S4 Seatbelt Conversion
 

Ok.... I might be weird, but.

What would it take to convert my S5 seatbelts, to S4? I HATE those rotors, the S4 probably weighs less, and the S4 just feel better to me.

Is there any way to make it look stock, other than getting the S4 interior panels? (Which I'm not 100% opposed to doing... just not right now)

Probably not gonna look good unless you get the interior panels.

You'd have to drill a hole in the b-pillar to mount the setbelt to, and then youd have the track still going around the door. But I guess you could do it.

After lookint at the track today, if the mouse wern't there, you'd never notice it. I need to see some pics of S4's seatbelt areas.

i removed the electric seatbelts out of my s5 and put some regular ones in.. im not running with any of the interior but it bolts right in.

ill take a picture tomorrow if you guys want.

I know on DSM's you end up saving like 12 lbs converting the US mouse belts to canadian manual belts...

RS4, Please do! I have a feeling I'll need to replace that panel. :(

Just don't let your insurance co find out...auto belts give you a discount... :o

I did the conversion as well (Including interior parts) the track unbolts, but some of the fastners are tack welded into the body. I ended up bending them off with a pair of vice-grips.

All the interior parts fit fine except for the gap near the headliner and some carpet issues where the carpet meets the B pillar.

I also modded my armrest (since there's no more seatbelts there :-) to a normal sized storage compartment.

I didn't weigh the parts, but it's more than 12 pounds. The framework and motors/track combo are quite heavy.

To do the job right, you really need a lot of parts - the early seatbelt setup itself, the A- and B-pillar plastic, and the headliner.

The big problem is if you have a black interior - the only '86-88 car with a black interior was the 10th Anniversary, and it's rare to find one that's parted out for interior parts.

Yeah, I hate those damn mouse belts too :). BTW, the seat rails between '86-88 and '89-91 are also different - the earlier seat rails go back farther. They had to keep you up forward in the later cars to make the mouse belts work.

The sad thing is I've driven cars with automatic seat belts that fit well and worked well. Mazda did a really crappy job on the seat belts - they fit VERY poorly. The '86-88 belts fit great, though.

Dale

That's very disheartening. I HATE the mouse belts.... but I can't afford for my insurence to go up any MORE.

There must be SOMETHING that can be done. At least that means the center-console I'm sketching out will work with a stock S5.

Heres a picture of the whole thing

another pic

go to a scrap yard and yank the seatbelts out of one of those cars, there are 3 16mm bolts 1 10mm bolt and a couple of phillips screws after you take the body panels off.

it all bolts back into your car. Mine had all the bolt holes and everything to do it.

Time to hit up the dealer for original parts? :D

at the scrap yard where i got my seats there is some rx-7s with black interior and regular seatbelts.