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1969 Traveller Rear seatbelt question

Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 9:48 pm
by FlyGuy
As a relative newcomer to the delights of Traveller ownership AND a the father of two kids I would like to install seat belts to allow all family members to travel together in reasonable safety. As bought fixed belts were in the front but nothing at all in the back

Replacing the front belts were relatively straightforward using the existing fixing points and they work well. However it looks as if rear belts are going to be a bit more challenging.

I have a pair of Securon Rear Seat Belts (Pn 254) with a variety of mounting brackets, but it isnt entirely clear to me HOW best to mount them in a traveller. Do the reel units locate on top of the wheel arch immediately behind the seat back ? Or should they be screwed into the woodwork at roof level ?

In addition it looks as if I will need to cut / drill some mounting points as there are none present at the moment. Can anyone give me any tips about how best to do this ? Will a mounting point drilled through the top of the wheel arch or floor pan need to be reinforced ? Should this be tapped or a nut put on the other side ? Should the nut be spot welded in place ?

Any tips or experience of someone who has done this would be very much appreciated - I'm doing this for the first time and want to get it right !

Many thanks,

FG

Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 9:54 pm
by bmcecosse
Yes - top of wheel arch - certainly NOT in the timber!!!!!!!!!!!! It's weak as %$£" Yes - put large reinforcing plates behind each mounting hole.

Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 10:33 pm
by Peetee
I bought reinforcing plates from ESM - but I'm sure other parts suppliers sell them too! I wouldn't consider fitting them to arches that were old and thin or didn't have a continuous rust-free mating face with the rest of the body.

Posted: Wed Jun 03, 2009 11:50 pm
by PSL184
I did mine as above but made my own reinforcing plates. The rear of the wheel arch tunnel is the strongest part but then you end up reeling most of the belt out before it reaches the passenger!. Mount it directly ontop of the arch and you still have useable belt length left over....

Posted: Thu Jun 04, 2009 4:46 am
by bmcecosse
Yes - it's not the greatest system - the belts coming over the wobbly rear seat back. But should be ok for kids as long as their shoulders come above the seat back - not sure how effective they would be with 'burly' adults!

Posted: Thu Jun 04, 2009 8:27 am
by alex_holden
Somebody on here posted a while ago that the rear belts sold by Securon and the Minor parts suppliers as being suitable for the Traveller are slightly too short for comfort (I can confirm that this is the case!) and there is a different model available that works better. Does anyone remember the number of the model with the longer belt?

Posted: Thu Jun 04, 2009 10:18 pm
by FlyGuy
Many thanks for all the feedback.

I have ordered reinforcing plates from ESM and will get my friendly local mechanic to weld them on the wheel arches.

Am I right in thinking that the fixing points on the floor pan get a similar reinforcement ?

FG

Posted: Thu Jun 04, 2009 10:26 pm
by bmcecosse
Yes!