corroded rear seat belt mounts

[nicky4tl]

Hi,
So my rear wheel arches have corroded where the reinforcing skin for the seat belt mount was attached: quelle surprise
The repairs I have seen to this on here have simply cut out the area and welded in a new plate. I'll be carrying out something like this.

http://www.renault4.co.uk/r4_body_restoration/seatbelt_mounting_boot_floor.jpg

However I wish to fit rear seat belts once the repair is done. I was wondering if anyone could suggest how I might do this? Could I use a heavier gauge of steel for the plate and weld a nut of suitable size to the back?

Thanks
Nicky

 

[angel]

Yes, that's all Renault (and all other manufacturers back then did). Thread size is 7/16" UNF, you will then be able to use the original seat belt bolts.

 

[alewis]

You will still need strength in the Area if you are planning to keep the seatbelts. That repair shown there does not keep the seatbelts.

I am at this very moment ! doing exactly the same repair on my R4 - I can post some images if that will help.

What I am planning to do is to rebuild it.

Layer 1 - Inner bracket (Intact and original)
Layer 2 - Body Skin (Cut out and patched a hole)
Layer 3 - Outer Strengther (Cut out and patched bigger hole!)

In some ways my rebuild is probably way over the top but if nothing else the MOT man shouldnt complain that one side is much stronger than the other !

Regards,
Andrew

 

[nicky4tl]

Hi, Thanks for that Angel,

Andrew,
Some pictures would be most helpful thanks. I was thinking I would like to avoid having a double skin and wondered if perhaps the strength there might be achieved by replacing the holed section with a heavier gauge of steel? I guess I'll have a better idea once the rusty bit is fully cut out and I can see what Im dealing with fully.
N

 

[alewis]

Thats a possibility, my only thought is a big spreader plate spreads the load onto the thin body, but then if the thicker metal is the same size it should work.

I was just a bit worried if an MOT man was to look at one side and sees a big spreader plate then look at the other and sees nothing

(to try and prevent rust ive welded around the edge of the whole plate.)

 

[malcolm]

Depends how bad the area is for rust. At the worst I would cut out all rotten metal, repair the panel itself, then plug weld a reinforcement to the outside of the panel, making sure the reinforcement is bigger than the area that has been cut out and repaired just in case the repair fails in a crash.

 

[alewis]

Ive basically done that.

(Note: Ive used thicker metal about twice as thick for both the body and reinforcement)

To connect the panels to the actual seatbelt mount (the little bit of metal inside the car) I left the middle out of the plate and welded all the way around the inside to give it hopefully a good strong joint)

Also the reinforcement is bigger than inner repair so welds are not both in the same place.

The last step which I havent got a photo of yet was to put a plate over the middle to hide the bolt / protect the bolt from rust.

Also note unlike most of the rest of the world Im using gas welding.
(Tried MIG wasnt convinced anything I did for a while would be acceptable!)

Upper Image: Inner Panel repair
Lower Image: Reinforcement repair (not yet cleaned or painted!)

 

[alewis]

Finished (Well this side anyway!)

 

[Ric Fordham]

Can't find R4 rear seat belts

Hi

I am trying to find a set of rear seat belts for my recently renovated R4 (they seem to have been removed in the process) - any ideas?

Bestest!

Ric from Norwich

 

[Des]

I have a set your welcome to for the cost of post.

 

[nicky4tl]

Some good ideas there, thanks. I'm also looking for a set of rear belts. Static ones (or windy up ones) would be fine, If anyone had a set spare.

 

[Snoopy1974]

To repair mine, I decided to weld big patches at the place I cutted the rotten part:

Here is the first part under construction, only the final lower bending needs to be done:

For the seatbelts moutings, I bought steel sheet plates with 7/16 holes, they will be welded inside the luggage compartment, and the problem of double skins will be resolved:
http://www.gt2i-competition.com/PLAQUE_A_SOUDER_FIX_OEILLET_7_16°-p-20-c-375_379.html