Retrofitting Rear 'Shoulder' Seat Belts

SuperRoo · May 1, 2012

Hi guys, I’m hoping someone/s can help me, relating to the installation of “shoulder” rear seat belts. My jeep is a 1988 Laredo that came with the bog-standard lap belts.

I’ve purchased some later model seat belts (from a 1998 model) all was going fine until I got to fitting the top part that goes through the headliner.

Now I’m not sure whether I’ve selected the correct hole to place the bolt through. I’ve acquired the correct size nut, but after looking at the youtube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_KGT27dYFI (for the 20th time!) of a chap retrofitting the belts into his jeep, I’m now not too sure. Unfortunately I’ve got no junk yards around me for 50miles, that I could go and look at one…oh how I envy you USA guys…

I’ve taken some photos – my question is where am I to fit it???

Red is what I thought was the hole for the belt
Green is the ‘dremel’ hole I made to insert the nut
Blue is what the ‘youtube’ guy used. The whole in mine is far too big for the standard bolt

Also what about this odd ‘point’ (red) at the top of the belt? Would I just cut it off or is it supposed to go through the slit in the roof (yellow)

Thanks,
______________________________________________________
1988 Cherokee Laredo 4.0l (Californian model) 4WD, Auto….Left hand drive in the UK!

Tim_MN · May 1, 2012

The bolt goes in the blue hole, straight up from the mounting point at the wheel well. The blue hole has what appear to be small bolt holes at 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock to secure some sort of nut plate/backing plate for the seat belt bolt to thread into. Pause the YouTube video at 1:25.

On a 98 the tab in the red circle fits into a slot in the unibody that may not be present on an earlier XJ.

SuperRoo · May 1, 2012

Thanks Tim_MN, I wasn't sure whether the guy in the video was correct on his fitment or not
Unfortunately I don't seem to have that plate, which makes mounting the seat belt a bit of a problem :confused1

Tim_MN · May 2, 2012

Making a nut plate is not very difficult. It could be slid into the unibody through one of the open holes an maneuvered into place with some stiff wire. Maybe you can find the plate you need in another Cherokee and drill out the rivets seen at 0:54.

SuperRoo · May 2, 2012

Tim_MN said:
Making a nut plate is not very difficult. It could be slid into the unibody through one of the open holes an maneuvered into place with some stiff wire. Maybe you can find the plate you need in another Cherokee and drill out the rivets seen at 0:54.

that thought did cross my mind...just need to find one

O-Gauge Steamer · May 2, 2012

The top portion on the retainer that you have circled in red is for anti-rotation of the mounting point. It locks the mount into one place.

SuperRoo · May 2, 2012

o-gauge-steamer said:
The top portion on the retainer that you have circled in red is for anti-rotation of the mounting point. It locks the mount into one place.

Thanks o-gauge-steamer, I guess for my model I can just cut it off, because it doesn't allow the hanger to sit flush with the bolt

BTW, is there supposed to be a bushing between the bolt and the nut? (I don't have one).

O-Gauge Steamer · May 3, 2012

Another solution would be to bend it 90 degrees and drill a matching hole for it inhte upper support. There is a reason for the anti-rotation feature...

Retrofitting Rear 'Shoulder' Seat Belts

SuperRoo

NAXJA Forum User

Tim_MN

Freakish Hand Strength

SuperRoo

NAXJA Forum User

Tim_MN

Freakish Hand Strength

SuperRoo

NAXJA Forum User

O-Gauge Steamer

NAXJA Forum User

SuperRoo

NAXJA Forum User

O-Gauge Steamer

NAXJA Forum User

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