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avoll
Samba Member
Joined: September 04, 2014
Posts: 119
Location: Ottumwa
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 Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2016 7:05 pm Post subject: Seat Belts |
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I have the original seat belts for my 78 bus, but I dunno if I trust them with my kids car seats. Is there a newer seat belt I can get that anyone would recommend?
I'm wanting to take the family on a camping trip, but I gotta figure out the seat belt situation first.
Thanks |
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blue72beetle
Samba Member
Joined: April 23, 2008
Posts: 846
Location: Fort Wayne, IN
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ac78
Samba Member
Joined: March 18, 2008
Posts: 330
Location: Nashville
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2016 8:02 pm Post subject: Re: Seat Belts |
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It's been a few years for me, but I had no issue putting 2 boosters in the back with my original belts. I saw no fraying or cuts and seemed just fine to me. I cinched them tight and we were on our way.
Good luck!
_________________
78 Westy 2.0l hydr. FI
VW Campmobile
For people who believe a family's
car should be it's castle ! |
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BayCreamPuff
Samba Member
Joined: August 10, 2015
Posts: 769
Location: Oakland, CA
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2016 8:59 pm Post subject: Re: Seat Belts |
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I'm using these in the front
http://www.gowesty.com/product-details.php?v=Bus&id=2738
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Cream Puff
'79 CA Stock FI Deluxe Campmobile
Earl Grey
'87 GoWesty 2.2 Westfalia
Marsha Mellow
'00 Eurovan VR6 Full Camper |
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avoll
Samba Member
Joined: September 04, 2014
Posts: 119
Location: Ottumwa
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| Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2016 9:31 pm Post subject: Re: Seat Belts |
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Both those seat belts look good for front seats, but I need to figure out something for back bench seat, which is where the car seats will go.
I'm looking for 2 point belts.
Has anyone used the wolfsburg crest belts? |
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vwwestyman
Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2004
Posts: 5688
Location: Manhattan, Kansas, USA
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| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 5:08 am Post subject: Re: Seat Belts |
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| avoll wrote: |
Both those seat belts look good for front seats, but I need to figure out something for back bench seat, which is where the car seats will go.
I'm looking for 2 point belts.
Has anyone used the wolfsburg crest belts? |
I installed the middle and rear lap belts in both Buses.
They're fine except the lift-up clasp (vs a pushbutton) seem to confuse my girlfriend's kids a little. The other minor gripe is that the mounting points are nearly flat vs at a 90-degree angle like the factory belts I removed, so the rubber floor mat doesn't sit as flat as it used to.
_________________
Dave Cook
President, Wild Westerner Club
1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing |
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Ride_On
Samba Member
Joined: August 27, 2015
Posts: 385
Location: Ottawa, Canada
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| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 8:55 am Post subject: Re: Seat Belts |
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Our boys are still in car seats, but the oldest is soon to graduate to a booster seat. Here is my solution for the car seats and the nugget of info for boosters (surprised me!):
- Car Seats - we use the LATCH system in our car and the old lap belts weren't 100% holding firm with the car seats, so I bought some climbing nylon webbing and some descending rings and proceeded to tie in 4 anchors for the seats -- ultimately, the climbing rings were not the correct diameter (too thick) for the LATCH clasp, so I picked up some load rated screw shut rings (they're a squished oval with a nut closure on one side). The LATCH clasps click right on. The nylon webbing was threaded through the seat belt attachment points (i.e. the metal fitting) and a loop was created with a solid climbing knot (name escapes me, but research and climbing friends polled). It's been solid and quick to install/remove the seats. Oh, and a u-bolt anchor attached to the cross piece on the back of the bench.
- Boosters - I just happened to check the MTO (Ministry of Trasportation in Ontario, Canada) for regulations on boosters this morning. For cars with only lap belts -- do NOT use a booster seat. Boosters are for shoulder belts only.
Hope that helps!
