Jump to content
Ultimate Subaru Message Board

Auto-seatbelts retrofitting?


natext6
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hm, might involve cutting the roof off and welding in the roof from the donor vehicle, to get the motor, belts, cogs, fastening points, and assorted miscellany to get it to work? :zzz::Flame:

 

Right, usually people want to go the other direction.....getting the belts from a Canadian vehicle such as yours to replace their broken 'auto' belts. Maybe you can work out a trade?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think it's the auto seatbelt itself that is unsafe, the way it comes from the factory. I think it is the thought of trying to retrofit it into a different vehicle that could make it unsafe.

 

They're kind of undesireable because they seem to fail eventually, some part of the track comes loose sometimes and comes out, things like that. I think they were supposed to give you an automatic belting in if you didn't or forgot to fasten the belt. But you have to fasten the lap belt manually anyway so what's the point. I think that's part of why manufs got away from using them. Ford used those things too in cars of that era.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They are undesirable because at some point in your ownership of the car, you will have your head partway out the window when you open the door. The belt will then grab you by the neck and drag you down toward the dash. This may happen multiple times over the years, with the humiliation of "I should have known better" getting stronger each time.

 

They are unsafe because the shoulder belt is the only automated part, you still have to do the lap belt manually. It's harder to grab just a lap belt, and it's easier to forget to put it on since you already have the shoulder belt on. When you get in a wreck, the missing lap belt will let you submarine under the shoulder belt, leading to neck injuries and burying your knees in the dash.

 

The systems themselves are pretty reliable. The ones in my loyale would get flaky for a bit after a submersion, but go back to normal operation once the wiring dried out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have always liked the automatic belts.

 

Last winter i was getting into the Legacy after coming out from the bank. Jumped in car, quick backed out, and was heading to gas station to fill up. Soon as i backed out cop turned a u turn and flipped his light on. I was already pulling in to the pump for gas. He thought he was going to give me a seatbelt violation, but by the time he got to me i was at the gas station getting out to pump gas, he saw me open my door and the seatbelt moved forward automatically, and then he verbally gave me window tint ticket for being too dark, didnt even write a warning. I told him i was not a problem.

 

silly cop thinking he got me for not having time to buckle up.

 

And I was then asking him to tell measure my tint to tell me how illegal it is. He didn't even have the measuring device to tell me. I still have yet to de tint it, cause they have to prove to you before writing the ticket on that one.

Edited by bheinen74
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...