Welding Seat belt mounting plates

Post by **chippieshaun** » 23 Apr 2008, 17:00

Hello tho all!!
I am fitting seat belts in the back of my converted panel van , with no factory fitted mounting points.........One three point and one lap belt. Belts are from JK's.
Have sussed out where all of the points will need to be drilled for the various mounting points of the belts.
Seems quite a simple operation but one question:

Is it essential to weld the mounting plates in position??
I cant see why they cant be just bolted through.......am thinking that if they are well wound up with locking washers then they will be going nowhere!

Have read various old posts and many people seem to mention welding so thought i would check with y'all!

Cheers
Shaun

Post by **Ray** » 23 Apr 2008, 18:52

Needs to be welded!

Post by **dugcati** » 23 Apr 2008, 19:04

I wouldn't bother welding them - I would and did on the last bus I had; I used some 50mmX50mmX5mm plates I made as a stiffener behind the body

Take a look in any car/van (new and old) and ALL the seat belts are bolted into a nutsert or a welded retaining nut (if in a door pillar etc)...your only planning on doing the same as the manufacturers

I suppose the definitive answer would be to as an MOT station or even VOSA -

Post by **jaylo264** » 23 Apr 2008, 20:01

I put seat belts in our rear seat/bed thru to big washers underneath , no welding , about 8 yrs ago , passed every mot since then nae botha .

jaylo

Post by **CycloneMike** » 23 Apr 2008, 20:05

Get the purpose made stress plates that have a nut welded to the middle. (brickwerks sell them). There is another hole (6mm ish?) drilled in the plate which is there to be used to bolt/rivet the plate to the vehicle. This effictively holds the plate/nut captive in place whilst the seatbelt bolt it is tightened.

I have built a number of kit cars and used this type of plate fixed without welding for both harness and inertia type belts. They have been SVA examined by VOSA and passed without question. From memory the regs say that the belts must be securely anchored via a bolt into a captive nut through a structure of adequete strength.

So if you bolt the plate on the outside of the panel and then bolt the seatbelt through the panel then this will be ok. Welding the plate to the same panel will not make it much if any stronger.

Have a look at this document.

http://www.dvtani.gov.uk/uploads/public ... trofit.pdf

It is aimed at buses but the fitting theory is the same. If you get bored by page 2 then skip to section 6. It outlines the requirments for belt anchors and how they can be secured.

Or look here lots of pics/diagrams for ideas.

http://www.securon.co.uk/fitting/seat_belts_fitting.htm

Hope this is helpful,
Mike.

Post by **mininut** » 23 Apr 2008, 21:36

Fitted a rear 3 point 2 MOT's ago without any welding. Used a proper re-enforcing plate with a welded on nut and did like CycloneMike says. No probs at all with the MOT's. Welding would make it no stronger IMO.

Post by **chippieshaun** » 23 Apr 2008, 22:38

cheers all......just about settles it for me!
Drill and spanners is all thats needed!

Post by **Bobber** » 24 Apr 2008, 18:40

On my last camper, I just bonded them on with chemical metal, done the trick......

Post by **dugcati** » 24 Apr 2008, 20:48

I just bonded them on with chemical metal

!!!

Post by **Therunner** » 24 Apr 2008, 22:12

On my last camper, I just bonded them on with chemical metal, done the trick......

Yeah, but on the other side, after drilling holes surely?

Post by **Bobber** » 25 Apr 2008, 09:17

yea yeah, it just helps to hold em in place while bolting through....

Post by **Strange Brew** » 27 Apr 2008, 19:22

Cheers Cyclone Mike, the info explains all i need to know . I knew i could rely on 80-90 !

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Welding Seat belt mounting plates

Welding Seat belt mounting plates

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