Rear Seat Belts Install

[bcomo]

I just got finished installing the rear seat belts.

According to the Ford instructions, BOTH buckles are on the driver side, and BOTH inserts are on the passenger side. Which means that the inside belts are crossed over the middle hump to use them.

Why did they specify crossing the belts? It doesn't feel very good when you wear the belts because one belt comes from about a foot away over the hump.

Anyone else done the rear belts -- like this or otherwise?

[6TB1RD]

Bart:
I see you Finley got the rear seat out??

I thank what they are trying to say is that the buckle goes in the left hand side of the passenger and the inserts on on the right hand side.

You have to realize that now days the instructions or usually written in Japanese and translated into English by someone how does not speak English therefore we get miss written directions on how to install something..

I have read directions that was only obvious that they were wrong but with no QA checks of directions they can not be caught.

anyway I would put the buckle in the middle and the inserts on the out side just like they are in the newer cars.

[bcomo]

Yes -- I finally got it out.

The instructions are right from the tech section http://www.squarebirds.org/seatbelt_installation.htm

I just wonder if it's for stress factor on the blots and safety or what??

See below photo:

Connect belt assemblies with buckles to inner and outer bolts on driver side. Connect belt assemblies without buckles to inner and outer bolts on passenger side.

Therefore both inner belts will cross each other over center portion of rear seat when used in recommended position.

[Alexander]

It does seem like an awkward way to set up the seat belts. It must have been confusing for use for the passengers, even the car was new.

I dont know why the engineers did that, except perhaps they though that need that kind of placement for the girth of the rear passengers. People were less heavy back then, so it is surprising that they designed it that way.

[bcomo]

Confusing is an understatement -- You should have seen my 9 and 12 yer old girls fighting in the back seat as to which end of the seat belt belonged to who

Maybe it's the bolt anchor placement that makes the belts safer this way.

Or, maybe they thought it would be cool if the two rear passengers slammed together during a hard stop.

Anyway, this is what the belts look like according to the Ford (if I may say that) instructions. They are easy for me to change -- now that I can get the rear seat out; thank you.

[IMG]http://www.squarebirds.org/users/bcomo/re****ats.jpg[/IMG]

[tbird430]

WOW! That is an interesting find.

[frank58]

Hey... if anything else, you gotta admit they sure look cool crossed over the center like that ......... using them might be a different story.

[bcomo]

I Finally Figured it out!!

After alot of thought I figured out why the rear seat belts are crossed.

If you take another look, you'll see that the crossed belts allow the couple in the back seat lateral side movement toward each other. This is very important for "necking" in the back seat while still being safely buckled up.

I remember that the back seat couple couple were always having more fun than the couple in the front seat.

[dgs]

bcomo - That red leather is GORGEOUS! I'm so jealous, mine is all cracked and splitting. Is it original or did you replace it? If so, where'd you get it?

Someday when I find an extra $2,000 laying around I'm going to do mine.

[bcomo]

Doug:

The leather seats, headliner, and carpet had been redone when I bought the car. I had no information on who did it or where. I did have to take the front seats out and have the bottom foam replaced -- they were sagging. That saved the front seats.

My wish would be a new front end on mine like yours.

[byersmtrco]

It does seem like an awkward way to set up the seat belts. It must have been confusing for use for the passengers, even the car was new.

I dont know why the engineers did that, except perhaps they though that need that kind of placement for the girth of the rear passengers. People were less heavy back then, so it is surprising that they designed it that way.

Ba ha ha !!! Less drive thru fast (junk) food places . . .
My favorite;
"I'll have a double whopper w/cheese, fries and a DIET coke"

[tarps3]

[QUOTE="I'll have a double whopper w/cheese, fries and a DIET coke"[/QUOTE]

Off the subject but...
Sometimes people order diet drinks because they aren't supposed to have sugar intake. You know, like diabetics.
Granted, ordering a double whopper isn't typically on a diabetic menu either, but the effects of that can be more easily controlled with insulin than a "real" coke loaded with sugar.
Speaking from experience

[6TB1RD]

Off the subject but...
Sometimes people order diet drinks because they aren't supposed to have sugar intake. You know, like diabetics.
Granted, ordering a double whopper isn't typically on a diabetic menu either, but the effects of that can be more easily controlled with insulin than a "real" coke loaded with sugar.
Speaking from experience

Casey:
I can attest to that, everyone in my family are diabetic except for me, and the Dr. put me on a strict diet to prevent the invariable chance of becoming one. Now A days I'm not really concerned about it (at lest as bad as my wife is. ) but I have gotten to the point where I can not drink the so called real stuff. the fake stuff tasts a whole lot better, and I don't get the sugar rush as with the real thing