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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Seatbelts and rollbar


Hello all. After 2 years, completion on my midget is now within touching distance. Last job to do before MOT is to re-fit the seatbelts.

Should be simple, but...
I have an alleybars rollbar in, and in order to accomodate it, the brackets were reversed and then 'persuaded' to something like horizontal by the PO. This has two effects:

first that the belt sits almost right over the centre of the seat, making it a bit uncomfortable to wear

second, that the belts have a tendancy to lock out when you're trying to put them on, and won't work at all when the car is parked nose downhill. (I think this is a symptom of both not being horizontal and being old).

So, I'm going to buy some new belts, but has anyone come up with a way of mounting the belt around the rollbar so it doesn't slice into your neck?

Another more radical plan which has crossed my mind is to fit vertical running belts and bolt through the rollbar to a top loop above the shoulder. I hesitate in this, though, as I'm not sure about legal implications and/or weakening the rollbar by drilling it. Has anyone done this? Am I allowed to connect a top loop to a point which is not part of the chassis?

If I can get this done, then it's MOT and back on the road! :-)

Thanks in advance,
Mark
MarkH1

Mark I would expect an MOT tester to fail you unless the belts are attached to the original manufacturer's mounting points. I would not recommend drilling the rollbar at all. Are you planning to fit static or ineria reel belts?
David Smith

Mark,
When i reshelled my 72 the old inertia belts were poor and ran badly - so had to be replaced.
I have a rollover bar - think it is an AleyAero type - is this what you have - vinyl padded job.

I finally used the inertia belts from Moss - Securon type.
These are a newer type than my old ones - able to be mounted in all angles - you have to turn a wheel thing on the side to show horizontal when its at the angle you want - preset angles(from what i remember).

Mine are in effect mounted to allow the belt to exit in the vertical plane(but i've angled them backwards - to give a better lead). The belt then twists onto the shoulder as it crosses the seat back. All mounted onto the original wheel arch bosses (Heritage shell bosses - i think is the same as original).

Works well - brackets came in kit.

When i can get into the frozen garage outback i can take some pics if it helps.

Richard.
richard boobier


Thanks both -

Forgot to say that I need inertia type - will need to get the kiddie seat in from time to time, and fixed belts will be a bit of a pain in doing that...

I spoke to the guy who's going to MOT the car yesterday, and his understanding is that all of the mounting points have to be part of the car body - so mounting a loop on the rollbar is out.

Richard, my rollbar is the other type with back stays, which are the bit which get in the way.

Anyone with that type of rollbar offer any advice?

I'm going to buy a new set of securons anyway - any helpful hints on how I go about implementing them so they clear both the back stay and my neck?

Thanks
Mark
MarkH1


OK, just to close this one out - I installed new Securon belts on Saturday and they're perfect. As described by Richard, they're simply mounted directly on the wheel arch and they're comfortable and run nicely. I also get more of a feeling of security with them directly mounted rather than on brackets that have been re-shaped using a vice and a hammer.

I wonder now why I put up with the old arrangement as long as I did!

That was the last task I had on my list, a bit of fettling next weekend then off for MOT...
MarkH1

good luck Mark

but you shouldnt need it!

;-)
Bill

This thread was discussed between 05/01/2009 and 19/01/2009

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