924/944 rear belts

[surfsup007]

Bit of a newbie im afraid, i managed to confince the 'trouble and strife' to allow me to have a 924 only to find there are no rear seatbelts!! (UK spec)

Id like to fit 3 point intertia reel belts in the rear - anyone ever done this?

regards

Mark

(Newcastle Under Lyme, Staffordshire, England)

[mike944]

You actually plan on putting people back there?????

Unless they're children, the rear seats are pretty much useless for people. They work well for for small shopping bags.

[surfsup007]

yes it is a child, and yes i wouldnt put adults back there unless written consent was obtained first, so...... does anyone have an answer to this, im not keen on putting my kid back there on a fixed belt...any ideas?

mark

[fast924S]

Well, Im sure the body still has the mounts (bolt holes) For the seatbelts, So why not go and get a used set of seat belts from a US spec 924/944 and install them?

[mike944]

Stock seat belts in the U.S. were only 2-point belts (lap belts) It sounds like you want shoulder belts (like the front seats have)

The mounting points for the lap belts are probably there, But there is no third mounting point. I have a 968, the last in the series, and there's still no shoulder belt in the rear. I don't know about your area, but in the US, shoulder belts (3-point) for the rear seats have only become common in the last 8 years or so. There's no factory mounting point in a 924. You could try to add one, but seat belt mounting points are usually integrated into the unibody structure, since they can take a significant load in an accident. Many people can survive instantaneous decellerations (accident loads) in the 20G-25G range. This is 4500 lbs load imposed on the 3 seatbelt mounts for a 180 pound person. A child weighs much less, but you're still talking somewhere in the 1000lb load range. If you can find a place to mount a shoulder belt that you think can withstand approximately 1000lb accident load, you can try installing them.

To my knowledge, nobody has ever done this before, so you're on your own finding compatable belts, and a secure place to attach them. You'll probably have to do it yourself. I doubt anyone will install them for you, the potential liability if there were a problem is very high.

[surfsup007]

hmmm,....interesting, however....

on the uk spec model there is a factory fixing for the shoulder part of the belt, im just not sure of the mounting for the inertia reel. ....

thanks anyways

[a.n.other]

The later 944's definitely had a 3-point belt like you are wanting - so don't give up. You don't say what year your 944 is.

I'm surprised the 968 didn't have a 3-point belt, but there you go.

Also seat belts and mounting bolts are pretty universal throughout cars. I got a non-retracting lap-belt for use with a baby-seat from an old Honda or Toyota in the scrap-yard and it fitted in just fine with the same bolts.

[mike944]

Wow. You guys are talking about a shoulder mounting point for the REAR seats? Are you sure you're not talking about the folding rear seat-back mounting point? I guess I stand corrected then. Well, if the point is there, i would assume they were sold with 3-point belts in the rear, somewhere in the world.

a.n.other - is your car a non-US spec car? I've never seen 3-point belts in the rear of a US 944. Then again, i never paid too much attention to that before. (i'm sure i will be looking now)

On both my '84 944, and my '92 968, they both have a small inertia reel on the 2-point lap belt. It's mounted on the inboard lap-belt attachment point. - does that help?

[surfsup007]

yes it is definitely a should mounting point and in fact ive found a guy selling a set of 3 point intertia reels with 'weld in' inertia mounting points....problem solved?

we'll see.. nothing is ever that easy......

..now wheres that welding mask gone....

[a.n.other]

Mine is a regular US-spec 944 with 2-point belts in the back, but while I was looking for a belt to put in the back of my car (since the PO had lost them) I was told that some 944s did have 3-point belts in the back. I briefly considered trying to put one in, but then I realised for a baby seat a non-inertia 2-point lap belt was the way forward (so I got some for cheap from the scrapyard).

So I have never seen a 3-point belt for myself, but someone from Rennlist offered to sell me one from a parts car (late model 944 i think), but I cannot remember what year car (87 or 88 I guess), but it was in America.

OK - I bit more searching and I've found this
http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/showthread.php?t=165428&page=1&pp=15
which shows that a S2 had 3-point belts, as did an 88n/a and others as you read through the thread. Also for the bolts I've since realised that the standard size equivalent of 11mm works fine (7/16" i think)
Everything you ever wanted to know about rear-seat belts (apart from why Mike's 968 only has a 2-point belt )

[surfsup007]

cheers andy really useful stuff,

I 'll keep you posted as to how it goes...

all the best from North Staffordshire...

ps your 944 sounds cool any pics?

[a.n.other]

Originally posted by surfsup007
cheers andy really useful stuff,

I 'll keep you posted as to how it goes...

all the best from North Staffordshire...

ps your 944 sounds cool any pics?

There's photos at
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/andyandteddy2003/album?.dir=9942&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/andyandteddy2003/my_photos%20%20%20%20%09

It's soon for sale ($3k obo) as we are moving back to the UK in 6 weeks or so, but not sure where yet (still applying for jobs)

[944 boy]

My 88 has the slots for rear shoulder points but i only have the 2 point belts. I think that it also has mounting points for the tensioner. You could possibly use a tesioner from another set of fronts or rears.

[Steve PH]

On my UK spec 944 the rear seat inertia reals were located on the rear wheel arch humps. To be honest I've know idea if this was some ones home brewed conversion to a three pointed belt or the genuine article.

Sadly I cannot offer you the remains as the inertia reels came apart when I removed them and were thrown out! (The rear seat and belts were removed as my bucket seats rendered them useless)

[surfsup007]

cheers everyone for all the tips,....

andy your fuchs look sound on the 944, whydyou wanna move back to the uk,....the weathers dreadful!!!!

and that cars enough to keep you there surely!!!

all the best chaps,...

[MixMasterK]

Now that I think of it, even my '79 has the location for a 3 point.