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Seat Install

thewelsho

By thewelsho
in Scottish Scoobies

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thewelsho

thewelsho

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As some of you know, I recently installed bucket seats but the set up was not ideal. It was too much hassle for front seat passangers to take the harnesses on and off. So I done away with the harnesses and attemtped to fit a seat belt clip. It wasn't happening so I had to take the seat out again but managed to thread the front bolts that hold the sub-frames to the floor (phud).

Eventaully got a hold of new bolts only to find that the captives nuts where damaged too (bigger phud)!!!! I purchased a tap and die kit and re-threaded the nuts and the bolts fitted perfectly. I then had to modify the belt clip (which is from a Classic ARRRRRGH!) before I was able to get it all back together.

The driver-side harness remains with no seatbelt option, however I have refitted the belt (as recommended by many), to the rear seatbelt bolts. This has decreased the angle of the belt and is much safer given that it has been attached to a reinforced area of the car. I can't wait to smash the car into a wall now.

Thanks to all for the advice and insights and thanks to Peter (FAI17) for getting me bolts and to David at DR Motorsport for supplying me with the seatbelt clip <saying under breath> from a Classic</saying under breath>.

Pics:

1) Changed belt position - with the harness at this angle, all three rear seats are still usable and seatbelts fully functional.

belt.jpg

2) Seatbelt clip. Notice the little piece of metal attaced to allow the clip to sit higher up - still a bit awkward but usable.

clip.jpg

3) Loops remain to allow for use of harness on trackdays if required.

loop.jpg

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thewelsho

thewelsho

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Nice 1 John, so you all set for knockhill in march? Have you got other plans for this year for the car?

Rich

Rich. Need another few little things done. Need to replace all the back wheels studs are only three each side are holding. Need to buy some track tyres and a service and I'm good to go. Dunno if I'll make March but hopefully next one :)

I have to ask what Subframes, Seat Brackets are you using on this car?

Cheers

Gav

Gav, the brackets/sliders came with the seats and I got OMP subframes fromwww.ybracing.co.uk costing around £120 or so.

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JohnSt

JohnSt

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John, the 'little bits of metal' extending the seatbelt clip ! It also looks like you've used the same gauge of material to mount the eye bolts. Is this steel or Ally and how thick is it ? Please elaborate a little and don't crash into that wall just yet !!!!!!

thanks ---john---

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thewelsho

thewelsho

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hi mate have you had any more issues with the clutch ? (tested for slippage) :)

Aye its fine I think. Took it up a really steep hill in 4th like you sugested and it was fine. I also did I few more red-liners in low gears and it was fine again. I think it must have been wheelspin ;)

John, the 'little bits of metal' extending the seatbelt clip ! It also looks like you've used the same gauge of material to mount the eye bolts. Is this steel or Ally and how thick is it ? Please elaborate a little and don't crash into that wall just yet !!!!!!

thanks ---john---

John. the wee metal strip is defo softer metal than the actual clip its self but is about the same thickness. I'll get a hold on another clip and mod it with that... What a saga!

Cheers!

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thewelsho

thewelsho

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Where did you get these from?

ED209 Sold me them with the harnesses - but I think you can get them from ybracing.co.uk - the hoop on the side of the transmission tunnel is defferent Peter. It's basically a bolt with a big loop on it whereas the one you see in the pic is a little plate with the loop welded on that fits between the frame and floor.

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thewelsho

thewelsho

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John why did you need the small extension added onto the seat belt clip? Could you not have bolted the seat belt clip onto where the lower section of the extension piece is bolted on to? ( If that make ant sense ;) )

Paul. The clip was then down too low and there is not a lot of space between the seat and the centre console. Its still a pain trying to clip a belt into it. Also, becasue of the kinks in the metal seatbelt clip it threw the subframe out by half an inch so the little extension cured that :)

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arch

arch

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Where did you get these from?

When I say this I am assuming the eye bolt is attached/welded to the bracket which in turn is bolted under the original seat mount?

If that is the case I have to be brutally honest and say I would not trust that bracket in an accident. If you look at the bracket it has a hole drilled in it and if pulled it would bend and deform along the line of the seat frame. I think an MSA steward would laugh at that as he told you that you were not running like that. Worst case scenario is the eye detaches from the bracket - not good. Eye bolts are designed to be bolted into the chasis at strategic points for a reason, the same reason that the seat belts are bolted directly to the chasis - your standard seat belt is probably safer!

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thewelsho

thewelsho

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When I say this I am assuming the eye bolt is attached/welded to the bracket which in turn is bolted under the original seat mount?

