2B Seat Belt Mounts - To Use Or Not To Use?

[Guest Ian Marr]

Using 4 point harnesses, but the hole in the seat back is quite narrow and the harnesses do not go straight through - ie they pull on each side if he seat is moved off-centre to the steering wheel.

Where I want the seat the outside mounting is fine, but the inner one is quite definitely bridging the seat.

 

Not sure what to do - seems like I have some options:

 

- Leave seat and mountings as they are - pretty sure a fail

 

- Move seats so angle of 'pull' is shared and less - probably still a fail?

 

- Leave seat position as is and move (or new) inner mounting

 

Don't fancy setting off down a welding route as just lined the boot in timber (!) - has any one had a pass by drilling and bolting through the box section?

 

I've put some pictures here on Flickr - any help, suggestions welcome.

[knights_templar]

if you are concerned about a fail on IVA, it should not be a problem.

 

there is some helpful information in the IVA manual about seating and belts, but as far as I can remember, your problem is not mentioned.

 

current GBS car has the same thing on it's top mounts and I have not heard of any failing for that reason

 

Regards

[agent_zed]

Hi,

i think i am correct in saying you would have to weld linings into the tube if you drilled through, to prevent crush.

 

 

hth

 

edit - looked at the pics - why are the seats so outboard? can they not be more central to the belt mounts?

 

If the steering wheel is off centre you could move this across to where you want it. I'd rather be more 'in' the car if i can.

 

not sure whether or not that would solve your problem though but i think i have seen the belt go round those type of seats and pass.

Edited January 22, 2012 by agent_zed

[fry61]

Flat strip mild steel say 40 x 3mm top & bottom between existing seat belt mounts & bolted to same; then you can drill new holes & weld tubes between for new belt fixings. Hope that makes sense;gets round the prob of welding in situ,puts belts in line with seat holes & shows the examiner that the fixings cant be crushed.

Bracket may be better if formed to be a channel. HTH

[megadodo]

If you pass the belts through the seat holes you have to prove the seat has been tested to the appropriate standards. If not as per mine you have to show when you are sat in the seat, that the belts sit on your shoulders and aren't twisted on the mounting buckles. My upper mounts were fitted to the standard 2B chassis (2007 style, round tube bolts passing through the centre of the tube). They were firmly fixed at the angle required to pass the seat back with out twisting the belts, and it passed IVA. He said it didn't even need the covers I had put on but I wouldn't take that chance for a few a pennies worth of belt mount cover from a scrappy! From a practical viewpoint if (after test) you do pass the belts through the seat, in my case anyway, the belts would then pass through an down, up, down again route that I think in a crash would allow the belt to straighten out too much.

[fry61]

Think seat strength test is only needed if belt route is bent by seat, looks like belts will sit on shoulders better if through holes.

[Guest Ian Marr]

Thanks for this guys.

The seats are pukka corbeau seats - special narrow version for Quantum cars. I think I'll see if I can get any test regime info from one or the other.

I have considered moving the seats more inboard, but I might get 1.5 to 2 inches and if I did the seats would need to move further forward to clear the big lump of sierra poking through rear panel. photos make them look well 'outboard' but actually they are not extreme and within the chassis line.

I've looked at the steering in the past and I don't think I will get any more movement with out compromising other things.

I quite like the idea suggested by Florin MW.

I think my course of action will be to stick with the belts going through the seat back (they do not go down then up as the holes are quite high up in the seat back) and possibly make a plate based solution to set up the mountings to look and work 'right'

Thank you