Re: Seat belt installation
Posted by Hans Ahlness On 2016/8/9 17:49:50
I had originally decided to install lap belts in the rear seat, but after sitting back there and pondering where my head would go during an impact (right down to the top of the front seat frame) I changed my mind and started to figure out how best to install shoulder harnesses in back too. Below see a picture of my assistant demonstrating the problem.
After looking at catalogs and many versions of installation instructions, I decided on some roadster-type shoulder belts with the retractor mounting to the rear hatshelf area. These are available from the same vendor listed above.
When I got my new box of toys, I started mocking up the belt mounts and I didn't think that the hatshelf is really strong enough to take the full load. I experimented with a piece of steel angle as a backup under the shelf, that would cross the entire shelf and pick up both retractor mounts, but I eventually decided that I'd rather mount the retractors to the floor of the trunk and feed the belt up through the hatshelf to a pivot point much like the front belts. So I switched to using the same style belts that I used for the front seats. I built some doublers for under the shelf to mount the pivots and the geometry worked out well. My doublers are 1/8" aluminum from a scrap piece I had laying around (2024-T3 aircraft alloy) and are each attached with seven aircraft structural screws and nuts. The pivot point is mainly loaded in shear so I am not worried about the strength of the shelf with this doubler taking the load of the nutplate piece. The steel will tear before the aluminum plate will, but there are enough screws to spread that load quite adequately.
Attach file:
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After looking at catalogs and many versions of installation instructions, I decided on some roadster-type shoulder belts with the retractor mounting to the rear hatshelf area. These are available from the same vendor listed above.
When I got my new box of toys, I started mocking up the belt mounts and I didn't think that the hatshelf is really strong enough to take the full load. I experimented with a piece of steel angle as a backup under the shelf, that would cross the entire shelf and pick up both retractor mounts, but I eventually decided that I'd rather mount the retractors to the floor of the trunk and feed the belt up through the hatshelf to a pivot point much like the front belts. So I switched to using the same style belts that I used for the front seats. I built some doublers for under the shelf to mount the pivots and the geometry worked out well. My doublers are 1/8" aluminum from a scrap piece I had laying around (2024-T3 aircraft alloy) and are each attached with seven aircraft structural screws and nuts. The pivot point is mainly loaded in shear so I am not worried about the strength of the shelf with this doubler taking the load of the nutplate piece. The steel will tear before the aluminum plate will, but there are enough screws to spread that load quite adequately.
Attach file:
(65.27 KB)
(47.27 KB)
(46.04 KB)
(54.54 KB)
(46.46 KB)
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