is going to move around. This is the reason that buckling the seat belts works so well. There is very little give once the seatbelt locks in place.
The second reason Jeep’s are prone to seatbelt flap is that the seat belt is exposed to large gusts of air. The flat side of the seatbelt offers plenty of area for the wind to smack against.
Aside from never taking the doors off, there are a few ways to lower the belt’s exposure to air. Placing the best behind the plastic panel is a good option. Tucking the belt into the seat recliner would work too and it is much more convenient.
What About the Vehicle’s Appearance
We love our vehicles. Most of us want a vehicle that looks good and attracts positive attention. This is usually the case when the vehicle is clean and appealing to the eyes.
A common worry you may have is that these techniques will alter your vehicle’s appearance, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Unless you do something drastic, such as cutting the seat belts out. These tips are easily reversible and can be done discretely.
The upholstery in your Jeep is likely black. Selecting black items will not degrade the vehicle’s appearance. Even if you opt for electrical tape or zip ties, a precise and careful application can ensure that your vehicle still appears top notch.
It is important to preserve the appearance of your vehicle to maintain the trade-in value and ensure the vehicle stays in good condition for years to come.
Will the Flapping Do Anything To the Vehicle
Seatbelt flapping can be incredibly annoying, We get it, but the flapping could also cause damage to the vehicle.
The belt gathers kinetic energy from its movement. This energy causes the strap to heat up. If the strap is rubbing against the upholstery, which is likely the case, this introduces friction as well.
Friction builds more heat. All of the heat rising from the building amount of energy can cause wear and tear on the seat coverings. It is not uncommon for the seatbelt’s flapping to cause worn-out patches on the seats.
How Does Twisting the Belt Prevent Flapping
This is a great question. Twisting the belt does not change the position of the seatbelt. It also does not change the way the tightness of the belt. That leaves us to question why this technique would work. The answer is actually pretty simple.
Twisting the seatbelt changes the way the weight is distributed. This changes how the wind affects the belt’s movement. It also affects the area of the belt exposed to wind. Less area exposed to the wind means less movement caused by the wind.
How Do I Use Bungee Cords to Stop Flapping
Bungee cords do a large number of things. One thing they can do is prevent seatbelt flap in your Jeep. There are quite a few ways to utilize bungee cords for stopping the flapping noise caused by your seatbelt. This technique may require some creative thinking, or trial and error, but you can figure it out.
Remember the reasons for the flapping? The belt is loose and the positioning. If the seatbelt can be twisted to stop the noise. It would make sense that you could use the bungee cord to tie up the belt.
This would stop the obnoxious noise and provide convenience should you need the seatbelt for a passenger.
Small bungee cords could be used by wrapping them around the belt by the rollbar. This can hold the seatbelt firmly in place. For maximum effect, do this in three different positions.
Are These Techniques Expensive
The best thing about this list is that every technique we’ve listed to fix a flapping seatbelt is extremely affordable. There is not a single technique that can’t be implemented for less than twenty bucks.
The most expensive option is the seatbelt shoulder pads. These products can vary a lot in prices.
There are inexpensive shoulder pads available for less than ten dollars. Depending on the quality and brand, these pads could cost up to fifty dollars. You can select classic black shoulder pads, or choose from a variety of other colors and designs.
The zip ties, electric tape, and velcro straps can all be purchased for less than five bucks. Many of these techniques are completely free. You’ll just need tools or a few minutes of your time.
What If I Cut the Seatbelts Out
Cutting the seatbelts out is a pretty irreversible decision. It may leave damage to the cloth covering inside of your vehicle. This option would also make it illegal to have any passengers in the vehicle. It is illegal to drive or ride in the car without a seatbelt on.
Cutting the seatbelts out would also reduce the trade-in value of the vehicle and likely sound the seatbelt alarm. If you do choose to go this route. You may need to figure out how to disable the seatbelt alarm. Otherwise, you will be replacing an annoying noise with another one.
We suggest attempting one of these eight techniques for seatbelt flapping before you take the most drastic measure. These options are simple to apply and affordable. Why not give it a try before cutting out a vital piece of your vehicle?
What Are the Benefits of Utilizing These Tips
Aside from the obvious benefit that the flapping noise is gone. These tips promote many other benefits as well. None of these tips will cause fraying to the belt.
By stopping the seatbelts movement you can prevent any further damage to the vehicle’s upholstery as well. Another added benefit is that all of these techniques are completely reversible and cause no damage to the vehicle.
These techniques are affordable and require very little time to apply. Most of these techniques allow for easy use of the seatbelt for future passengers. Because there is no damage inflicted on the vehicle. These techniques also preserve the value and condition of your vehicle.