I know someone out there has installed shoulder belts in their Thing. Rather than me trying to ?reinvent the wheel?, I graciously request you share your experience.
I have two threaded holes (above and below the cheap, plastic seat belt holder) on the post between the front and rear door. There is also another threaded hole below on the inner rocker panel. (Unfortunately this is only on one side as the replacement inner rocker panel from the Thing Shop did not include this threaded hole.)
Are these holes intended as attach points for shoulder belts? I plan to install a rollbar as soon as I find one reasonably priced, is that the best location? And where can I source VW reel-type shoulder belts? I do not want the two-piece w/out the auto return reel if at all possible.
There are also 2 pieces of triangular sheet metal welded to the deck behind the back seat. Are these also intended as attach points for shoulder belts, or must I cobble something onto the rollbar? And lastly
I greatly appreciate all your help. And prepare for the onslaught as I have about 50 other questions about this ?Thing?. Thanks again, Bruce
help w/ seat belt installation
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Capn Skully
- Posts: 400
- Joined: Mon May 05, 2003 5:56 am
Sounds like someone had a roll bar in the car. Not sure without photos. My parts Thing has a roll bar with shoulder belts attacthed. Also some racing seats have shoulder belts that attach behind the seat on the floor. Check with the offroad guys they probably know better.
One idea you shouldn't try is to just drill a hole and put in a bolt and washer through the sheet metal. That method is not strong enough to restrain you in an accident. The sheet metal can actually tear like a sheet of paper.
One idea you shouldn't try is to just drill a hole and put in a bolt and washer through the sheet metal. That method is not strong enough to restrain you in an accident. The sheet metal can actually tear like a sheet of paper.
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Guest
Hey, I just went through the same ordeal (trying to find info on seat belt installation), but it seemed that nobody really had much to offer. Anyway, I figured it out myself, and here's what I did:
First off are parts: I bought brand new retractable front seat belts from VW of Mexico (btlmex.com), You'll need both the driver and passenger belts, plus the female end that attaches to the center tunnel - buy them all as a set, since you can't be assured of proper fit and safety otherwise.
You'll need a rollbar to attach the belts to - you just can't get the proper clearance/fit otherwise. I bought my rollbar new from the thing shop.
After you install the rollbar, you'll want to hold the belts against it to see where you'll want to mount the belt and drill your holes (into the rollbar, that is). Keep in mind that you don't want your head to hit the shoulder mounts in case of collision. I mounted mine about 6-8 inches higher than the door post, facing inward, towards the driver and passenger, respectively.
The bottom portion of the belts (which you should install first, by the way) is a little tricky. First off, the btlmex seatbelts, while made to fit Things, have an extended metal tab, which provides additional mounting surface area for different VWs. You'll need to cut a portion of this tab off in order to have it fit properly in the Thing. The belts are sensitive to position, so they'll have to be mounted upright on the back of the rollbar. I positioned mine so that they had enough clearance off the floor so that rear passengers don't knock into them with their feet. In my case, the spool is roughly 8 inches off the pan. One thing to keep in mind is that you don't want anything to touch the seat belt spools and potentially interfere in their ability to lock up in the event of an emergency. Particularly, be aware of the front seats reclining, or adjusting backwards and touching the spool - this is important!
The only thing I didn't like doing in this installation was drilling through my brand new rollbar. I really didn't like the idea of compromising it's integrity, but I came to terms with the fact that the added security is much better than it was before. Use only 'grade 8' bolts, nuts, washers etc., when you mount your belts. This is what auto makers use as their OEM equipment, and you'll want to be sure that your mounting points are hold no matter what. Make sure that they fit precisely within the holes that you drill (it should be a snug fit).
The top portion of the belt (shoulder mount) needs a spacer in order for it to swing properly. I found this out after installing it, and it's on my list of items to either find or fabricate.
The center console (female end) mounts right in place of the two OEM female belt ends. It's a precise fit out of the box, and probably the easiest part of the installation.
Anyway, this is how I did it. Hope the info is useful. Good luck.
First off are parts: I bought brand new retractable front seat belts from VW of Mexico (btlmex.com), You'll need both the driver and passenger belts, plus the female end that attaches to the center tunnel - buy them all as a set, since you can't be assured of proper fit and safety otherwise.
You'll need a rollbar to attach the belts to - you just can't get the proper clearance/fit otherwise. I bought my rollbar new from the thing shop.
After you install the rollbar, you'll want to hold the belts against it to see where you'll want to mount the belt and drill your holes (into the rollbar, that is). Keep in mind that you don't want your head to hit the shoulder mounts in case of collision. I mounted mine about 6-8 inches higher than the door post, facing inward, towards the driver and passenger, respectively.
The bottom portion of the belts (which you should install first, by the way) is a little tricky. First off, the btlmex seatbelts, while made to fit Things, have an extended metal tab, which provides additional mounting surface area for different VWs. You'll need to cut a portion of this tab off in order to have it fit properly in the Thing. The belts are sensitive to position, so they'll have to be mounted upright on the back of the rollbar. I positioned mine so that they had enough clearance off the floor so that rear passengers don't knock into them with their feet. In my case, the spool is roughly 8 inches off the pan. One thing to keep in mind is that you don't want anything to touch the seat belt spools and potentially interfere in their ability to lock up in the event of an emergency. Particularly, be aware of the front seats reclining, or adjusting backwards and touching the spool - this is important!
The only thing I didn't like doing in this installation was drilling through my brand new rollbar. I really didn't like the idea of compromising it's integrity, but I came to terms with the fact that the added security is much better than it was before. Use only 'grade 8' bolts, nuts, washers etc., when you mount your belts. This is what auto makers use as their OEM equipment, and you'll want to be sure that your mounting points are hold no matter what. Make sure that they fit precisely within the holes that you drill (it should be a snug fit).
The top portion of the belt (shoulder mount) needs a spacer in order for it to swing properly. I found this out after installing it, and it's on my list of items to either find or fabricate.
The center console (female end) mounts right in place of the two OEM female belt ends. It's a precise fit out of the box, and probably the easiest part of the installation.
Anyway, this is how I did it. Hope the info is useful. Good luck.