Seat Belts...three point

etjeep

New Member
Joined
Apr 20, 2005
Location
Cary, NC
I replaced the rear lap belts in the rear of my rig this weekend with three point shoulder belts from a Dodge truck so my son's booster seet can go in the back seat. I don't have any pictures because, while the install came out pretty good, I had a problem with the inertia lock when the reel was mounted so it unreels straight up. I got it to work when the reel was angled.

The inertia lock (not sure if I am naming it right), locks the reel when you pull it hard or when you are in a crash. Here is the thing, the reel locks when I hold it in my hand and pull the strap and it locks when I have it mounted crooked in the rig, but not when its mounted straight up and down.

I can't really find any good technical links that show exactly what angles the belt should work properly with. I'll continue to search but since this is a safety item, I want to make sure it works good. Perhaps I should have just bought new shoulder belts that comes with instructions, but I thought this would be straight forward.
 
Each application will have been engineered and designed to work in the vehicle is was installed in, and at the angle it was installed at.
 
Rich,
Then I suppose I need to check with Carl what year Dodge truck those belts came out of so I can get the angel correct. Too bad I gave away those TJ belts i got from Rob or I would have tried those.

This link shows the essence of how I mounted. The only differences are I welded a double shear tab to my cage for the upper mount and the reel is attached higher up.

http://www.wescoperformance.com/seat-belt-install-3-point-retract.html

I could just tilt it until it works but I hate doing that without any data.
 
Keep in mind, depending on which side the belt was originally installed, it may not lock unless there is sufficient inertia for it, Drivers side belts are typically inertia only, were the passenger side and rear belts will lock solid if the belt is pulled to full extension then allowed to ratchet back, though they will inertia lock when needed. Most vehicles since the mid -'90s are this way. ( my '90 Runner rear seatbelts wouldn't lock this way, only inertia, it was hateful putting a child seat in the back, though the front pass side would. go figure, very annoying to most passnegers )
 
I removed it and tried various front to back angles on the bench. I got it to work, but it was not repeatable 100% of the time and the margin for error on the angle seemed very small. I began to think the mechanism may be worn so I took it apart. Other than I knew I sprang the sprung, I could not tell anything. There are a lot of small plastic parts so these are going in the garbage. I answered my own question when I said safety item. Trying to save a couple $ but realizing this is not the equipment to mess with.
 
I. Other than I knew I sprang the sprung, I could not tell anything.


Spoken like a true engineer !!!

it's tough, till i can find some seat belts for my K25 that actually retract like they are supposed to, I am the only one I will allow in it, ( could this be a bad thing ? ) Wife and kid will not be passengers. Of course, spending any $$$ on it is also out of the question.
 
Kevin,
Its not really worth my time to tinker with it at this point. I may pop for 4, upgrading my front elts at the same time. I'll save the fubared one for ya (spare parts?), and you are welcome to the un-fubared Dodge belt and my two front Wagoneer belts when I pull them out.
Eric
 
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