Replacing seatbelts?

anyone care to make suggestion?

(1) Where do I get them from?
(2) Is there a part number I ask for or is the model / type fine?
(3) Are there levels to upgrade to? E.g Is harness overkill?
(4) Am I right in rejecting the retractactables that are the only ones available here? (They don't work well on offroad angles)

Any input appreciated and thank in advance. Can't find a similar thread.

Bronze.

Hi,
I have original VW 3 point belts in My Beetle plus the rear ones...
I don't know where i got them from...
they have the long stalks bolted to the tunnel...
so I don't have to look for a buckle...

My Son's girlfriend has retractables in Her Baja Beetle, but they are a pain to put on, as they only work at some angles... as you said... and that could be dangerous..

I believe Harnesses are only legal if passed by an engineer as they were never standard fittings...

Someone on here may have some VW belts with the long stalks with buckles or the type 3 ones with the buckle dispenser bolted to the tunnel... late beetles may have had these too, I'm not sure...

Most Beetle seatbelts were the early type of webbing that is not very soft and doesn't fray like the later ones...

Best of Luck

Lee

yeah my harnesses had to be aprroved but that was easy becouse the main problem is the bolt down points, but for a beetle you are able to use the standard bolt down points for a four point harness by using the rear seatbelt bolt down points ( making a two seater car, its illegal to use a back seat with harnesses ).

I love my harnesses they are sparcos and i find them to really comfortable even on long cruises. i think i may also have a complete set of retractable seat belts for a beetle ( not needed cos of harnesses) if you are interetsed just let me know where you are and ill apss em on to you ( they are near new if i can find them )

Thank Lee and Thudknuckle for your help. I'll pass on your kind offer. I'm going to go with the stock job then I think. I have three kids and they need to share the back seat, half the reason for rerego.

I'll ring around and see if there is someone who fabs them. I want them new. Won't take any chances. The car is getting old and the drivers here in Dubbo and on the way to the coast are Nuts!

B.

Yes, some people are too busy looking at Your car to watch what they are doing....
I don't think I could take all the traffic in Sydney...
too many accidents waiting to happen....
Maybe a towbar on the back would be a good idea...
its good being in a country town..
Not too many people in cars around town here, but on the highway its a different story....

What model beetle do you have?

Lee

dont use the empi retractables i had them in my superbeetle and the gave me nothing but problems with locking up all the time i have found the latermodel beetle seat belts real cool cause the buckle where they clip in is mounted high in the middle the only problem is they fray when they are like the original ones from like 30 years ago

that race harness looks sexy what did a set of them set u back if u dont mind me asking

Yes that race harness does look very nice indeed. Thank for the advice Toby. No, I'm not going to use retractables at all. I know they are tempermental at the best of time on a flat driveway let along trying to negotiate 30 degree dunes at speed and having them fail to lock or the next moment choke you altogether.

Lee - My Baja is a 71. I don't want 2nd hand belts and personally it should be illegal to sell them. I know that in some states, not sure about NSW that wreckers are not to sell them, even from new vehicles. I heard that wreckers can be fined for having a seatbelt intact on site. They a supposed to be slashed on arrival.

I emailed Mickmotors this morning and as usual a prompt reply. They have the right ones I need so I'll get them along with a could of tranny boots. They are the simple standard black sash belts with the tensioner under the shoulder pivot.

Thank for all your comments and advice - I appreciate it.

B.

the price of harnesses vary greatly i know repco sell 3 inch harnesses with out the pads for a shocking low price of around $150 each ( but im guessing you get what you pay for) not to mention 3 inch harnesses are illegal but look awsome( in qld anyways) there are also a lot of no name brand 2 inch harnsses which i belive to be quiet cheap(maybe ebay). i went with sparco 2 inch harnsses cos i think good quality belts are a must for saftey and plus i thought they were the best looking with the fluro yellow lap belt - with the red spacro pads i think they owe me around $420 each ( if i remember i think performance world got them in for me)

some sparco harnsses and pads can be found on this site

http://www.mmsport.com.au/SP_Harnesses.php 

[ Edited on 20/10/2006 by THUDKNUCKLE ]

VVDS have a complete range of new replacement belts with the buckle on a stalk.....as Lee suggested, so you arent fishing around for the buckle under the sets all time.

[ Edited on 20-10-06 by 1964_Notch ]

wow thanks thudknuckle ill check that link out. I agree good quality belts are a must not just cause of the safety factor if u go to all the trouble of restoring a vehicle (which is what most of us do) you dont want to screw it all up with bodgy parts........id like to know it was all done to the quality original standard or better

Regardless of what seat belt you fit they must comply with the ADRs of its age, they must comply to your vehicle and they must not be second hand.

Seatbelts in one thing that you must do right, amd legally, regardless of what it costs.

Fitting good belts from a recently made car, even if they comply with the 2004 ADRs in the original car, to a Beetle may not be legal. Whatever you do don't give your insurance company a reason to refuse to cover you and sure as Hell don't give an injured passenger a good case against you if they decide to sue.

In a case like that it may be better to keep the ratty old belts and remain legal rather than have new belts that are not legal.

Try Klippan for new belts. They make a universal range that complies with all the latest rules.

That's the decision I made this weekend. I had the choice of retractables or the stock belts and I went stock this weekend. I covered 750 k's as a round trip from Dubbo to Newcastle and kept the originals as ratty and faded as they are. I'll wait to the right belts for the year arrive before I replace them. The fluffy dice shop argued with me that the retractables would be ok but the law says there not! You put some $11.30c per hour pox faced kid on the stand to argue the right seat belt or an RTA inspector commissioned by a coroners court.

Me I'll go with old and right than new and not. Micks got the belts and I'll order them this week along with a few other parts that I forgot to get before.

B.