_________________
1977 Westfalia 2.0 FI Skills EJ25 w SubaruGears 5sp
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=687254
2018 Golf Sportwagen 4MO DSG (Dieselgated 2013 Golf Wagon TDI DSG) |
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Spike0180
Samba Member
Joined: June 06, 2015
Posts: 2269
Location: Detroit, Michigan
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| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 11:54 am Post subject: Re: Seat Belts |
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| avoll wrote: |
Both those seat belts look good for front seats, but I need to figure out something for back bench seat, which is where the car seats will go.
I'm looking for 2 point belts.
Has anyone used the wolfsburg crest belts? |
I got the set from Wolfsburg for the front and back seats in my bus. They seem like good quality seatbelts, and easy to install.
With seat belts, you could get them from pretty much anywhere. Just don't skimp on them, because if they are poor quality it is a high price to pay. And if your seatbelts are original (sorry for all you people that are purists) replace them. Even race belts have an expiration date of 5-10 years. The materials wear and become brittle making them unsafe.
edit: please note, I understand you are replacing your seatbelts. My rant is directed towards the general samba community.
_________________
Brutis Patches Izabich: 1970 VW Transporter - 1776cc DP
Current State: Projects never truly end...
Location: Grosse Pointe, Michigan
Other cars: 2003 F150, 2003 Jetta GLI vr6-6sp
Sambastic: adj; the quality of being nit picky, elitist, expecting everyone to do things the way they believe is best with no regard to situation, "sambastic" |
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oscarsnapkin
Samba Member
Joined: October 22, 2013
Posts: 558
Location: Bucks County, PA
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| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 12:37 pm Post subject: Re: Seat Belts |
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| Spike0180 wrote: |
| avoll wrote: |
Both those seat belts look good for front seats, but I need to figure out something for back bench seat, which is where the car seats will go.
I'm looking for 2 point belts.
Has anyone used the wolfsburg crest belts? |
I got the set from Wolfsburg for the front and back seats in my bus. They seem like good quality seatbelts, and easy to install.
With seat belts, you could get them from pretty much anywhere. Just don't skimp on them, because if they are poor quality it is a high price to pay. And if your seatbelts are original (sorry for all you people that are purists) replace them. Even race belts have an expiration date of 5-10 years. The materials wear and become brittle making them unsafe.
edit: please note, I understand you are replacing your seatbelts. My rant is directed towards the general samba community. |
I agree with this. Remove your original belts, put them in a safe place, and install new belts to attach your kids' car seats. Not worth risking your kids' safety just for the sake of staying original. I changed my front belts in minutes, rear lap belts should be even easier. I bought military surplus Humvee belts on ebay that someone mentioned on another thread. They were a lot cheaper than what most websites were selling belts for. It seems as if VW centered sites selling 'upgrade' seatbelts were the most expensive.
_________________
- 1977 CEI Sunroof Bus 2.0L F.I. Hydraulic Lifters
- 1973 Thing
"It’s so easy to laugh, it’s so easy to hate, it takes strength to be gentle and kind." |
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ac78
Samba Member
Joined: March 18, 2008
Posts: 330
Location: Nashville
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| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 5:10 pm Post subject: Re: Seat Belts |
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You can also check the off road/ 4x4 shops. They have a bunch of styles for that crowd.
_________________
78 Westy 2.0l hydr. FI
VW Campmobile
For people who believe a family's
car should be it's castle ! |
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skills@eurocarsplus
Samba Peckerhead
Joined: January 01, 2007
Posts: 16883
Location: sticksville, ct.
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| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 6:02 pm Post subject: Re: Seat Belts |
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| Spike0180 wrote: |
Even race belts have an expiration date of 5-10 years. The materials wear and become brittle making them unsafe.
