Automatic Seatbelts to Manual Belt Conversion = weight s

[Gro Harlem]

I just installed my manual seatbelts today b/c my old drivers belt was shredding and I figured I'd just convert to manual belts anyways b/c the poewr belts are so annoying. I also weighed all the parts and figured out how much weight I saved.

First lemme write a checklist of what you need if you want to do this conversion.

Parts you need from donor car:
-Left & Right A pillar plastic trim
-Left & Right B pillar plastic trim
-Left & Right seatbelt reels w/anchors
-Left & Right seatbelt latchs off of both seats (important!!)
-Center console (the part that covers the Ebrake) WITH the bracket that holed it to the floor (this is important)
-Passenger side "O Sh** handle".
-Headliner
-cut peice of black carpet out from donor car (to cover where the lapbelt panels went)

I pulled my belts from a teal 95 RS which didn't have a sunroof, so I just reupholstered my headliner stretching the fabric around where the old A pilar trim covered. It looks fine and you can't tell. If you can find a 94-96 model with the proper headliner, you might as well pull it if you want it to look right. I have yet to get a center console b/c the one in the car I pulled my belts from was cracked and scratched up too much. I paid a total of $21 w/tax for all 4 trim peices, and both seatbelt assemblies.


Steps for removing your auto-seatbelts:
-A pillar trim
-B pillar trim
-rear lower panel (don't have to remove, just pop it out enough so you can get a wrench to remove the seatbelt assembly)
-power seatbelt reel assembly (1 x 16mm lower bolt, 1 x 10mm upper bolt for the assembly, then there are 2 8mm and 5 10mm holding the reel itself to the frame of the car)
-lapbelt reel (2 x philips screws & 2 x 17mm bolts)
-repeat these steps for other side
-remove center console (4 x philips screws)
-remove shoulder belt reels (2 x 12mm bolts)
-remove lower shoulder belt bracket (2 x 10mm nuts & 4 hex screws)
-remove power seatbelt brainbox under drivers seat(2 x 10mm bolts)

Instaling the new belts:
-bolt up seatbelt assembly behind rear panel first, then bolt the top anchor through the B pillar trim & finally bolt the lower anchor to the carpet (you will need to cut a peice out to do this)
-cover void where lapbelt reels were with carpet you cut out of donor car
-install headliner
-pop in B pillar trim
-pop in A pillar trim

Your done!!

Now for weight savings

Old belts weighed:

-Each reel/motor assmembly = 5.25 lbs.
-Each lapbelt reel assembly = 1.75 lbs.
-Center shoulder belt reels = 3.50 lbs. (together)
-Power seatbelt "brainbox" = 0.50 lbs.
--------------------------------------------------
Total for both sides = 18 lbs.

New Belts weigh:
-Seatbelt assembly w/bolts and anchors (all one peice = 3 lbs. each
--------------------------------------------------
Total for both sides = 6 lbs.

Total amount of weight savings: ~12 lbs. + the added perk of getting rid of those POS power belts!!

[Steeb]

my mx3 rs had power seatbelts too.

[Gro Harlem]

all models with the old style dash have power seatbelts. Federal mandates that you must have a passive restraint system starting in 1990 model years. Since power seatbelts were cheaper than airbags at the time, mazda chose to shove them in their 92-93 models. I think in 95 is when the law required airbags, and I guess mazda decided to change up the interior in the 94 model year for whatever reason.

[stang67fb]

hey Gro harlem that was an awesome rightup, everything in there was exactly what i have been looking for for my 92gs. I will be doing this soon. the only thing to worry about is safety, when you get in a wreck what stops you from going through the windshield?

[Gro Harlem]

whats sweet about these belts, is they have a built-in feature that tells you if the belt should be replaced. Towards the bottom anchor, there is a sewn in sleeve that has part of the belt curled up in it. If the belts have been in a severe enough crash, the belt will pull out, revealing a orange tab that says "replace".

[endocyc]

all models with the old style dash have power seatbelts.

This is not an accurate statment, I have owned 2 92 mx-3s both with the manuel belts. I wonder if the Cars in canada differ that way.

[Gro Harlem]

might as well bump this since it has interest.

and FYI for everyone here:

92-93 UNITED STATES Mx-3's have power seatbelts.

