Assist Strap and Seat Belt Hook

[Longmont1302]

I’m getting to the finishing touches on a new interior for my ’71 Super Beetle. My later 70s seat belts are installed and work well EXCEPT that they a pain to extend. You almost have to talk a child in the back seat to pull them straight down, then hand the slack forward. If I just try to pull them out while I sit in the front seat, they get all bunched up in the “loop” bolted to the side of the car.

I suspect that the broken white pieces of plastic that I found in the bag marked “assist straps” were once hooks for the shoulder belts, so I ordered cheap pair of repros.

I’ve taken a guess at how this is all supposed to go back together, but I’m not sure I have it right, as I’m not seeing how these hooks are going to help at all.

Anyone know of a diagram that shows the assembly of the assist strap unit?

Photo 1 shows the parts, with the broken hook next to the repro hook:

Photo 2 shows how I think it all goes together:

Photo 3 shows about where I think it should go, but this doesn’t seem to offer a solution for the seat belt:

Do I have the wrong hook, or have I misunderstood its purpose?

Thanks in advance for any ideas you can share.

[neil68]

The hook faces the other direction...towards the strap.

To hang up the seat belt, you just lift the strap slightly, slip the buckle over the hook and then the strap will fall back against the hook...to keep the belt from falling off when you hit a bump
_________________
Neil.

Der Kleiner Rennwagens
‘68 Beetle 2332 cc, 204 WHP
12.5 seconds @ 108 mph
Dynojet Test: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9B_H3eklAo

[bnam]

Does the "loop" on the B-pillar rotate freely? If fitted with the wrong hardware and in fixed position -- that could also cause the problem you have.

I thought the seat belt hook was really intended to hook the non-retracting 3-point belts which were more common in Europe. The retracting ones should just retract to take up the slack. At least that's how they worked in my '74 BMW 2002tii and in the '80 Fiat Spider

Byas

[Cusser]

Damn !!! I had quite a few passengers break those seat belt hooks on mine, and they were expensive. I even fixed a few with piece of metal and two rivets, I couldn't get glue to hold.

I wish VW had made those of less-brittle plastic !!!
_________________
1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297

[Longmont1302]

Okay, I reversed the seat belt hook, but I still don't see how the seatbelt would benefit by it. Could it be the hook is intended for non-retractable belts?

While I am parading my ignorance, does this look like the right black seat belt cover? It doesn't seem to want to snap in place.

Thanks in advance for any guidance you can share.

[bnam]

It is the correct cap. You've not answered my question on whether that upper loop rotates freely or not.

[Longmont1302]

Hi bnam,

Thanks for the follow-up. I wasn't sure the question applied to my situation. The steel oval ring the seat belt passes through is totally fixed. It is clamped solidly in place and doesn't pivot in its clamp at all.

Anyone think it should?
Scott

[bnam]

It should pivot. You've used the wrong bolt to attach it. The pivoting action is what prevents the seatbelt from bunching up.

See this pic from gallery. While this was being used in a different vw, this is the type of bolt that should be used -- with a shoulder, along with plastic washers. This allows the loop to pivot as needed. And, it is also the reason you cannot get the cap on, -- the cap needs space around the triangular portion of the loop to fit. This bolt gives it that space.

[Longmont1302]

Thanks, bnam - that makes sence to me. I'll chase down some correct bolts.

[Cusser]