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please go replace the belts in your 2010. they are getting old now, and consequently unsafe
_________________
| gprudenciop wrote: |
my reason for switching to subaru is my german car was turning chinese so i said fuck it and went japanese....... |
| Jake Raby wrote: |
| Thanks for the correction. I used to be a nice guy, then I ruined it by exposing myself to the public. |
| Brian wrote: |
| Also the fact that people are agreeing with Skills, it's a turn of events for samba history |
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richparker
Samba Member
Joined: November 24, 2011
Posts: 6984
Location: Durango, CO
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| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 7:09 pm Post subject: Re: Seat Belts |
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| Ride_On wrote: |
- Car Seats - we use the LATCH system in our car and the old lap belts weren't 100% holding firm with the car seats, so I bought some climbing nylon webbing and some descending rings and proceeded to tie in 4 anchors for the seats -- ultimately, the climbing rings were not the correct diameter (too thick) for the LATCH clasp, so I picked up some load rated screw shut rings (they're a squished oval with a nut closure on one side). The LATCH clasps click right on. The nylon webbing was threaded through the seat belt attachment points (i.e. the metal fitting) and a loop was created with a solid climbing knot (name escapes me, but research and climbing friends polled). It's been solid and quick to install/remove the seats. Oh, and a u-bolt anchor attached to the cross piece on the back of the bench.
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I did something similar to this.
Don't over think it. Buy some lap belts, make an anchor for the car seats safety straps and your done. It's a couple hour job while the kid is napping.
I also bought and use the Hummer seatbelts that were posted earlier.
_________________
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’71 Westy build
Adventure thread
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ac78
Samba Member
Joined: March 18, 2008
Posts: 330
Location: Nashville
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| Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2016 7:45 pm Post subject: Re: Seat Belts |
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| skills@eurocarsplus wrote: |
| Spike0180 wrote: |
Even race belts have an expiration date of 5-10 years. The materials wear and become brittle making them unsafe.
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please go replace the belts in your 2010. they are getting old now, and consequently unsafe |
Thanks for the heads up Skills! I'll replace the belts in my 2001 Cherokee(s) this weekend 
_________________
78 Westy 2.0l hydr. FI
VW Campmobile
For people who believe a family's
car should be it's castle ! |
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sgraham602
Samba Member
Joined: August 10, 2016
Posts: 140
Location: Chapel Hill, NC
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| Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 5:57 pm Post subject: Re: Seat Belts |
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resurrecting an old thread here! I'm in the same position. Looking to replace the old middle lap belt for a car seat. I'm thinking about going ahead and replacing all of the belts. (or most them at least) Anyone used this set up?
http://www.jbugs.com/product/VWSeatBeltKit2.html?Category_Code=vw-seat-belts-kits
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What a long strange trip it's been. |
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cmonSTART
Samba Member
Joined: July 15, 2014
Posts: 1915
Location: NH
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| Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 6:09 pm Post subject: Re: Seat Belts |
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Those front retractable belts look really similar to the belts I installed last year - they work great! Waaay better than the old non-retractable type - much less annoying.
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de K1IGS |
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Vova
Samba Member
Joined: April 09, 2015
Posts: 269
Location: Los Gatos CA
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| Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2016 7:49 pm Post subject: Re: Seat Belts |
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Are the rear belts as long as the originals?
I like this kit... |
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Kaput
Samba Member
Joined: December 12, 2002
Posts: 859
Location: Lakewood, CO
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vwwestyman
Samba Member
Joined: April 24, 2004
Posts: 5688
Location: Manhattan, Kansas, USA
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| Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2016 5:21 am Post subject: Re: Seat Belts |
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These are the ones commonly referred to as the "Hummer" belts. I guessed by his reference to being used by the military, and verified by the number on the tag pictured.
I have a set in my '78 and they are just a little too short. I'm pretty slender and they fit me fine for sitting there, but I have had passengers for whom they do not fit (and they aren't like gigantic monsters or anything!). I cannot reach over and roll down the window on the passenger side with the belt on, I must push it to the side.
So they "fit" but only just barely so, and never try to have someone who is overweight use it.
_________________
Dave Cook
President, Wild Westerner Club
1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing |
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