Seat belts

[ChrisB]

Another popular topic,

I have been chasing our local licensed seat belt installers here in the ACT to get an answer re fitting either static or retractable belts to the front of my sedan. The engineer they sent me to wants a barrell bolt used for the top support if I use either retractable or stactic belts. If i want to put a plate behind the inside panel he wants the pillar seam welded.
This might be fine for a car under resto but one that is painted !!!

Any help or ideas would be appreciated

Regards ChrisB  8) 8)

[Ed]

Hi Chris,

Im yet to do my belts, but have had loads of advice from people who have done theirs.  Nobody else has mentioned seam welding the pillar.

It seems a bit of a grey area as the guidelines (NSW) stipulates "typical" pillar mounting as having a barrel bolt.  however in lieu of fitting retractables (inertia reels) they suggest

"Caution should be exercised where inertia reel seat belts are to be fitted to ensure that the strength of the sash guide anchorage is adequate to accept the combined load of the belt strand from the occupant to sash guide and the belt strand from the sash guide to the inertia reel mechanism.  This combhined load can be significant".

now short of destructive testing how can we ensure our pillar mounts are safe?

I know of a few cars that have been successfully engineered without using barrel bolts.


does it come down to your engineer of choice?

I have been given some good advice (engineer approved) on how to do the job, but this does not come from my engineer, although the method provided is very safe and secure, incorporating a large spreader plate and generous thread depth.

If I do the job, will photos help prove the work i have done, if i choose not to use a barrel bolt?

Should I simply just submit the plans to the engineer to approve first?

thanks

Ed