BogMonster Posted August 21, 2006 Share Posted August 21, 2006 Hands up all Defender owners who are sick to death of slamming their seat belt in the door lock like this? Yep that would be most of you I guess it very quickly wrecks the belt webbing and is sooo easy to do when you get out. We have just had seat belt laws imposed on all roads here (previously only applied to main roads) and having shut my belt in the door at least 20 times in the last month or so I decided action was required.... So I made this from an offcut of thin alloy: One of the original door striker spacers is there for comparison, the alloy is a similar thickness. Remove one of the spacers from the striker and replace with the made-up plate, all you need then is a cable tie, and you have this: No more mangled seat belt I hope I made mine with an air nibbler but it could be done with even something as basic as a hacksaw and electric drill, it's dead easy and took me about 20 minutes to do, others may have come up with a similar idea but I haven't seen it before so thought I would post it up Next project: how to avoid removing the belt loops from every pair of jeans you own, on the same door striker... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatboy Posted August 22, 2006 Share Posted August 22, 2006 A cunning idea... looks effective so I'll add that to the list. As for belt loops, pockets and the backs of shirts - amen! Patent the solution and post it up, I'll buy one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted August 22, 2006 Author Share Posted August 22, 2006 I'm thinking something like a small aluminium steering guard mounted vertically just inside the striker, so you sort of bounce off and get thrown out the door, rather than stopping abruptly to the sound of tearing denim The only downside I can think of is that it might increase the slack in the seatbelt slightly if you had a prang and of course the cable tie snapped (as intended) because the seat belt isn't taking an exactly direct line from the mounting to where it goes up over your leg so you may move a bit further forwards before the belt tightens and stops you. It is less of an issue for me, having the seat right back, than it would be for short people, but worth bearing in mind. I may devise a Mark II version of the BogMonsterBeltSaver over the weekend with the hole down a bit lower, to see if that makes it better in that respect. There is a cheaper bodge version which is simply to cable tie the seat belt to the seat tilt handle which is better in this respect but a pain in some other ways. On balance I think I prefer the new idea as I slam the belt in the door a lot more often than I biff my head on the steering wheel... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted August 22, 2006 Share Posted August 22, 2006 Nice! Very simple & well executed. I like that a lot - I may even make one! Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headhunter Posted August 22, 2006 Share Posted August 22, 2006 Nice! Very simple & well executed.I like that a lot - I may even make one! Si Simon are you taking orders? John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Log Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 The reason that your seat belt gets stuck on the door catch is because you have the lower mounting fitted in the wrong place. It should be bolted to the lower left hand of the seatbox (drivers side), onto the galvanised sill frame. In addition there should be a plastic retainer on the side of the seat box that holds the belt away from the door. This 'factory' way of fitting works well and if the belt mechanism is not tired and allowing the belt to sag under its own wieght then it should not be getting trapped. Works fine for me. Cheers Log Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Log Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 OOPS! slight error. Just looked again at you picture and realised that its a 90, not a 110 SW like mine. In that case, the lower mounting is fited in the right place. However you still have the plastic clip missing. It pulls the belt forwards and away from the door mechanism. MTC8338 is the part number. Cheers Log Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Log Posted August 23, 2006 Share Posted August 23, 2006 Now I'm really getting boring! Perhaps it was the case that LR recognised this problem and changed the position of the lower belt mounting to the left hand of the door sill frame. Mines a 95 model. If youve heard enough from me on this subject then I would be quite happy to be paraded, naked, arround a town square in Afghanistan with a (very small) tatoo of the stars & stripes on my nether regions, to excite local interest and develope inter racial violence. Cheers (finaly) Log Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted August 23, 2006 Author Share Posted August 23, 2006 Not sure about this plastic clip - but every Defender I've ever been in gets its seat belts slammed in the doors regularly so I don't think it makes much difference The inertia reels are all pretty rubbish too, it does reel the belt in but fairly slowly. It isn't that old - only 2 and a bit years. I'll alert the authorities in Kabul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s2hotdog Posted August 24, 2006 Share Posted August 24, 2006 I also like that idea................ just about to replace my seat belts for that very reason Cheers Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveG Posted August 24, 2006 Share Posted August 24, 2006 I thought everyone used this tried and tested mod... best bit is that it's very quick to do, no tools are required, and there is no modification necessary! Has always worked for me. Cheers Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpb Posted August 24, 2006 Share Posted August 24, 2006 I thought everyone used this tried and tested mod... best bit is that it's very quick to do, no tools are required, and there is no modification necessary! Has always worked for me. Cheers Steve I use the same method as Steve, haven't had a problem shutting belt in the door (touch wood). Just need to stop me catching my jeans when I get out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted August 25, 2006 Author Share Posted August 25, 2006 I thought everyone used this tried and tested mod... best bit is that it's very quick to do, no tools are required, and there is no modification necessary! Has always worked for me. Cheers Steve Well that is just plain rough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LR90 Posted August 25, 2006 Share Posted August 25, 2006 Works to a point, use it myself. But I now need a new plastic cover for the lever after the belt pulled the old one off and it got lost in the mud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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