Buckets & Harnesses

[Dream Weaver 2]

OK, so i've got some Corbeau seats and Luke 3 point harnesses fitted into the car, but i've also left the std seatbelts in place as I dont want to use the harnesses on the road, or on track until i've got a cage fitted.

 

The problem is, the seatbelt buckle is fitted to the std seat as per normal, so when you fit buckets obviously the buckle is lost.

 

I came across this site - http://www.sandmracing.com/ssabelt.html and he also wanted to keep the std belts, so fitted longer eyebolts and a flexi seatbelt buckle/receiver.

 

So that was the plan, so I ventured over to Minisport (www.minisport.com) as its close by and i'd seen the flexi buckles in there before, but after chatting with the chap there he said they aren't universal, and I will need a buckle that matches the Peugeot insert.

 

So question is, what can I do to keep the std belts?

 

Did Pug do any flexi buckles in anything, vans etc?

 

How safe would it be to use the rear seatbelt buckles as they are a flexi design, though the 2 are linked together?

 

FInally, I'm hoping to have the MOT done next week - will it fail just with harnesses and std belts/no buckles fitted?

[pug_ham 242 3 Cars]

So question is, what can I do to keep the std belts?

 

Did Pug do any flexi buckles in anything, vans etc?

I found some in a BX at Chris's from the rear seats & they are individual straps. I also got some front seat clip brackets from a five door 205 & I'm going to use those along with the Bx straps on mine with the loop end of the belt through the harness hole on the seat & then to the standard mount.

 

Graham.

[Dream Weaver 2]

Cool, those BX ones look perfect, has Chris any more BX's in?

 

Can we assume that there is enough strength to use those then? My plan is to bolt the longer harness eyebolt through those, then through the tunnel, and then into the backing plate things with captive nuts.

 

My worry is that the tunnel metal is actually quite thin, wouldnt want them to be ripped out in a crash.

[Butler 0]

I did used a pair of rears when I did something similar in my 106. I wonder if 106 rears fit the 205 belt, as they are seperate.

 

TBH the rear 205 one looks stronger then the bolts that hold standard seat in.

 

I only ever used the standard belts for nipping to the shops. Any longer or high speed journeys I always used the harnesses.

[d-9 0]

I got a 205 rear belt (the one with the lapbelt and one socket on it) cut off the lapbelt and nicely shaped the metal end with a grinder, then bolted it to the floor with one of the standard seat bolts. It didnt rip out when i crashed the car so i figure its strong enough.

[pug_ham 242 3 Cars]

Cool, those BX ones look perfect, has Chris any more BX's in?

Thats what I thought & why I got them. I'm not sure, if he had anymore then maybe only one or two. They have a quick rotation of cars now though usually. I'm hoping to go over next week if I get chance.

Can we assume that there is enough strength to use those then? My plan is to bolt the longer harness eyebolt through those, then through the tunnel, and then into the backing plate things with captive nuts.

 

My worry is that the tunnel metal is actually quite thin, wouldnt want them to be ripped out in a crash.

Could you do like I am with mine & use the original floor mounting bolts? Considering that the standard belt hooks are held in along with the seat by two M8 bolts (admittedly along with your weight) at that corner, personally I'd want a stronger way of mounting them than just through the floorpan like you suggest Simon but what is the backing plate like? Saying that a mini has the seat belt ends fastened through the floor in a similar way to I'm picturing you doing.

 

Graham.

[sekim 0]

Just to add another option...

 

I put the eye bolts into the tunnel just behind the seats and used a pair of 309 front seat buckles. These are longer than the 205 standard ones and straighter. I had to bend them slightly them to get them exactly where I wanted but now they're pretty much ideal imho

 

Pics - sorry about the mess!!

 

http://www.saywell.net/albums/205stuff/dsc00081.sized.jpg

[Dream Weaver 2]

Could you do like I am with mine & use the original floor mounting bolts? Considering that the standard belt hooks are held in along with the seat by two M8 bolts (admittedly along with your weight) at that corner, personally I'd want a stronger way of mounting them than just through the floorpan like you suggest Simon but what is the backing plate like? Saying that a mini has the seat belt ends fastened through the floor in a similar way to I'm picturing you doing.

 

Graham.

 

Not really too keen on having the harnesses bolted in with the seat mount as I read it was a no-no when fitting harnesses, plus it would raise the corner of the seat up slightly.

