Can I fit a 3x3 seat belt in place of lap belt?

freakyeke

freakyeke

A2OC Donor
Hi again,

My wife has been rear-ended in her Honda Jazz and it looks like it will be written off, so I am looking to buy her a 5 seater A2. She will only entertain an A2 if it is fitted with 3x3 point rear seat belts.

This narrows my search and budget considerably, as I have noticed that they are fitted to 2004 cars onwards.

My question is this, can I use a Polo or Fabia seat back, cover it with the cloth out of the A2 and then fit it to the A2?
 
Last edited:
Hi Freakyeke,

The only rear seats that will fit in an A2 are from an A2. This thread will help you to see why: http://www.a2oc.net/forum/showthread.php?23946

As you say, only later 5-seater A2s had 3x three-point seat belts. The only way I can think of that allows you to widen your search is to consider all 5-seater A2s and then hope to find a rear bench with 3x3 belts from another car.

Cheers,

Tom
 
How often would the A2 get used with 3 in the back? In the 6 years I've had mine, I can recall probably fewer than 10 times when I've had a full 5 people in the car. Is it really a non-negotiable consideration? A2s with rear bench are rare to start with, let alone ones with 3x 3x belts!
 
Last edited:
Iv always wondered how hard it would be to get the 3 seater to fit the 2 seater, I could really use the extra seat actually.
 
scott said:
Iv always wondered how hard it would be to get the 3 seater to fit the 2 seater, I could really use the extra seat actually.
Click to expand...

Hi Scott,

That is not a feasible swap unfortunately, the floor pan is different.

Nothing is impossible but that swap is in the "too difficult" file!!!

Steve B
 
I think it's silly they done that, why not make them the same! Do you know what's so different about it?
 
scott said:
I think it's silly they done that, why not make them the same! Do you know what's so different about it?
Click to expand...

The fixing sockets for the rear seats are part of the floor pan and completely different position for each variant.
 
scott said:
I think it's silly they done that, why not make them the same! Do you know what's so different about it?
Click to expand...
Yes
the front mounts swap over ok but the holes in the floor that the seat locators go into are very different and they are substantial mounts that cannot really be relocated and they are not just holes in the floor they are proper locating lugs.

Steve B
 
As above they are proper lugs located in the floor, my original carpet was a mess had oil on it so I picked up a new one but it was from the 2 seater rear this photo shows the difference, I was lucky I just cut new holes in the carpet

 
Has anyone ever checked under the two seater carpet? To see if there is additional holes?
If a cheap rear bench seat ever comes along I might have a go at getting it to fit. Maybe drill the holes the river/glue a reinforced plate around it. When I get time I'll push my seats forward and have a look. Thanks for the picture.
 
scott said:
Has anyone ever checked under the two seater carpet? To see if there is additional holes?
If a cheap rear bench seat ever comes along I might have a go at getting it to fit. Maybe drill the holes the river/glue a reinforced plate around it. When I get time I'll push my seats forward and have a look. Thanks for the picture.
Click to expand...

They are totally different. As I said earlier. Unless you are a very gifted engineer I'd warn against trying to fettle new mountings. You've got little ones after all and this is a safety critical element of the car.

It's been done in Germany and documented on a2freun.de - but as I recall it was a seriously big job.
 
I second that completely. (Having tried to do this myself back in my early A2 ownership)

The 5 seater A2s are not extremely rare, so I am sure you could find one, if that is your minimum spec.
We have had 5 "large" adults in our 5 seater on many occasions and they keep telling me that it is comfortable enough.
But i ihave the full seat belt in the centre and I too would not want just a lap belt if that could be avoided

So my advice is to buy one with that all fitted. You might be surprised at just how many there are.

Steve B
 
Last edited:
Hi Scott, don't know if your in a position to buy another A2 with a bench as mine is for sale!
I had exactly the same problem convincing my wife to get an A2 as she was only going to have one with 5 proper seat belts, she now has a different car and we don't need the 5 seats anymore, I've just bought myself a fsi 4 seater which will be a keeper.
Take a look at my profile if interested it's a TDI 75 SE, you'll find all info on there and recently reduced price as need the space, good luck in whatever you decide.
Jeff
 
Hi and thank you but I'm in no position to buy another and would never replace my a2, thanks tho.

I'll have to look into how much of a job it is, it seems only two holes are in the wrong place? I agree with it having to be safe tho.

Thanks,

And sorry for hijacking this post a bit!
 
Last edited:
>I'll have to look into how much of a job it is, it seems only two holes are in the wrong place? I agree with it having to be safe tho.

If you are talking about the possibility of putting a bench seat into a 4-seater, I think it is considerably more involved than that - the floor has to be reinforced in order to hold down the seats in the event of a crash - even in a relatively mild crash we're talking about potentially tonnes of force, rather than just a few hundred kilos. It'd be a lot cheaper just to swap the car.
 
I havnt looked into it properly this is just what I have thought up but it's only two locks that seem to be in the wrong place, obviously safety is a must but if think it would be pretty safe in the event of a crash because their is no way the chair could lift up out of the holes (well hardly) because the seats lock onto the catches at the back? The first thing you unlock to tilt the backrest? So they should be pretty solid no??
 
If you somehow manage to make two new holes then the whole safety of the back seat depends on that. When you hit something (hopefully not going to happen of course) the momentum carries everything forward.
If the mounts for the seat are not perfect then they could come out and the passengers and the seat would be through forward into the rear of the front seats.
As for the seats locking into catches at the back, there are no such thing, the mechanism in the holes is used to hold the seats down and in place.

I am not trying to scare you, I just think that the structural design of the A2 is not something that can be changed by drilling holes and trying to mount the catch mechanism.

So please think again. This is a significant structural modification that you are proposing, as a club I think it would be wrong for us not to let you know the possible dangers.

Sorry

Steve B
 
Last edited:
It's not just the positioning of the holes that's different, but also the way in which the bench locks into the floor. I'm away from home at the moment with no access to my photo bank and only my phone with which to type, but I assure you, changing the floor plan is nigh-on impossible.

Cheers,

Tom
 
I hunted around to find one of the old threads:

http://www.a2oc.net/forum/showthrea...it-rear-seat-for-your-bench&p=40617#post40617
Mr K said:
I've no doubt it can be done. However I think it's a bad idea. The aluminium under the seat is very thin - it flexes if you push it gently with your hand. The rear mounts must be part of some stronger structure. If you cut and shut this area you run the risk of the rear seat coming adrift in an accident (which means the kiddies kill you, or a future owner, on their way to the windscreen). It's in the vicinity of the fuel tank too, which makes for more work in doing the job and no doubt adds to the risk.

Your positioning of the rear mounts will have to be accurate to < 1mm if you want to be able to remove the seat.

The mounts don't just need to be moved, they are different. You'll have to find a donor car as I doubt you'll be able to buy them off a bodyshell.

If you're going to do it you'd probably be better off finding a way of bolting the seat base to the car permanently.

Personally, I am resigned to having to swap cars to get a bench seat.

Mark
Click to expand...
 
Interesting thread, very early days and didn't realy get anywhere it seems, probably for a good reason as been pointed out! It's annoying when thing are made like this, why not just make the car with every thing that's needed for all types!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top