Manual Seatbelt Mounting

[donkeylips]

Can I get a pic of how you guys are mounting your manual seatbelts? I understand that the top plastic will need a new hole so the top anchor can mount to the upper hole. I'm not sure about the lower anchor but I'm assuming that it bolts to one of the four holes where the lap belt used to attach.
...But what about the main assembly? How is that supposed to go in there?

 

[DailyDSM]

I'm surprised this question doesn't come up more often and it was a serious piece of information missing in the "How To" write up. You actually need to fabricate and anchor plate.

 

[donkeylips]

Hmmm...thanks!
Got any pics of how the rest of it mounts?
*Edit - sorry only the first pic loaded on the computer when I made this post.

 

[NickDromez]

i want to do this. but where do you get a seatbelt from? and do you mean you have to make your own mounting plate in order to install?

 

[SmoothCustomer]

You get the belts from an 88/89 usdm galant or a canadian galant and you apparently do have to make your own mounting plate.

 

[SmoothCustomer]

Paging Curtis to make a small run of these...paging Curtis.

 

[rheckert]

I didn't have to make a mounting plate. Haven't had the car for years but there are holes that exist... sorry no pics. My car is owned on the board by Jeremy Clark

 

[DailyDSM]

It might be possible to mount it to one of the four mounting bolt holes but when I asked this question back in 2007, someone posted a picture with similar plates installed for properly anchoring the lower mount. It doesnt seem like it could be mounted correctly on one of the four holes and still have proper panel fitment and belt retraction.

 

[rheckert]

Sorry, I don't remember... I had all of the plastics, some where new in the bag. I would have to look and the car is in storage with the current owner.

 

[SmoothCustomer]

It's time to clear this up once and for all! No bracket is necessary. Below is a picture of how the lower bolt mounts up. It's important to note that this is the PASSENGERS SIDE i.e. the bolt is the top one, closest to the front of the car on both sides! Mods, please add this thread to the How-To section so others are no longer confused.

 

[Barnes]

I haven't pulled a manual seat belt out of a donor car, but that doesn't look right to me SC.

I don't think the portion of the belt that goes over your lap is supposed to go through the trim like that.

That, and I can see the rationale behind the fabricated mounting plate. The original auto-real is held in by 4 bolts. But now you are going to one. Again, I've never seen what these look like in a donor car, so maybe I'm wrong. I'm just a little nervous looking at this setup considering these are for the seat belts.

 

[SmoothCustomer]

It's definitely right going through the trim, how else would it go? As far as safety, I'm not sure if anybody else can snag a picture of a donor car's mounting, but I might be able to when I get back to the junkyard. As far as you are concerned with safety think about the mounting differences between the auto belts and manual. There is only one bolt for the anchor. Those four bolts you were talking about are for the retractor assembly, and therefore they are also the anchor for the lap belt. I'm only missing one or maybe two more bolts and all they do is hold the retractor assembly more securely. I really doubt that since that is not an anchor and the b-pillar metal that the retractor bolts into is paper thin, you probably aren't hurting safety too much. As far as that plate you aren't really changing the number of anchors at all, because unless that plate is significantly thicker than those mounting points it's essentially doing the exact same thing. I would like some other member to chime in on this though, and if the consensus is that my method is unsafe, I will procure some plates.

 

[SmoothCustomer]

Can anyone chime in on this? I want to live.

 

I think I have mine mounted like you do. If the lower b-pillar trim wasn't such a pain in the ass to get on I'd take some pics. Maybe I'll feel motivated tomorrow. I spent all day fixing my HVAC controls in the sun.

 

[SmoothCustomer]

^^No kidding about that trim.

 

Even if you make a mounting plate you are eventually bolting everything on with one bolt.... You either have one bolt through the seat belt into the chassis, or one bolt through the seat belt into the bracket which then bolts to the chassis.... whats the difference? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

 

[SmoothCustomer]

^That's what I was saying.

 

[Barnes]

Bolts are extremely strong. What I worry about is the sheet metal you are putting that bolt into. If you use the fabricated plate you get the advantage of a LOT more sheet metal and body structure. That's what struck me when I first saw the pic. I could be talking out my butt on all this, but I don't remember what they are mounted like from the factory, so I'm just being cautious. Don't want my homie SC getting squished! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

 

Yea, i see what you mean. You get 4 times the mounting strength to the chassis. I guess it just depends on how strong those mounts in the chassis are.

I know for sure that many cars have their seat belts mounted to the chassis at one place, ( I worked at a body shop for a while) but thats not to say its safe to do that on all cars. The bolt holes on the chassis there may be designed to where you need all of them. Tough call. I guess wait and see if you can get that picture....

 

[SmoothCustomer]

I will try to look at the car next time I'm at the yard. If the mounting point is the same I will stick with this. If it's more reinforced I guess I will probably get me some plates. Thanks for lookin' out Barnes!