Seat belt upgrade

[SteveJ]

From the Wesco Performance website:

Important Note: With all of our retractable seatbelts (* Including our Semi Truck Seat Belt), the retractor can be installed at any angle, but should be installed in a way so that the webbing (seatbelt strap) is able to exit straight out of the retractor so that it will NOT bind up. If the webbing binds, then it can cause the retractor to NOT perform as designed.

[bpilati]

From the Wesco Performance website:

Okay, that works.

[GregP]

I bought the Wesco kit with brackets. I had the retracting lap belt only in my 73. The Wesco has the shoulder mounting point up at the coat hook. At least that's the only point I can find to mount it and the screw/bolt fits it perfect and looks correct according to the diagram in their instructions. My concern is that it seems to me that this is a weak point compared to the much larger bolts used on the floor. Is this the wrong point to mount it or is there some where else that I am missing?

Edited April 21, 2013 by GregP

[SteveJ]

I bought the Wesco kit with brackets. I had the retracting lap belt only in my 73. The Wesco has the shoulder mounting point up at the coat hook. At least that's the only point I can find to mount it and the screw/bolt fits it perfect and looks correct according to the diagram in their instructions. My concern is that it seems to me that this is a weak point compared to the much larger bolts used on the floor. Is this the wrong point to mount it or is there some where else that I am missing?

Greg,

Which Wesco belt set did you buy?

The shoulder mounts are there in your Z, even if you only had a lap belt before.

I think these pictures may help you.

[GregP]

Steve,

Now I feel stupid. Found the holes now just need to get shorter bolts as the bolds in the kit are ok for the floor but double the length for that area.

Thank you for the photo! Pictures sure make it easier. Looks like the same set as yours. Why did you put the reel up high rather than floor?

Greg

[SteveJ]

For the 74, I got the roadster kit. I mounted the reel up high because I want the slack to come from there when I lean forward. I don't want slack to build up along my hips. That could cause me to go under the belt in an accident.

[Walter Moore]

Sorry to resurrect a long dormant thread, but I have a question about the Wesco style belts. (Or any retractable belts in the Z for that matter)

How comfortable are these belts, and is it possible to keep them from riding on the neck of the driver/passenger in the car?

I have been instructed that the next major "upgrade" I need to make to the car is to replace the cheap (very cheap) 4-point racing harnesses that I have installed now with "real" seat belts. (At a minimum on the passenger side.) The harnesses that I have came with my after-market seats, and we have two major issues with them:

1. They are really difficult to adjust, which means that when we change drivers, or passengers it takes 5-10 minutes to get the belts adjusted before we can go anywhere.

2. They will not stay adjusted. They only have a friction lock on the adjustments, and I find myself constantly tightening them as I drive, they just work loose over time.

I am considering changing to the roadster belts, but I have had really bad experiences with some seat belt designs and want to make sure that these don't ride on my neck. They appear to be the type where you can set the lap portion tension separately from the shoulder belt tension, which is what I prefer. If these are comfortable I will likely go this way, Otherwise I may just look for better 4-point harnesses.

[GregP]

The Wesco belts have been very good. They do ride up a bit on the neck area. i picked up an adjuster from Auto Zone. It works perfect, just clips on the belt an stays there. i can slide it a few inches either way for comfort.

[SteveJ]

Walter, I just want to emphasize that after buying the 3 point mount and the roadster style from Wesco, I recommend the roadster style.

[pbarcher]

Walter,

I've had my Wesco belts installed for over a year, and they are a great upgrade. Occasionally the shoulder belt rides up a bit, which I could fix by raising the seat but so far that hasn't been worth the trouble. No passenger complaints either.

Peter

[Walter Moore]

Walter, I just want to emphasize that after buying the 3 point mount and the roadster style from Wesco, I recommend the roadster style.

Thanks, I was looking at the roadster style because of the seat interference with the three point version. But I was looking at my car earlier, and noticed that the seats are really wide compared to the stock seats. Both seats actually touch the door when it is closed. It isn't a problem with the 4 point belts, because they thread through the seat openings, but a shoulder belt isn't going to fit easily in the very narrow gap between the seat and the window.

There is no way that I would run shoulder belts through the seat openings because that would guarantee that they would rub on my neck.

I wonder if something like this might work better:

4 Point Passenger Car SeatBelts - Chrome Buckle

The problem that I have had with the existing 4 point belts is that the lap belt adjustments are near the floor, which makes them nearly impossible to use unless the doors are open. These appear to have the adjustments near the buckle, which would be much more convenient.

[SteveJ]

Do you have a roll cage to anchor the top mount properly?