Thread: Door latch adjustment....

Originally Posted by JDNSW

That seat belt attachment is certainly non-standard and equally certainly that style of belt illegal today. The actual mounting bracket looks as if it could be correct (but may be a home copy of one) but the eyebolt is not - should be a flat headed bolt going into the threaded bracket through a hole in the plate on the end of the belt.

It is quite possible that that eyebolt is stopping the doors from closing, as there is little room to spare there, and this may be the source of some of your door problems.

John

I'm sure the seatbelts are original equipment as fitted when the vehicle was new. Not sure though if Martin Walter fitted them or Landrover, although like you say they are probably illegal by todays standards. This is a UK built vehicle and the belts (Britax make) were a popular brand in the UK.
No movements in the door hinges so I think the front latches are just worn out as the latch doesn't hold on the striker plate, only on the odd occasion.

If I upgrade to inertia type belts as fitted to defenders/counties will I need to get them approved or should I get a workshop to fit them ??

I located the locks on ebay at that price, so I will get them replaced.

Originally Posted by jerryd

I'm sure the seatbelts are original equipment as fitted when the vehicle was new. Not sure though if Martin Walter fitted them or Landrover, although like you say they are probably illegal by todays standards. This is a UK built vehicle and the belts (Britax make) were a popular brand in the UK.

Ah! I wondered about that - I was nearly going to day that they looked like UK belts. These belts have never been approved in Australia (Britax made approved belts for here - the problem with these is they do not use the standard bolt mount and are detatchable), although they were used occasionally before there were any approved belts in Australia (Seat belts have been fitted to some Landrovers in Australia since about 1950, but the first rules on approval did not appear until around 1970, probably with Victoria's first seat belt legislation, after which only approved belts were legal. 1976 would not, from memory, have required belts in that vehicle in Qld).

If I upgrade to inertia type belts as fitted to defenders/counties will I need to get them approved or should I get a workshop to fit them ??

I located the locks on ebay at that price, so I will get them replaced.

Whether you can fit inertia reel belts without approval is dependent on the state - in NSW you could not, although you could argue that you are simply replacing existing belts. I would check with the local authority.

John