Thread: How To: B-pillar seat belt swap/B14 seat belt conversion

SEE DISCLAIMER AT THE BOTTOM BEFORE ATTEMPTING ANY MODIFICATION TO YOUR VEHICLE


A few months ago I re-purchased SE-R (for the 2nd time lol). Personally, I don't feel that I can trust the door mounted belts with my life, or the life of my passenger. There was a very tragic accident a little while back where the father of an SE-R enthusiast was ejected from the car and killed because the door opened and the B13 door mounted belt failed to keep him secure. I decided to retrofit B14 seat belts into my car for safety reasons.

The top mount and bottom mount threaded holes were already installed at the factory when the car was built:






There was no existing provision to mount the retractor assembly so I came up with my own solution. I had nuts welded to some fender washers. I drilled holes and ran 2 additional bolts to hold the washers in place and add strength to the mounting system.







Here is a shot of them bolted up:




I didn't get a chance to take pics but I mounted the belt guides just below the side window plastic trim panels. I also cut some of the cardboard material away from the back of the lower trim panels for extra clearance.


I think they turned out pretty well:









I also swapped the latch mechanisms from the B14 seats onto the B13 seats. I don't have pics but its pretty self explanatory. The B14 belts did clip into the stock B13 latches but they felt funny when they engaged so I swapped over to the B14 ones to be safe.





I am NOT an engineer, nor do I design cars for a living. If you attempt to copy this method of modifying your car you do so at your own risk. I will not be held liable in the event of injury and/or death under any circumstances. AGAIN, THIS MODIFICATION IS DONE AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Nice work.

great idea! I need to do this

Thanks guys! The B-pillar belts are sooooo much better than the door mounted ones.

That is a really good idea. I never really trusted the door belts in my B13. As yours is/was in that picture, you could double buckle up!

I've read through this thread a number of times, starting when you posted it at the old forum. Great idea. I have a couple of questions, though, if you don't mind.

1) The bottom bolt, that goes through the "retractor", and that you use the washer/nut combo on... what is it being threaded into, just that one nut?

2) Not so much for comfort, but for safety... where does the belt come across you when you buckle up and at what angle? I guess, as opposed to the stock system.

3) I'd really like to try this, I understand this is why the SE-R wasn't considered safe enough for Canada(give it up for the Canucks). But, just from an aesthetic point of view, how and the world do we remove the stock system. I really don't want to drive with the stock hanging loose, and then keep getting stopped by the "law" because they can't tell I really am using a stock device. Not worried about getting a ticket, just the pita of being stopped, probably more than once.

4) Anybody know what the insurance company would do in the event of an accident, as it would pertain to the restraint not being "as is" from the factory? Members of my family have been claims adjusters for "eons", and insurance companies will use any "hook" in the book(and some not in the book) to not pay out damages/injuries. In other words, how would we get this rated as safe either by said insurance company or state dmv?

Peas us Riced... good meds go a loooooooonnnnngggg way

Mark

To bolt in the reel assembly I used a sandwich of washer, car structure, washer. The 2nd washer has the nut welded to it. I thought about just passing the bolt through the sheet metal (like the factory B14 setup) and tightening the nut on the other side but I wanted something stronger. I used the washers to add strength to the mount. The factory B14 setup uses the same sized bolt and nut hardware.



Yes I did mine more for safety. After hearing about how Clay's Father was killed I didn't trust the door mounted belts anymore. The seatbelt angle is much better on the B-pillar. The belt doesn't ride on my neck anymore, it rides on my clavicle. Its the same angle as our P11.



Yup the passive restraint law in the name of safety really backfired on the 2dr B13s. Removing the stock setup is very easy, it all just unbolts. I removed my stock stuff a few days after the install. They can't pull you over in PA exclusively for not wearing a seatbelt.



I'm not exactly sure about that. What do the adjusters do for people who don't wear their belts? What about in cars made prior to the mandatory seat belt laws which had belts added by the owner later? These seat belts are DOT and the 2 of the mounts are there from the factory. I suppose its a grey area. I'd prefer to be in court trying to get a payout over being dead though.

Yeah... hadn't thought about that, better gray than dirt. I was thinking about medical coverage, but you're right. I'll do the smart thing, which was sitting like a big fat naked skunk right in front of me... ask my friggin brother who still does this for a living. Geez, sometimes I just love to outsmart/overthink myself, which apparently is not too difficult to do.

Thanks for the insight, Matt.

Peas us Riced... rhymes with what?

Mark

thats why i like my automatic seatbelts i my 4-door

you know what pisses me off, ? nisssan didnt realize this bull**** and know i can't get an se-r in canada because of that