13 replies to this topic

[fenghuang]

I need to fit rear intertia seat belts.

The posts I've seen seem to mention mounting points in the side bins, but I don't seem to have any. However, there are threaded holes in the rear bulhead and C-pillars which look like they might be what I need.

Can anyone confirm whether these holes are the correct mounting points?

 

Assuming the MSA1109 belts from Minispares are what I need, I can't figure out what all the bolts and brackets are for. Any suggestions?

 

(And should the rear seat pads be fixed in place with any mechanical fasteners at all? Bolts? Clips? Anything?)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[humph]

They are the correct mountinh points for non inertia belts. Inertia belts need an additional mount on the wheel arch, see links below.

 

Item 43 shows mounting location

 

http://www.somerford...&id=1&chapter=5

 

 

Mountings can be bought seperately.

 

http://www.somerford...4cc6629dd91f6ac

 

http://www.somerford...4cc6629dd91f6ac

[fenghuang]

Why will the mounting point on the rear bulkhead not do for inertia belts? (It looks like that's what is discussed in the FAQ for rear belts.)

[Dan]

It puts the belt run coming out of the reel at a very odd angle and means the reel mounting is loaded in a less than ideal direction in the event of a crash. Think about the front belts, the shoulder point is only a pulley. You can mount it up there but it's not great and not comfortable to use.

The seat base should be attached to the back with short straps. The frame of the back is held to the parcel shelf with 2 long screws (and some spacers above the shelf) through from the corners of the boot. Then with the seat base pulled forward 2 more self tappers should be used to screw the joining straps to the rear bulkhead before the base is pushed into place.

[fenghuang]

The only reason I can think of for the belt being uncomfortable is the way the webbing might twist as it goes over the shoulder.

I'm not sure I can think of a reason why having the reel on the pillar would be less safe.

 

Is there any reason not to fit the belts something like this. I would have thought it was less likely to be uncomfortable and simpler to fit. Just a reinforging plate under the parcel shelf.

 

 

Should there be threaded holes in the rear seat frame to take the screws from the boot? (I cant see any obvious holes in the rear bulkhead.)

[sonikk4]

The parcel shelf is not designed to anchor seat belts. its far too flimsy hence why the mounting points are where they are. 

[Tamworthbay]

Contact securon, they used to do an inertia reel belt using those mounts. I though Minispares sold them but I guess not. I fitted them to my last but one mini, the C pillar mounted reel is a bit ugly but fine other than that.

[gazza82]

If Securon can't help, try http://www.quickfits.../seat_belts.php

 

This might also help ... http://www.quickfits...S_MINI_MKII.pdf

Edited by gazza82, 23 March 2015 - 05:31 PM.

[fenghuang]

I think Minispares (and Securon) do still do them. They certainly list rear inertia belts, but the website doesn't mention mounting points and I can't see any add on brackets to fit onto the wheel arches like the Somerford ones.

I was just confused by the mounting points. If anything I'm even more confused now.

[Tamworthbay]

I think Minispares (and Securon) do still do them. They certainly list rear inertia belts, but the website doesn't mention mounting points and I can't see any add on brackets to fit onto the wheel arches like the Somerford ones.
I was just confused by the mounting points. If anything I'm even more confused now.

Give securon a ring and they will talk you through it. Best to be sure for something like this.

[Dan]

Without massive reinforcement the parcel shelf is completely unsuitable. I've seen race cars crash that used the shelf for their harness mountings and it almost pulled the car inside out. Rover used a massive reinforcing bracket to put the belts for the Mini Cabrio in the middle of the shelf like that, it was so big it more or less filled the boot.

Someone posted a photo not long ago of the multi angle reels mounted on the C posts, it explains a lot if you can find it.

[Ratkiller]

As far as I know minis did not come with over the shoulder seat belts in the rear. Therefore you will not find a factory location mounting point for the top mount. A custom mount is required.

 

Although... my 62' was fitted with front inertia over shoulder belts. The custom top mounting point looks exactly like the mounting point you have on your c pillar. I bet the previous owner had these fitted, as I don't recall any thing from the factory being mounted at that location.

 

But before buying that MiniSpares belt, check with Securon or the belt manufacture as each inertia belt housing is designed to mount a certain way...some vertically, some horizontally, even the angle they are mounted is important. If it's mounted incorrectly the inertia locking mechanism will not work properly, making it lock when it shouldn't and more importantly not locking when it should.  

 

And to answer your last question about the seat pad.... no, there are is no mounting hardware. There is a metal channel at the top back side of your pad where the lip of the parcel shelf should fit into... basically hooking the pad to the parcel shelf.  

[Dan]

The rear seatbelt shoulder points were added to the body sometime around 1982 I think with 3 point rear belts becoming optional in the UK not long after. 3 point static rear belts were standard by 1988, 4 point inertia rear belts were standard late 1995.

The belts linked to above made by Securon have multi-angle reels, this means that after they are fitted the reel's inertia unit's orientation can be adjusted in both planes so that the locks will still release and the belt still work.

The screws in the seat frame don't have threaded holes as such but self tappers into spire clips I seem to remember. Your frame may simply have the holes there for the clips to fit to.

[fenghuang]

Update - and hopefully this will be useful for anyone looking at fitting rear belts.

 

I bought a set of the Securon Pn254 three point adjustable inertia belts (Minispares part number MSA1109) and tried to fit them as others have done, with the interia unit on the C pillar.

They fit, and ... well, they sort of work.

 

I found it was possible to adjust the locking mechanism so that the inertia unit locked correctly. However, for someone of my height (5'10") I could not get the belt to feed reliably through the guides on the interia unit. The belt would fold and jam in the guides. It was easy to free the belt, and for someone much shorter (eg a child) it would probably work fine, but I wouldn't consider the belt to be working properly.

 

As my car had only the three mounting points (originally for static belts - see pics above) I bought a pair of the brackets Somerford Minis sell to fit an inertia unit in the companion bin, on the rear wheel arch (part nos AFU360050 and AFU360040) and have had those welded in.

 

I then phoned the techical department at Securon.

They told me the inertia unit for the Pn254 is designed to mount on the parcel shelf.

I am no expert on this, but from what I've read recently, I think the only Minis with inertia units mounted on the parcel shelf were the cabriolets. This is despite the packaging for the Pn254 apparently saying they are the correct belt for the Mini.

Securon also told me that the correct belt to be fitted in the compaion bin is the Pn264.

 

Considering Minispares are selling belts for the Mini that are supposed to be for the Mini, I didn't feel I could hold them responsible, and hoped they could order the correct belts. As they would have to place a bulk order of 24 units, this wasn't going to happen, but the member of staff I spoke to was concerned about what I had learned, and said they'd speak to Securon.

 

In the mean time, out of curiosity, I phoned Quickfit. I told them what I needed, and they could make me a selt of belts, no problem.

The two things to note were that
- unlike the Securon Pn264, the Quickfit intertia units can only be mounted at a specific angle. (As I understand it, that is with respect to the virtical plane, and the angle at which the backplate will be mounted. I wasn't entirely clear, but it sounds as though the angle of the axle with respect to horizontal is not critical, but the backplate is.) I didn't know what that was at the time, so couldn't order a set right then.

- the price is significantly higher than the Securon units. Securon's are around £75/pr. Quickfit's are £140/pr.

 

I'm going to shop around on price for the Securon ones (Somerford's p&p seemed excessive) and see how I get on.

Edited by fenghuang, 11 May 2015 - 11:55 AM.