If that is the case I have to be brutally honest and say I would not trust that bracket in an accident. If you look at the bracket it has a hole drilled in it and if pulled it would bend and deform along the line of the seat frame. I think an MSA steward would laugh at that as he told you that you were not running like that. Worst case scenario is the eye detaches from the bracket - not good. Eye bolts are designed to be bolted into the chasis at strategic points for a reason, the same reason that the seat belts are bolted directly to the chasis - your standard seat belt is probably safer!

If I slam into a wall hard enough for that to happen, I think there will be more that a bolt breaking. The thing is made from solid steel. dont forget that the shoulders are taking the strain too, and that strap is bolted onto the reinfrced area that the rear seatbelts are bolted too. Also, the third point is clipped into an eye-bolt that is directly screwed into the chassis. So I think I will be ok - if not - then you can point and laugh and say "I told you so".

I appreciate your input though, and if others back you up like many did when I had the shoulder strap attached to the seat bolt, then I'll consider another solution.

:rotfl:

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colin_ross

colin_ross

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To be honest mate I think you'd be better taking those things off. I'm sure they feel secure and without seeing them in the flesh I don't want to say they're not up to the job.

But......... the one on the flor will not be subjected to tension stress but to a torsional one. Not good. They might hold, they might not but I wouldn't risk it.

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thewelsho

thewelsho

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JOhn sorry but i don`t think its very safe either the forces involved in even a pretty minor shunt at speed are collosal and every chance it could rip it out it go with another solution my friend not worth it just incase. grieg

What other solutions are there short of cages and welding bars in and all that? It's a road car remember, I'm not doing competition stuff. Maybe another eye-bolt in place of those little plates would help. So I need an M10 bolt with a 1.25 pitch to screw directly into the floor. The ones on ybracing are bigger than that I think. Where can I get those?

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thewelsho

thewelsho

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To be honest mate I think you'd be better taking those things off. I'm sure they feel secure and without seeing them in the flesh I don't want to say they're not up to the job.

But......... the one on the flor will not be subjected to tension stress but to a torsional one. Not good. They might hold, they might not but I wouldn't risk it.

Colin, what if I take a wee trip to let you see them sometime and you can give them the once over? I can't take them off coz I have no seatbelts! :rotfl: the clips came out with the original seats! So I'm stuck with them. Lemme know if you have a spare 5 mins - :rotfl:

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JohnSt

JohnSt

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Well John, you asked for it ya nugget :rotfl: Nobody is laughing, but a little knowledge is a dangerous thing !!! Reminds me of someone driving around recently with 3 wheel nuts out of 5 installed :rotfl:

If you don't want to invite critisism then I suggest you don't post your efforts publicly.

Those eye bolts are meant to be screwed into a captive nut in a part of the body which also has a spreader plate to spread the load in the event of a collision.

Using a bit of flat steel (if it is even steel ?) bar, especially just bolted on like that where the forces in a collision are actually at 90deg to any strength is silly. As Arch has pointed out the hole creates a stress point, it will just fold there !!

Do your self a favour, unbolt that wee plate, stick it in a vice up to half its height and hit the top with a hammer and it'll bend like Boy George at a Bennets Open Night !!

The one holding the seat belt clip is only marginally better and only because the load on it would be a stretching one.

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Spaceman

Spaceman

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What other solutions are there short of cages and welding bars in and all that? It's a road car remember, I'm not doing competition stuff. Maybe another eye-bolt in place of those little plates would help. So I need an M10 bolt with a 1.25 pitch to screw directly into the floor. The ones on ybracing are bigger than that I think. Where can I get those?

try rally nuts wensite or kitcar builder even better ebay and ask the seller a question there are a few rally oufits on there selling the very thing hell i may even have them here for you. grieg

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thewelsho

thewelsho

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Well John, you asked for it ya nugget :rotfl: Nobody is laughing, but a little knowledge is a dangerous thing !!! Reminds me of someone driving around recently with 3 wheel nuts out of 5 installed :rotfl:

If you don't want to invite critisism then I suggest you don't post your efforts publicly.

Those eye bolts are meant to be screwed into a captive nut in a part of the body which also has a spreader plate to spread the load in the event of a collision.

Using a bit of flat steel (if it is even steel ?) bar, especially just bolted on like that where the forces in a collision are actually at 90deg to any strength is silly. As Arch has pointed out the hole creates a stress point, it will just fold there !!

Do your self a favour, unbolt that wee plate, stick it in a vice up to half its height and hit the top with a hammer and it'll bend like Boy George at a Bennets Open Night !!

The one holding the seat belt clip is only marginally better and only because the load on it would be a stretching one.

Well I think, given that I revised the setup shows that I took criticism from pervious comments, and also, the fact that I asked Colin to look at it for his opinion is another indicator of my willingness to accept advice. So, if its ok with you, I'll continue to make my efforts public :rotfl:

:rotfl:

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