JBugs - 1971 VW Super Beetle - Seat Belt Installation

[@larrylang245]

All of your video's are really helpful thanks for doing them

[@tylersanders6080]

It's almost done👍🏼

[@johnfreeman1189]

Another great video... Thanks for posting!

[@vladmares8128]

loving your intros :-)

[@Sam_Mebane]

Dad jokes gone mild....

[@PunkRockerDad]

At the end of the video your meaty hands cover up how, exactly the recoil unit and dangling end of the seatbelt attach to the factory threaded holes. Is the dangling end on top of the recoiler? When I tried this I couldn’t get the plastic cover to fasten and when I put it on the back side of the recoiler the offset of the dangling end prevents me from bolting this down. I’m installing in a Squareback but that shouldn’t matter..

[@Sam_Mebane]

The retractor is bolted to the bracket, the opposite end of is bolted in behind the bracket to the body. Having installed these same belts in a Type 3, drilling another mounting hole for the opposite end may make things easier. If memory serves the retractor sat very close to the rear seat. It worked well enough unless the backrest was folded down.

[@crossedwingedairguard5539]

So, I have a question. In the video you say that the mounting brackets are properly installed by drilling a hole below the factory point. How does that work? How does drilling a hole allow for the seatbelt to be installed? I'd it's just a hole, how does the bolt stay on place with no place its threading into?

[@Sam_Mebane]

If you drill a hole into the floor, you can put a washer and nut on the bottom of the floor, under the car. An L bracket can be bolted to the floor, then the retractor can be bolted to the L bracket. Pretty simple.

[@crossedwingedairguard5539]

@@Sam_Mebane yeah I figured that out a few days after I posted this lol

[@unklbuk1]

I recently inherited a '69 bug but it doesn't have seatbelts. I'm going to install some so my question is, are the belt bolt attachments on the 69 pre threaded and drilled so I don't have to drill any?

[@unklbuk1]

Are all the belt attachment holes threaded on a '69 bug? Or do I have to do any drilling?

[@Sam_Mebane]

All of the holes should be threaded, yes.

[@vwdarrin]

good stuff

[@tonybland8684]

my carpet has been installed. on the bracket, there is a hole for the screw and a spike. but I do not feel a hole in the B beam for this spike. question is the spike hole over the screw hole or under it. your video does not show this spike.

[@Sam_Mebane]

If you're referring to the aftermarket brackets - www.jbugs.com/product/BELT-BKT.html - they do not have the alignment spike. Only original brackets have that tab typically. That tab actually aligns the seat belt retractable mechanism. If your retractor doesn't have a hole for the tab, cut the tab off, or flatten it down with a hammer so it isn't in the way.

[@tonybland8684]

Thank you so much. I was not referring to the aftermarket brackets, but the original brackets. My friend's bug has no carpet or headliner and the alignment hole is above the screw hole.

[@Perseus5]

I have a question. When I turn the key before I turn it all the way I hear a clicking sound and it says fasten seatbelts. It never did that before. Any solution?

[@Sam_Mebane]

That sounds like the seat belt interlock relay. Odd that it suddenly decided to start working. Short answer is, disable/remove it all. There are a few articles / tech posts about it on various forums.

[@stevo_the_nuke]

I just bought this kit from JBugs for my 68. I have been trying to reverse the latches on the belts as you describe but there is no way to get the folded webbing through the adjuster. There just isn't enough room for 2 layers of belt material to pass through it. I noticed that this video doesn't actually show you doing what you described. On the rear belts the video "cuts" away and when it comes back the belt latch is magically reversed. On the front belt, you never actually reversed the latch. It was already correct. So what is the secret to reversing the latches?

[@Sam_Mebane]

Pull back the sliding bar under the cover, and muscle the material through.

[@stevo_the_nuke]

@@Sam_Mebane I'm no weakling, but that doesn't work. I finally popped the plastic cover off the latch and that made the job easy.

[@Sam_Mebane]

@@stevo_the_nuke Glad you got it figured out.

[@stevehyde7573]

I tried this and I also could not get it to flip. I removed the cover and the tabs broke off of it. Now it won't stay on.

[@Ljblossom]

I thought the seat belts would somehow attach to the metal brackets that on the floor between the front seats.

[@Sam_Mebane]

If you had original seat belts and buckles, they would. All the modern belts are made as independent pieces and to keep with today's safety standards don't rely on any old hardware or components.

[@Ljblossom]

I think that means I won’t be able to install them since drilling into the metal would be too hard with my tools,@@Sam_Mebane

[@Ljblossom]

I didn’t see you drill holes to attach the new seat belts. Did you?@@Sam_Mebane

[@Sam_Mebane]

That is because I didn't. The new belts bolt into all the original locations @@Ljblossom.

[@Ljblossom]

Confused at this end. If the original belts attached to the brackets or whatever those gray metal things are between the seats, then why would there have been pre drilled holes in the hump?@@Sam_Mebane

[@gibbstheamazonparrotdenise4628]

What size threaded bolt is used in the tunnel for the front belts?

[@Sam_Mebane]

The VW seat belt mounting points are threaded at 7/16-20.

[@Its_about_that_time]

Where did you get the c collar? It didn't come with the kit I bought

[@Sam_Mebane]

I have a random assortment of hardware pieces that I've accumulated over the years. A simple piece of steel tubing can be used if need be.