The dog ate my seat belt

Hey, any advice on the most economical way to replace the driver seat belt in a 2013 Tacoma TRD truck?

The mechanism is fine, but my year old trouble making Belgian Mal bit through the belt in a few minutes flat. It looked like a clean straight scissors cut. Axel is 77 lb without titanium teeth.

The dealer quoted over $400, saying safety requires them to replace everything, broken or not.

I'm keeping the dog. So, is it legal in CA to relegate him to the truck bed? With or without a camper shell? If so, what height & features? Harnessed or crated? Driving or just while parked?

I need to conserve cash for buffalo bones & high end chow, so please advise!

 

you might check craigslist for someone parting out another vehicle, I'm sure there are other belts that are compatible. You might also look at ebay and local junkyards for the belt.

 

ebay is your best bet.

 

Buffalo bones and high end chow

 

Not sure if you have an access cab or a double cab. But in a double cab, a crate (big enough for that sized dog) fits on the rear passenger side seat when it's folded down.

 

My advice on the seatbelt would to be smart about it. It wouldn't be wise to take a whole seatbelt mechanism out of a wrecked truck and not know if it's fully functioning, etc. Thats a main thing keeping you safe in an accident and you wouldn't want it to unexpectedly fail.

 

I feel you brother.

The little shit is just lucky that it happened in my wife's car and not the Tacoma!

 

No advice on the seatbelt, but some on that dog breed. I assume you knew this going in, but it is worth saying. They are amazing dogs, but if you don't put a lot of time into training and most importantly daily exercise, that thing is going to be a wrecking machine.

 

I tried that kind of stuff on a dog I had years ago... then I caught the dog LICKING the stuff off of what I had sprayed it on.

 

First I would never let a dog in my truck. Secondly Id shoot the thing.

If it were me I'd have it replaced by Toyota to ensure safety. One of the few things I'd probably have them do. $400 is not outrageous either. Just don't let the thing in your truck again (or house).

 

http://www.drivinglaws.org/resources/california-passengers-and-pets-pickup-trucks.htm

I keep mine in back but I have a shell.

 

Did a dog piss on your foot or something?

 

In CA, if your dog is in the bed, he's gotta be restrained (crate/box) - but I've really only heard of people getting hassled in urban areas. I keep mine in the access cab of my truck - just built a plywood bench and got one of those dog hammock thingys to keep her contained.

 

Ignore button comes in handy with some dudes around here!

 

Junk Yard!

Part Out on this site or one of the other Tacoma site/forum.

 

We had a dog that did the same thing. Could cut through a seatbelt in seconds. Clean cut like he used a blade. We tried everything and found that wrapping the seatbelt in tinfoil actually worked best. Not a pretty solution, but effective.

Replacement belts came from parts yards, mostly.

 

Restrained isn't defined with a crate or box. Dog can be leashed securely to an an anchor point, and the lead can't be long enough to allow the animal to reach the sides of the bed (to prevent them from falling/jumping out).

 

Don't put the puppy in the bed. It's dangerous and many dogs would be scared. Mine would probably die of a heart attack if he rode in the bed.

Restrained in the back seat is the way to go. Until he can be properly trained not to chew, a muzzle is an option. Perhaps a bit softer than the one pictured above.

Go to the dealer and shell out the $400 to replace the belt for piece of mind. Cheap insurance to keep your dome from becoming part of the steering wheel if you ever get into a wreck.

 

Wow- 400$?
I think I would get the two pieces sewn back together before paying that shit

 

Hit up these guys

http://www.myairbags.com/