Soft Top and Seat Belts

Toying with the idea of a soft top for the summer on my Series 3 and I'm looking for options for refitting the front seat belts.

I currently have inertia reel belts fitted to a hard top, the top mount of the belt attaches to the standard pressed steel panel that bolts to the hard top but these are a recent addition, the Land Rover would have left the factory as a soft top and being a 1978 model would have been fitted with some kind of belts but these were missing when I acquired. Would these have been simple static belt with the upper mount bolted to the captive nut in the bulkhead behind the font seats?

I know I dont want any of these options

https://www.exmoortrim.co.uk/soft-top-front-seat-belt-bar.html
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LAND-ROV...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

Are there any other suitable options, is it possible to reinforce the hood sticks to take the upper mount.

I'm not totally against the idea of using static belts if thats my only option.

I changed mine to a soft top (full tilt) last year. Like yourself, my seatbelts top mount were attached to a bracket on the hard top. After much deliberation, I fitted the Exmoor trim seatbelt bar. Straight forward to fit. The belt reels remain fixed to the mid bulkhead like they were previously.

I was originally against fitting a bar because I felt it detracted from the simple looks but neither did I fancy the belts pulling down and crushing my spine in the event of a prang.

When I bought mine (1981 model) it had static belts - over the shoulder sorts 3 point. I know I wouldn't want to go back to those - proper restrictive

I would agree with the above. I had static belts fitted to my hardtop when I first bought it and very quickly swapped to inertia reel belts. When I fitted the soft top I then fitted the seatbelt bar to mount them. I have a spare wheel mounted on the the bulkhead and with a chain and a couple hessian tow roads over the seatbelt bar each side of the wheel you don’t notice the bar.

Found this http://www.securon.co.uk/seatbelts_layouts.htm

Looks like the do a retractable option (514/30) that does away with the top mount.

Citizen Kane said:

Found this http://www.securon.co.uk/seatbelts_layouts.htm

Looks like the do a retractable option (514/30) that does away with the top mount.

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The problem with a three pint belt is the top point needs to be above the shoulder. This is why you should not just mount them to the bulkhead and go over the seat back. In the case of an accident the seat-belt would then force the shoulder downwards causing injury. If the mount is higher it restrains the shoulder and prevents movement and injury.

What are your reasons for not wanting a seat belt bar? If it is a point of originality then it should not have inertia reel seat belts fitted at all and would have had static belts but these come with a whole host of other problems.

On your above point of modifying a hood stick google "land rover military roll bar". This is a roll bar that replaces the front hood stick and acts as a seat belt mount on military defenders. But this is not original for series vehicles and would look even bulkier than the seat belt bars you mentioned in your first post.

dag019 said:

The problem with a three pint belt is the top point needs to be above the shoulder. This is why you should not just mount them to the bulkhead and go over the seat back. In the case of an accident the seat-belt would then force the shoulder downwards causing injury. If the mount is higher it restrains the shoulder and prevents movement and injury.

What are your reasons for not wanting a seat belt bar? If it is a point of originality then it should not have inertia reel seat belts fitted at all and would have had static belts but these come with a whole host of other problems.

On your above point of modifying a hood stick google "land rover military roll bar". This is a roll bar that replaces the front hood stick and acts as a seat belt mount on military defenders. But this is not original for series vehicles and would look even bulkier than the seat belt bars you mentioned in your first post.

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Another name for it is ROPS - roll over protection system

I recently drove somethign with fixed belts, forgot how bad they are, couldn't even reach the ingnition!

rob1miles said:

I recently drove somethign with fixed belts, forgot how bad they are, couldn't even reach the ingnition!

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They definitely make for some interesting compromises:

Slack enough you can reach everything and properly control the vehicle but are no use in an accident
OR
Tight enough you are secured in the event of an accident but then cannot reach all the control properly causing the accident in the first palce

The exmoor bar is very expensive for what it is. In the good bad old days did soft tops have seat belts? I’ve got an original full canvas tilt and would like to convert for the summer but you also need the cleats at the back corners and at the rear door to properly tie it up.

dag019 said:

The problem with a three pint belt is the top point needs to be above the shoulder. This is why you should not just mount them to the bulkhead and go over the seat back. In the case of an accident the seat-belt would then force the shoulder downwards causing injury. If the mount is higher it restrains the shoulder and prevents movement and injury.

Click to expand...

I agree its a genuine safety concern but it is a Series Land Rover, not known for being the safest place to be and converting to a soft top dosnt make it any better.

dag019 said:

What are your reasons for not wanting a seat belt bar? If it is a point of originality then it should not have inertia reel seat belts fitted at all and would have had static belts but these come with a whole host of other problems.

Click to expand...

Not worried about originality just dont like those options.

I will have a look at the military roll bar and see what I think.