Seat belt anchor points

Discussion in 'Mech Tech' started by gbcamper, Jan 2, 2014.

  1. kev

    kev

    I will take some pics tommorrow if you like
    Ive got two normal belts and one lapbelt with a full size r&r
    ive had a child seat fitted safely with these belts
     
  2. That would be great, thanks.
     
  3. That is what i have to weld in.
     
  4. They make these in Denmark? if someone would tell me more i could find a supplier if one exists?
     
  5. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    Hmmm. Have a look what VW provided - the spreader plates are 4 to 5 times the size.
    As time goes by I've come to the conclusion that this size isn't much cop stuck on a bit of 1mm thick tin. It would be worthwhile providing a larger plate for them when you fit..
     
  6. kev

    kev

    i welded mine on the back ie in the engine bay
     
  7. kev

    kev

    i forgot i changed my wheel arches for new ones and these came with anchor points allready
    i allso used belts that could be used at any angle
    heres a few pics but you carnt see much rearly 20140103_082923.jpg 20140103_082927.jpg 20140103_083013.jpg 20140103_083022.jpg 20140103_083031.jpg 20140103_082859.jpg 20140103_082916.jpg
     
  8. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    Even the centre mounts in the fuel tank hole are angled brackets also bolted down through the tank shelf to struts above the gearbox.
    The upper ones have a large plate sandwiched between inner and outer below the windows. Panels don't have the two layers and the sliding door one will foul the sliding hinge if you try and copy the idea.
    The arch mounts were about 4" x 2" with flanges and curved to the tub.
    Those 4omm (?) sq plates are not much more than a nod towards common sense.
    There was a time when I would fit belt anchors to panel vans but not any more as it's just too involved to be able to say that what I've done is 100% safe. Not everyone feels like this - a customer once turned up with retro-fitted belt points fitted at great expense by a company that travelled up from London to do the job. What they'd done was laughable really - yes there were anchors, but they were surface mounted the wrong side of the panels and teeny ones like pictured. It all hung together, but I'm sceptical that the anchors would have held in a crash.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 3, 2014
  9. kev

    kev

    ive got two sliding doors with no problems
    zed your making me feel like me van isnt safe
     
  10. kev

    kev

    i do feel like mine are secure as they are behind the panel and not welded to the front i carry me three kids in there they better be secure :)
     
  11. Zed

    Zed Gradually getting grumpier

    Not my intention, I haven't seen your installations. :)
    I'm just trying to get anyone reading this to appreciate that there's more to it than welding a few nuts in place. After all you could fit these plates with a self-tapper and successfully bolt the belts to them...
     
  12. kev

    kev

    i understand what you are saying and it makes perfect sense zed
     
  13. I think you have made some good suggestions - if securing my kids safely means going belt and braces then that it what I will do. For the mounts behind the petrol tank I am assuming that it is an engine out job to get access? Or is there an alternative to mounting the central points - in the floor perhaps?
     
  14. Steady on now zed.

    Next you'll be telling us all about the days when roads were so much safer, everything smelled of lavender and kids could run around in the back of the van safe and sound in the knowledge that you'd never have an accident because other road users were so much more courteous.

    :rolleyes:
     
  15. I think it's a real issue...especially when you consider plenty of folk are carrying young families. It's easy to dismiss it and say well if safety was your prime concern you wouldn't drive a Bay, but so far, I've yet to see any definitive answer to this seatbelt issue. I'm surprised one of the specialist companies haven't got really stuck into it, and produced a bespoke product/service....guess it comes down to testing costs, rather than production costs, but there's a big enough market, and if one reputable company could demonstrate that their product had been properly researched and tested to appropriate standards, they'd totally corner the market.
    £600 for a fully compliant set of belts fitted properly? You wouldn't think twice about it, if you've got kids....
     
  16. Assuming you use tensile bolts, I reckon that dropping the engine, pulling the tank and fitting a big load spreader across the width of the bus, is the way to go....you could also design this to provide proper mounts for the rear seat....IMO
     
  17. kev

    kev

    i agree with all that is being said but why do just kampers etc sell these anchor points if they aint up to the job

    i would take my engine out and do it differently for 600 quid if it was going to save lives
     
  18. At the risk of being cynical....because people will buy them in lieu of no alternatives. The issue for me, at least, is that no one has done any real world testing, so can't say whether the anchors they sell, and the positions in which they are fitted, are up to the job or not.
    If they sold them with some kind of safety guarantee, they'd have to be tested first....which entails investment costs....
    There are enough engineers, designers, researchers and creative minds on here to nail this problem once and for all, but it would need to be co-ordinated, with some financial support from those with a vested interest.....as it stands, more people are more arsed about which curtains to buy....;)

    God forbid, but all it takes is one terrible accident involving a Bay and we'd all be harping on about it...similar mentality to road crossings at black-spots.....
     
    Last edited: Jan 3, 2014
  19. Baysearcher

    Baysearcher [secret moderator]

    Testing would be mega-bucks and make the part costs unrealistic.
     
  20. The ones I have bought are manufactured by Securon who do this for a living so you would assume they were up to the job - however, I can not see anywhere on Securon's website that says they are the right bits in the right place for a bay, nor that they will do any job.
     

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