Seat Belts For a SII

[MickS]

The front (driver and passenger) seat belts of Basil have snapped. I've been ringing around all the Landy spare parts places, but to no avail. Does anyone know where you can still get the old lap sash style belts? The stalks are fine. Thanks.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Mick

I got a number of generic seat belts from my local AutoPro. Some models they had in stock others were an order only thingo. Unfortunately I don't know if they would have the non-inertia reel lap sash. Get the whole thing with new stalks, that way they are new mechanisms without compatibility issues.

What I would suggest is that you actually fit the inertia reel type, they are far superior in terms of safety. The inertia reel gets fitted on the transom behind the drivers and passengers seat right next to where the fuel filler hose comes through. You will need to fit a reinforcing plate behind the alloy panel, the plate may actually be in the kit.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2016/04/91.jpg

[wozapinin]

if you want to use the original buckles you can buy just the webbing .Take them to a trimmers and get stiched together properly. Bought mine off flee bay and look the part.

[Sleepy]

I believe Four Wheel Drives - Land Rovers New and Used Spare Parts (http://www.fwd.com.au/) have them.

[Haddo2a]

that what i need for my 2a.


haddon

[MickS]

Thanks for the replies guys. Diana, would the inertia reel setup work with the ute cab on, as opposed to a hardtop?

[MickS]

if you want to use the original buckles you can buy just the webbing .Take them to a trimmers and get stiched together properly. Bought mine off flee bay and look the part.

The buckles broke :(

[MickS]

Thanks for the replies guys. Diana, would the inertia reel setup work with the ute cab on, as opposed to a hardtop?

Diana. Just had a closer look at the pic, that would work really well.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Diana. Just had a closer look at the pic, that would work really well.That one in the pic was a Stage 1 ute cab!

While not ideal the SIIa ute cabs had the top mount attached to a bracket on the gal capping that went through the little ledge below the corner windows the ones with the % in the following optional parts catalogue.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2014/11/135.jpg

Even though the 3rd point mount is below your shoulder with the capping mount they are better than a lap only belt.

Diana

[JDNSW]

What needs to be realised is that all Series 1, 2 and 2a Landrovers predate compulsory seat belts, and while seat belts were optional from 2a onwards, seat belts fitted to all of these (and early S3) will have in almost all cases have been installed as aftermarket additions by dealers or owners, and will vary widely both in the belts and the installation, so it is very probable that the ones you have are in no way "original".

The belts specified in the parts book in general do not meet (or have not been shown to meet) Australian standards, and their fitting will be illegal. As far as I can see the legal situation of pre-ADR belt installations is murky, particularly if you replace existing belts, although these replacements would presumably have to meet Australian Standards (which will be the case with any bought new in Australia)

My 2a has the inertia reel type as Diana has indicated with the S3 upper mounts and belts. While I do not agree with the comment that inertia reel belts are a "lot" safer (as far as I can see the only improvement in safety is that they are automatically adjusted - a fixed belt correctly adjusted is, as far as I can see just as safe), particularly for suffix 'C' and earlier 2as with the straight handbrake, the inertia reel is better, particularly since these have single circuit brakes with a higher probability of having to use the handbrake as an emergency brake.

John

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Just a comment on the legality of seatbelts,yes John is correct about 2a's pre-dating the ADR for compulsory seat belts. However the fittings shown in the book are the same fittings used in the SIII right through to Stage 1 when seat belts were mandated by ADR.

Whether they would meet testing requirements under AS/NZS is debatable. The inertia reel shown in my pic is one on a SIII Stage 1 and the reinforcing on the back of the panel is an aluminium rectangle spot welded in place during the manufacture by JRA. The seat belt stalks are secured by parts numbered 395292 and either 395254 or 395255 dependant on whether they were fitted left or right.

Any inspection station examining an SII fitted with the same fittings that were fitted by JRA for a Land Rover where seat belts were mandatory would be required to pass the seat belt anchorages whether or not they pass 2009 requirements. (Unless a notice was issued by DOTARS mandating a recall and refitting of vehicles fitted with substandard equipment, as far as I am aware no recall has ever been issued for SIII seatbelt fittings.)

Regarding the improved safety of inertia reel, John is once again correct about the differences between correctly adjusted fixed seat belts and inertia reel seat belts is minimal. HOWEVER, analysis of injuries sustained by occupants in vehicular crashes has revealed that many of the injuries would not have occurred or have been less serious had the belt been worn and adjusted correctly. I guess the differences in theoretical and the real world is the basis for inertia reel to be the minimum standard for front outer seat fittings in all new vehicles.

[JDNSW]

Just a comment on the legality of seatbelts,yes John is correct about 2a's pre-dating the ADR for compulsory seat belts. However the fittings shown in the book are the same fittings used in the SIII right through to Stage 1 when seat belts were mandated by ADR.

The parts books show a variety of fittings for the upper mount.

Whether they would meet testing requirements under AS/NZS is debatable.

I would assume the parts fitted in Australia to Series 3 would in fact meet the testing requirements - by the end of S3 production the requirements were fairly tight. A couple of points though - the inertia reel mount has a force on it almost parallel to the panel, so that it is quite likely to meet requirements. Also note that the inboard seat belt mounts are required to have reinforcing brackets if fitted to a tub, and with the tray back a stay down to the chassis.

The inertia reel shown in my pic is one on a SIII Stage 1 and the reinforcing on the back of the panel is an aluminium rectangle spot welded in place during the manufacture by JRA. The seat belt stalks are secured by parts numbered 395292 and either 395254 or 395255 dependant on whether they were fitted left or right.

Any inspection station examining an SII fitted with the same fittings that were fitted by JRA for a Land Rover where seat belts were mandatory would be required to pass the seat belt anchorages whether or not they pass 2009 requirements. (Unless a notice was issued by DOTARS mandating a recall and refitting of vehicles fitted with substandard equipment, as far as I am aware no recall has ever been issued for SIII seatbelt fittings.)

Regarding the improved safety of inertia reel, John is once again correct about the differences between correctly adjusted fixed seat belts and inertia reel seat belts is minimal. HOWEVER, analysis of injuries sustained by occupants in vehicular crashes has revealed that many of the injuries would not have occurred or have been less serious had the belt been worn and adjusted correctly. I guess the differences in theoretical and the real world is the basis for inertia reel to be the minimum standard for front outer seat fittings in all new vehicles.

What is still, as far as I can see, a very grey area, is seat belts fitted to a pre-ADR vehicle using the fitting kits of the time. If done competently, they would be in all probability as safe as using the S3 parts. What is even greyer is when these belts are replaced with modern belts using the existing mounts.

Black and white is the fitting of belts to a pre-ADR vehicle that has never had them - and while legally this has to be engineered, my idea would be to fit the S3 bits - no inspector is going to query this, as Diana says. And even if fitted with non-engineered non-factory mounts, there is no way an inspector can be certain they were not fitted before they were required to be engineered, and cannot be faulted unless actually unsafe, as far as I can see.

John

[numpty]

Whilst not challenging John's assertion that a properly adjusted fixed belt would be as good as an inertia reel type, one positive advantage of the latter is that it is easier to reach everything in the vehicle.

The early Land Rovers having been built before ergonomics were invented, maybe this would dictate your choice of mounting. Not wishing to put it to the test myself, but can the early handbrake (S1 and S11/11A) be reached whilst a fixed lap/sash belt is being worn?

FWIW, I removed the horrible lap belts in my S1 and will go seat belt less until the need to transport grand children arrives. The ones in my 11A are also mounted incorrectly and will need some work to rectify, but as it was registered with them in place, removing is not an option.