94-95's have dual airbags & manual belts.

All canadian models have power seatbelts.

In 1988 a law was passed that required all cars by 1991 to have a passive restraint system. Manufacturers had the choice of either adding an airbag to the drivers side (minimum) or having dual automatic seatbelts. Most of the cheap crappier "automatic seatbelts" were in some GM & Nissans and attached to the door itself, causing the belt to pull away from the door when you openend it. Another alternative was to have automatic seatbelts w/retracting reels & motors & a computer brain that actuated them via the door latches. Mazda's had these, more expensive but still cheaper than airbags at the time.

[MX3-Freak]

Origonally posted by GRo Harlem
All canadian models have power seatbelts.

Sorry gro, not sure if you mis-typed or what. No mx-3's shipped to canada have auto belts. No matter what the year. It is strictly a US thing.

<small>[ July 04, 2004, 10:43 AM: Message edited by: MX3-Freak ]</small>

[Gro Harlem]

yeah thats what i meant to say.

[MX3-Freak]

I knew that all along

BTW, nice right up. Im just glad I own a 95 so I wont have to use it anytime soon.

<small>[ July 05, 2004, 12:07 AM: Message edited by: MX3-Freak ]</small>

[Zoso124]

I'm about to do this, whats the difference in the headliners? Can you just modify the existing one?

[Gro Harlem]

since the a-pillars cover quite a bit of sheet metal on the poewr seatbelt models, their headliners end much sooner. You'll know what I mean just removing your A-pillar & B-pillar trim peices. The 94+ headliner goes all the way to the lil black "sealer strip" thing. What I did was reupholstered my existing headliner with black fabric, and made sure the fabric went well beyond the headliner on the sides. then I just tucked the excess fabric under that black strip peice and you can't even tell there is a gap there (unless you push your finger against the headliner).

[TsiMiata]

Bringing this back from the dead...

Just converted my belts this weekend. Am I adding to this since you can simplify the conversion a bit. I did not replace the A & B pillar trim pieces or the headliner. What I did was cut up the power seatbelt track and left it in place to fill any gaps and leave the attachment points for the trim pieces.

At the end of the seatbelt track above the motor assembly is a black metal bracket. I cut the track right above this part with a hacksaw. It cuts VERY easy. I bolted what was left of the track back in the car. I had to drill 1 1/8" holes in the B pillar for the manual seatbelt upper bolt. You also need to add another washer to the upper bolt so it will clear the trim panel. Luckily there is a perfect washer you can use that held the old power motor in place.

You have to modify the B pillar to allow the belt to come up through it. I then put two vertical cuts in the b pillar with a razor knife either side of where the belt comes out of the lower B pillar panel(the giant one) ~1/2" long. Next step was to heat the b pillar with a heat gun to soften up the plastic and bend it towards the outside of the car.

It was pretty easy to mod up the parts to make everything work. A lot easier than replacing the headliner for sure.

I should emphasize don't forget to get the seatbelt latches off the seat. They are different and the old ones won't work. I forgot to grab them at first.

Now does anyone know how to get the "belt" light on the dash to shut off?

[Gro Harlem]

ya that works too, but only thing about it is that you are ruining your stock power seatbelt reel.

I turned around and sold my stock auto seatbelt assemblies (evertying I removed minus headliner) for over 100 dollars .

But sourcing the newer style headliner is really difficult if you have a sunroof. I got lucky as crap and found a 95 RS with the optional sunroof. All of the manual seatbelt cars have an o-sheit handle too on the passenger side.

[SE-Man]

I was curious, I know if the car came with Air Bags, its illeage to remove them is it the same for passive restraints?

I called the Highway Patrol DOI and they said "If the officer notices that your searing wheel air bag has been removed your car it WILL be towed, fined, and labeled unsafe for on road use, the same applies to passive restraints. At that time the car may be picked up from impound, but only by tow methid. Your plates will be revocked if not fixed in 30 days.

Well, it looks like mazda just gonna keep fixing my seat belts for free then.

I actually bought a 280Z from an inpound auction, it was impounded cuz the shoulder portion of the seat belt had been cut off leaving just a lap belt. They've been getting strick here in WA for seat belts.