Seat belt issues

[chevynut]

As long as the subject is about seatbelts, which people might be looking at the thread for ideas, what's wrong with tossing an alternative idea into the mix for something different, or maybe better? Sorry

Well RD, why don't you start a post about your LS engine and ask a few questions you want feedback on, and I'll tell you a few things about my John Deere riding mower engine and maybe show you a picture of my 502. That's typical of what you usually do. It's really annoying.

[chevynut]

It looks like Wesco Performance (thanks Brian!!) has the best choice of seatbelts for my needs. They have a "convertible/hardtop" seatbelt that's 120" long and I can get end release buckles and all color-matched plastic except for the lower anchor bolt cover. At least that's what I interpret from their website. Julianos has those lower bolt covers and I've ordered a pair. So the only remaining issue is the lack of a sliding latch.....I hope.

https://www.wescoperformance.com/con...070.1678667243

I measured my car again, and with the latch where it needs to be to meet the buckle with the seatbelt around me, when it retracts and the latch hits the upper anchor loop, there's 12" or so of slack webbing laying on the floor. This is unacceptable to me and I don't understand how people get around this without a sliding latch. You would think that over 20+ years of selling seatbelts they'd figure this out.

So my plan is to try to find some charcoal sliding latches that fit the end release buckle and replace the ones on the seatbelts, if I can't figure out another way to make them slide. I contacted Seatbeltsplus yesterday and they told me the latches, which look identical to the ones at Wesco, don't slide freely. That's really stupid imo. I'm sure they slide when you don't want them to.

Just more modifications to do.....as usual.

[Aussienomad]

CN
Re the belts not retracting properly.
I suspect you have "normal" belts which the industry terms "90 degree" belts, where the retratctor and upper mounts are in line. When you mount the retractor away from that line you need a different belt - I found that out when I went through the ordering process down here - my belts are positioned similarly to yours. An old mate was boss at a local seat belt company (Hemco) at the time and he explained that I needed "110 degree" belts to compensate for moving the retractor. I explained that I wanted the retractors inside the quarters (like yours) and he answered that they simply reverse them - like you have now done, and he set me up with the 100 degree belts - I now have them in all my Nomads.

I suggest you talk with the providers there and discuss with them about the 90 v 110 belts and see what they say.

Cheers, Des

I have been trying to upload a pic of mine - cant do so for some reason.

[chevynut]

CN
Re the belts not retracting properly.
I suspect you have "normal" belts which the industry terms "90 degree" belts, where the retratctor and upper mounts are in line. When you mount the retractor away from that line you need a different belt - I found that out when I went through the ordering process down here - my belts are positioned similarly to yours. An old mate was boss at a local seat belt company (Hemco) at the time and he explained that I needed "110 degree" belts to compensate for moving the retractor. I explained that I wanted the retractors inside the quarters (like yours) and he answered that they simply reverse them - like you have now done, and he set me up with the 100 degree belts - I now have them in all my Nomads.

I suggest you talk with the providers there and discuss with them about the 90 v 110 belts and see what they say.

Cheers, Des

I have been trying to upload a pic of mine - cant do so for some reason.

I've never heard about 110 degree belts. I read about "dual sensitive" belts but I don't really understand how they differ. I THINK it means they lock on both vehicle deceleration and fast webbing movement. My webbing comes out of the retractor straight, not at an angle. The retractor is mounted at an angle in the quarter panel.

It's pretty clear that my problem is the retractor won't hold any more webbing. The retractor works fine until the spool is full. I'm not measuring this in the car, rather laying on the floor and I know the spool is completely full with 57" still remaining. I also measured the belt fully extended and it's 133". My retractor is not mounted at the floor level, but about halfway up the quarter panel where you see the bolt coming through. That requires that the belt is shorter than if it was mounted on the floor. Floor to shoulder loop is 29" and shoulder loop to retractor bolt is 21".

The other problem relates to the latch not sliding for proper stowage on the b-pillar. The latch hits the shoulder loop with a foot too much belt left below it.

I ordered the Wesco belts last night and I think they're the closest to what I need. I'll have to deal with the sliding latch issue somehow.

I'd like to see how you did yours and made it work. Do you have sliding latches? How long is your belt?

[55 Rescue Dog]

I can see how the non-sliding buckle could be a benefit over the sliding buckle and might even like it better after you get used to it. The lap belt can be sinched up snug and keep you there, and the shoulder belt still could do its thing. Just slide the buckle up when you take it off and will be easier to put back on with some slack, then give it tug and go. If nobody is around to look at your car you could even just let it hang down quite often.
All modern cars have pre-tensioners on the seatbelts to tighten up the slack, which might be a reason for sliding buckles to snug the belts during a crash.

[Aussienomad]

I'd like to see how you did yours and made it work. Do you have sliding latches? How long is your belt?

For some reason I can't upload pics. I'm using the icon here to "insert image" but it won't work.

[BamaNomad]

For some reason I can't upload pics. I'm using the icon here to "insert image" but it won't work.

Perhaps your image file is too large, Des? Try a smaller image, one at a time and see what happens?

[chevynut]

I can see how the non-sliding buckle could be a benefit over the sliding buckle and might even like it better after you get used to it. The lap belt can be sinched up snug and keep you there, and the shoulder belt still could do its thing. Just slide the buckle up when you take it off and will be easier to put back on with some slack, then give it tug and go. If nobody is around to look at your car you could even just let it hang down quite often.
All modern cars have pre-tensioners on the seatbelts to tighten up the slack, which might be a reason for sliding buckles to snug the belts during a crash.

You clearly don't understand the problem.

I see no benefit of a non-sliding latch over a free-sliding one. The non-free-sliding latch also slides, it just doesn't slide freely. The free-sliding latch allows you to put the latch wherever you want it to sit, and it goes there anytime you take the belt off. You would have to re-position the non-sliding latch every time you took it off so the seatbelt wouldn't lay on the floor. That might be okay with you, but it's not for me. These seatbelt manufacturers need to get up to date.

Modern cars have retractors, just like these seatbelts I bought and all other retractable ones on the market. They keep the belt snug and rolled up no matter where it is. The only lock when there's sudden tension on the belt. The sliding latch allows the belt to stow in the rolled up snug condition, against the side of the car. Just like it allows it to sit on my Silverado seat nice and snug and with the latch in a convenient location.

[55 Rescue Dog]

Should just put those seats in it, and then the belts would work great. I considered that design at one point, and you could just modify the shoulder belt pivot a little lower for looks. It would be too simple of an idea for you though.

[Aussienomad]

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