 

These are the backing plates, the square things with captive nuts:

 

 

I think this method will be OK, its the std method of fitting harnesses, plus I doubt that plate could be pulled through.

 

Just to add another option...

 

I put the eye bolts into the tunnel just behind the seats and used a pair of 309 front seat buckles. These are longer than the 205 standard ones and straighter. I had to bend them slightly them to get them exactly where I wanted but now they're pretty much ideal imho

 

Pics - sorry about the mess!!

 

http://www.saywell.net/albums/205stuff/dsc00081.sized.jpg

 

Looks good - thats where my eyebolts are fitted, though I haven't welded the backing plates onto the tunnel.

 

Another idea I thought of last night. The rear belts have a twin buckle thing in the middle and both rear passengers belt into it. Could I use this and attach it with a third harness backing plate onto the top of the tunnel behind the handbrake? This would then hold both drivers/passengers seatbelts, but not sure if the weight of 2 people would be too great for it?

 

Its obviously safe to do that in the back as std though!!

[e30m3 0]

If your going to put a cage in you may find that the bit where the standard seat belt loops around (behind the seat) can no longer be used. The Brackets for my omp cage got in the way of this.

 

I've just used the plates mounted to the u/s of the tunnel for mine with eye bolts and removed the standard belts.

 

surely if those plates are MSA approved they should be safe enough?

[Guest ecosseroy]

havin both sets of seatbelts installed wont failt the mot but what will fail is if it used to have seatbelts and u have completely removed them from the rear

[Dream Weaver 2]

You sure about that? Done some research and have come to the conclusion that if the seats are removed in the back, they dont test the rear seatbelts.

 

The rear belts are still installed, but the buckles they go into have been removed to stop them swinging about.

[hman205 1]

if belts are fitted then they must work if they are not present they cannot fail the test

 

Dream weaver you will either need to compleetly remove the rear belts or refitt the buckels for the mot!

[Guest ecosseroy]

if the rear seats and belts r removed it wil pas the mot but if only the rear belts r removed it will fail im prety certain no that 1

[Dream Weaver 2]

I'll ask my MOT man when I book it in, he's a mate of my dads so i'll be able to sort it

[pug_ham 242 3 Cars]

I was just thinking of the standard belt ends not the harness ones as well.

 

With the captive nut plate welded underneath the car it should be plenty strong enough, guessing that must be how they are fitted by everyone else.

 

Simon, I think I have one spare BX belt & I'm sure there was at least one more BX at Chris's on my last visit. If not there are a few 106's.

 

Graham.

[d-9 0]

Ive had the rear seatbelts tested in an mot, despite there being no rear seat. I left the belts in to lash engines and spare wheels down with.

[Edd-XS 0]

i took the rear seats and belts out of my old car and it passed an MOT no sweat. if there are seats there, they will need belts as far as i know. similar thing to a spare tyre. if ones there it must have legal tread, if its not there, it doesnt matter! again my 205 passed MOT without spare tyre a few times at various places.

Edd

[Alastairh 47]

Yeah, its the old saying, If its fitted it needs to work.

[MartinM 0]

MOT man failed my rear seats as they were in-situ (as required by Road Rally regs) but couldn't be secured in the upright position because of the roll cage. He said if I took the seats out, he couldn't fail me on that aspect....but....he would fail me if I came back with the rear seats out but with the rear seat belts still in place (even if fully working)

 

So, out came both, re-passed MOT, back in went both

 

On the original issue, I just took the buckles off the front seats and attached them to the tunnel with the mentioned captive nut plates. IIRC the buckle on the RH seat went on the LH side of the tunnel and vice versa. MOT man inspected the buckles in their new position and never said a word.

 

Now I can use the normal seatbelts going to the shops and the Sabelt 6-points when not going to the shops....

[Dream Weaver 2]

Oh well, better take the rear belts out this weekend then before the MOT next week.

 

Just the fronts to sort out now, thanks all for the ideas so far.

[Dream Weaver 2]

Just booked in for its MOT next Thursday and my MOT'er said to just put the buckles back in for now as that would be easiest, then I can remove them afterwards.

 

Will go the Scrappies Sunday to look for some buckles for the front - i've put myself under a bit of pressure with this MOT, but I want to get it on the road

 

I'd be suprised if it passes first time though