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Thread: 818 seatbelts/harness help

  1. #1
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    818 seatbelts/harness help

    Can any of you recommend the best way for me to get my lap belts the proper length to reach through the side access slots in my bucket seats? My (cheap) 5-point harness from ebay has slide buckles that are tricky to fit through the slots to begin with, and then they end up interfering with the slots making it impossible to adjust them. Do I have to get custom lengths made up? Should I cut the slots in my seat bigger? Is there a safe way to extend what I have somehow?

    I was also planning on using my OEM subaru seatbelts, but have run into a similar problem on the receptacle side...the stock belts wont reach up far enough form the floor mounting points. I have a 12" extension I am going to try, but it might be too long. I may need 6" or so. I dont know why this has been such a frustration to me, but it is one of those little projects that I ran into trouble with and have now been putting off for months! Gotta get them done!

    Any suggestions are appreciated! I'll try to post some pictures a little later.

    Thanks all,

    Ben

  2. #2
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    yikes! not a single response!

  3. #3
    Senior Member UnhipPopano's Avatar
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    What happened to the pictures you were going to post?

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    Senior Member billjr212's Avatar
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    I had to get pull up belts for the lap belt on my 6 point harness for exactly this reason. The combination of pull down lap belts and a very narrow seat can be almost impossible to hit the sweet spot of being able to properly tighten.

  5. #5
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    I had the same issue with my OEM belts. I made up a new receptacle end using the OEM receptacle, a length of seat belt material and three bar adjusters and attachment points as used for racing harnesses. Those parts are available from vendors selling racing harnesses.

  6. #6
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    Did you do the sewing, or did you take them to a shop? Thanks for the idea. Maybe you have a photo of this arrangement? I did not get in the garage yet, but hopefully will soon.
    Last edited by ben1272; 10-31-2017 at 03:09 PM.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by billjr212 View Post
    I had to get pull up belts for the lap belt on my 6 point harness for exactly this reason. The combination of pull down lap belts and a very narrow seat can be almost impossible to hit the sweet spot of being able to properly tighten.
    Pull up belts.....good idea. Didnt even know they existed! Were you able to find stock sizes that fit, or did you need custom lengths? Thanks for post!

  8. #8
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    seat belt.JPG
    Photo attached. The other end is similar except that it ends in hardware that can be bolted in. No sewing involved.
    Pull up belts are an option from most manufacturers, and the length can be adjusted at the attachment point end if you purchase non-sewn in ends.

  9. #9
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    Question. How did you mount the bar and the top mount for the stock belt since they use the same holes? Did you just get a longer bolt and put the stock belt upper mount on the bar mount?

  10. #10
    Harley818's Avatar
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    Check my thread post 143/144.
    I used the standard WRX belts but mounted the retractor under the firewall, and had the seatbelt coming vertically up through a slot in the firewall.
    Works great.
    http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showt...y-s-818S/page4
    Harley
    Bought 2002 Donor Jan 2014
    First Start Jan 18, 2015
    First Drive Feb 14, 2015

  11. #11
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    Harley - for starters, mounting the retractor in your location will not work with the gen 2 fuel tank.

    Second - and I'll probably catch some flak for this - but I cannot stress highly enough how poorly and dangerously your seat belts are mounted.

    1: This isn't your fault, but it looks like you have the early tombstone shaped mounts for the shoulder point. These will do absolutely nothing to restrain your upper body in a crash. It boggles my mind that anyone ever thought they would work. I would be on the horn with FFR to get the newer plates and have them welded in before I drove the thing another foot.

    2: Your inner lap belt mount is mounted in the middle of a tiny, thin wall, unsupported tube. Once again, it might feel secure, but in a wreck will do absolutely nothing to protect the occupants of the car.

    3: Also the inner lap belt wraps around the tunnel aluminum. Not only can this be a fray issue if not protected, but there is no direct load path to the anchor location that doesn't deform that aluminum.

    4: While the slot in the firewall might seem trick it looks like nothing but a fray and tear issue to me. If you really want it that way, open the slots and smooth those edges with something.

    5: The vertical portion of the belt from the reel to the shoulder point isn't straight. Regardless of whether it retracts and tensions properly or not, you're relying on the outside of the belt to take the brunt of any load, rather than spreading it across the full width of the belt.

    6: You're not alone in this mistake, but you should never have any portion of your belts in a location that they would be susceptible to fluids or fire. That's the whole point of the firewall - to keep these things separate.

    7: Lastly, this is relatively minor compared to the other flaws, but your shoulder point should never be lower than the back of your seat/actual shoulder.

    I apologize if you've already realized and corrected any of these issues over the years, but I have never seen belts installed in such a dangerous manner.

  12. #12
    Harley818's Avatar
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    Thanks for your comments Phil. You make some good points. I'll go back and take a closer look at it.
    Harley
    Bought 2002 Donor Jan 2014
    First Start Jan 18, 2015
    First Drive Feb 14, 2015

  13. #13
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    Seat belts???

    Quote Originally Posted by Harley818 View Post
    Thanks for your comments Phil. You make some good points. I'll go back and take a closer look at it.
    Have you found any good build threads or posts for this?

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