Retrofit 3 point belts...

nubbinshowin · Post by **nubbinshowin** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 11:05 pm

I am wanting to replace the two lap belts with three pointers (not myself - pay someone else!)

Any clues about who to contact in Huddersfield/West Yorkshire? I am at my wits end...

waycar8 · Post by **waycar8** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 11:09 pm

http://www.wellhouseleisure.com/

try wellhouse leisure, they are based in shepley

madmile · Post by **madmile** » Wed Dec 19, 2007 11:19 pm

When you say the 2 lap belts, do you mean the ones in the middle position on the original seats, or do you have a conversion with a seat / bed containing only 2 lap belts???
If the latter then possible, but best done at the time of conversion.
If however you are looking to get a bongo with 8 three point belts I cannot see it being possible as the seat backs would not be strong enough to mount a belt - you may get away with 'hanging' a mounting point from the middle of the tailgate, but not sure there is sufficient space for a mounting with spreader plate.

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 1:05 am

I've got a non inertia 3 point in the middle position of my bench seat and it seems to work fine. 5 mins to fit it to the lapbelt mounting points after removal from a car I was selling. I would guess the same thing could be done on the rear split seats. Of course it may not be up to full approved standards but it seems real solid and the way I look at it I have a lapbelt with a diagonal bit helping, as opposed to a lapbelt alone, so it ought to offer some gain in safety.

apole · Post by **apole** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 11:56 am

I've got autosafe coming this morning to fit some in mine. Difference being that you need a double clip belt to give the abilty to slide and fold the seat flat for a bed.

I'll let you know how I get on and also ask him if they just sell the parts.

Andy

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 2:05 pm

apole wrote:I've got autosafe coming this morning to fit some in mine. Difference being that you need a double clip belt to give the abilty to slide and fold the seat flat for a bed.

I'll let you know how I get on and also ask him if they just sell the parts.

Andy

Is this because you have a rock n roll bed? On the standard bench seat a bog standard belt is fine as the mounting points are on the moving bench.

I'm probably barking (up the wrong tree) but heh

apole · Post by **apole** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 2:13 pm

Hi,

No I have 2 cut down standard seats facing each other, I have the side conversion. Because of this I only have the one proper diagonal belt, the remaining 3 are lapbelts which isn't so good with kids and car seats.

apole · Post by **apole** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 5:01 pm

OK, guys just left, he must have felt like a block of ice.

Anyway looks like he's done a good job.

Pics are at:

http://s232.photobucket.com/albums/ee11 ... =slideshow

Great if you have kids or adults, now they all have proper belts.

All we need now is some warmer weather....

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 5:51 pm

Now if you'd fitted one of them erberspacher things you could have made him comfortable

apole · Post by **apole** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 7:44 pm

Well now you mention it that is coming early Jan. Propex, SWMBO reckons I went for that as I have so much gas of my own

madmile · Post by **madmile** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 9:01 pm

Forgive me for sounding a pessamist and I am not knocking the expertise of the company who fitted these for you, but given that there appears to be no upper mounting bracket, then the 3 point belt is held in a clip over the back of the seat, but the mounting points are all near the floor.
In an accident with an adult in the seat, surely the force would either break the upper retaining clips, or break the seat back ratchet - in either case the passenger would be in a similar position to one wearing a very loose lap belt.
I accept that a child in a seat is unlikely to exert anywhere near the force of an adult, and ultimately that is what you are concerned about, also its good that you have had a recognised company to carry out the work.

I am reluctant to post this reply as I never wish to point to problems with another companies product (but at least they are not bongo suppliers).
Seat belts are a particularly topical subject to me as I have just spent about 2 days and driven a couple of hundred miles to finalise the designs for a seat belt post that I would be happy to install in my side conversions.

waycar8 · Post by **waycar8** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 9:12 pm

well said Madmile, all the converted bongos i have seen have had them mounted on the conversersion, but the one shown here, is in a way a lap belt,i too dont think the back of the seat is strong enough to take the force of a head on smash with the force going forward.

your reversed seat belt are fine thoe, as you only need lapbelts anyway because they are reversed

i am sorry to say that the person that fitted it would have an inckling that it is not up to it also, if he knows what hes doing but i dont know how much you have paid for this fitting but it doesnt seem safe for a 3 point lapbelt, if they were why doesnt all the conversion people do it

.

some might but i have to say i havent seen a profesional conversion with 3 point seat belt positioned over the back rest

might not be the replies you were looking for but nothing compares to safety

as i take you are anyway, as you have had them fitted in the first place.

Regards Wayne.

nubbinshowin · Post by **nubbinshowin** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 9:15 pm

Thanks guys! Autosafe look ideal other than they are in London! I have contacted Wellhouse Leisure

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 10:09 pm

You are quite right madmile. I wouldn't fit this kind of arrangement professionally as it isn't an approved method and I wouldn't want to be liable. But I think it stands every chance of behaving a lot better than a simple lapbelt and I'm prepared to install it in my own car.

My life started in a world where cars didnt have seat belts at all and later, only in the front. It still seems like yesterday when wearing belts in the back became compulsory and even then for some time the belts were only lapbelts (witness the Bongo). So to me, the arrangement is something I can live with. Meanwhile I shall be doing my best to avoid finding out how well any the seat belts work.

There's one other little thing that is always there to haunt me. A few years back my brother's friend and his wife were driving through the New Forest at night when a deer ran out and they hit it. She was wearing glasses and the airbag went off. She is now blind. It is unlikely she would have been badly injured if the car had no airbag. Its a sobering reminder that nothing is straightforward where safety is concerned.

waycar8 · Post by **waycar8** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 10:25 pm

hmmn, interesting that mike about your friend and the airbag, a mate of mine was invovled in an accident and the airbag went off,the plastic bit that opens like a hinge exploded in to small bits

and cut open his face, now has a scardown it

as for the seat belts, the old days cars max speed were around 60 on the motorway wernt they

, so a lap belt would have been ok, also the way this 3 point has been fitted is very dodgy imo, if you think of 4 point harness type belts, these are fitted to go around the seat back and if i am not mistaken are supposed to bolt to the floor, i may be wrong...........

nowt new