blue beasty
Leaks an prone to bits dropping off
WHAT!!!?.....and spoil the fun of getting caught up as you climb out and ending up dangling upsidedown with one leg inside and the other not quite able to reach the ground.....with a crowd watching.....whatevers the matter with you?:doh:
oxides
Well-Known Member
I've fitted inertia reels to my S3 station wagon. The inertia unit is bolted to the top rail of the bulkhead behind the seat and there are brackets available to fit in the rear lower corner of the doorframe (which you may already have, part nos 345100 and 345101) and behind the rear top of the doorframe in the hard top. (part nos 395586 and 395587) The third mounting uses the existing points behind the seats.
I have a later series 3, it has a bracket at the rear lower corner of the doorframe already, and a bracket above the shoulder.
I have some intertia belts ready to go in, just not sure how the inertia unit sits.
This is the problem I am having too. There are seatbelt kits available from Paddocks Intertia Lap and Diagonal Belt for outer front seats of Def/Series hardtop vehicles. but normally reels need to be fitted upright to the side of the vehicle so that the inertia mechanism can operate. The belt then comes out of the top of the reel and loops through a bracket on the hardtop side, over your shoulder to the clasp. The clasp mounting and anchor point are easy as they use the existing static belt mounts. The reel mounting would be relatively easy to sort as it could be bolted through the side box with a suitable strengthening plate on the other side. However, my real issue is that I would like to be able to remove the hard top in the summer but this would lose me the over-shoulder mounting.
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oxides
Well-Known Member
I reckoned that, as the existing mounts are drilled through the top rail of the rear bulkhead with a strengthening plate underneath I should be able to use the same arrangement but next to the side of the hardtop. The belt then goes to the over shoulder mount and then down to the mount in the lower rear corner of the doorframe. The stalk goes to the existing mount behind the seat. That way you have a stronger mounting for the inertia unit than if you fitted it behind the seat and the seat doesn't foul the belt.
If you want to take the top off put the inertia unit behind the seat (you'll need a fair amount of strengthening) and the over shoulder mount on the top of the rear bulkhead. Not a perfect solution, but it works and I got it through a few MOTs before I got the correct bracketry.
If you want to take the top off put the inertia unit behind the seat (you'll need a fair amount of strengthening) and the over shoulder mount on the top of the rear bulkhead. Not a perfect solution, but it works and I got it through a few MOTs before I got the correct bracketry.
I agree about the mounting point but I suspect the orientation of the inertia reel can be critical.
If you have ever taken one apart, you might find that there is a steel ball operating the main locking mechanism, front to rear. On the pair I have, poised for fitment to my TR3a project, this part of the locking mechanism will only work if the reels are fitted longitudinally and vertical (IE low on the rear side panels). Any other orientation will render the fore/aft locking operation useless leaving only the centrifugal locking mechanism to protect the user.
This may be only applicable to the 60's Triumph belts but I suspect the same may apply to others. Perhaps the more experienced / knowledgeable than I can help?
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If you have ever taken one apart, you might find that there is a steel ball operating the main locking mechanism, front to rear. On the pair I have, poised for fitment to my TR3a project, this part of the locking mechanism will only work if the reels are fitted longitudinally and vertical (IE low on the rear side panels). Any other orientation will render the fore/aft locking operation useless leaving only the centrifugal locking mechanism to protect the user.
This may be only applicable to the 60's Triumph belts but I suspect the same may apply to others. Perhaps the more experienced / knowledgeable than I can help?
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oxides
Well-Known Member
Sitting on the bulkhead top rail it's longitudinal and vertical!
rustyrhinos
Well-Known Member
I have fitted inertia seatbelts but also found that it had to be mounted in a particular way and restricting where I could mount it. So I removed the bit inside that was making it do this - seatbelts still work as expected.
Ahh, I see. I assumed that by fitting it on the bulkhead the reel would be orientated across the car rather than along it.
Yes, I looked at those as I have a pair for the TR3a but they require a pillar mounted loop which I want to avoid so I can go topless in the summer. Where did you mount yours please?
You could install a single rollbar ... Scaffolding poll, heated up and bend into the way you need? Make it safer going topless too. Or you fit a seatbelt bar? ... Someone has just started a topic on this here
Inertia seatbelt topless
Inertia seatbelt topless
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oxides
Well-Known Member
Yes, I looked at those as I have a pair for the TR3a but they require a pillar mounted loop which I want to avoid so I can go topless in the summer. Where did you mount yours please?
I bolted the "retractor" bit behind the seat and the "pillar loop" bit on the bulkhead rail above it. It's not ideal but it's no worse than the original static belts were. Top's staying on now so I've got the proper mounts.
Hmmm, fair point. As you say; not ideal but it will work. I am considering making a braced rollover hoop, bolted through the floor to the chassis just behind the seats at some point. If I do, I will add a seatbelt loop mount but until then I will do as you did.
Thanks
Charlieccu
New Member
Mine are bolted to the rear bulkhead and work fine, no MOT problems either.
Tobi
Active Member
I went with the exmoor trim type
Front 2 Door Inertia Reel & Buckle
Mounted the reel on the ledge behind the seats. I fabricated a bracket that bolts in under the ledge and then on to the chassis. Top mount behind the door frame in the corner (used the opposite side fitting from the original mount on the seatbox). Was a pig to get the drivers side reel mounted, had to remove the fuel tank (yes, it was full). No probs with MOT.
I have found the new belts much better than the old ones. I had the old reel mounted on the bulkhead behind the seats, the angles were always a bit wrong and they stuck out and looked ugly.
I had to change the originals, because the bottom mounts flexed a bit. Think I only got it through the MOT cos the guy could see new belts waiting to be fitted in the back
Front 2 Door Inertia Reel & Buckle
Mounted the reel on the ledge behind the seats. I fabricated a bracket that bolts in under the ledge and then on to the chassis. Top mount behind the door frame in the corner (used the opposite side fitting from the original mount on the seatbox). Was a pig to get the drivers side reel mounted, had to remove the fuel tank (yes, it was full). No probs with MOT.
I have found the new belts much better than the old ones. I had the old reel mounted on the bulkhead behind the seats, the angles were always a bit wrong and they stuck out and looked ugly.
I had to change the originals, because the bottom mounts flexed a bit. Think I only got it through the MOT cos the guy could see new belts waiting to be fitted in the back
