Front inertia belts for early models

[Bunji]

Does anyone know if Securon inertia reels for the front are different for early cars vs later?

[xvivalve]

There were 4 or 5 types of belt fitted over the years, somewhat randomly!

[xvivalve]

I’m not sure about Securon, but there are at least two types of Britax (the far more common fitment in my experience) that look identical but are not cross compatible in that the bayonets will not engage with the keeps.

[Bunji]

The early cars have a single central vertical hold down bolt and it appears the Securon 500/15 kit doesnt have the parts to make that work, unless it uses part of the original vertical holder to facilitate the mounting, which is why I am asking.

Has anyone installed in a 1972 or earlier model?

[xvivalve]

All cars have a single central hold down bolt. Early cars had a single mounting block with two keeps integral to it, later cars had two separate keeps (from various manufacturers) on prehensile stalks, both of which were held down sharing the one central bolt. The two types are not cross compatible, so if trying to fit later style belts to an earlier car you need to source the matching keeps as well.

[xvivalve]

Your Securon kit should have come with matching keeps?

All you should need to do is unbolt the early block (these are occasionally sought after, incidentally) and bolt the two new keeps down using the single bolt through the eye of both stalks. If you are only planning on replacing the one belt, you might need to try and bolt the block and one stalk using the single bolt and simply not use the redundant slot in the block...

[ClassicFan]

There were 4 or 5 types of belt fitted over the years, somewhat randomly!

My late SE has Kangol belts with the micro switch in the stalk for the seat belt warning light so it does make life rather more complicated looking for replacements....

[Carledo]

There are only 2 basic makes. Kangol Reflex fitted to early cars with a "real" inertial switching and the central twin keeper block. The only variation in Kangol Reflex belts seems to be in the colour of of the disconnect buttons, but all seem to have the same tongue and keeper pattern.

Then there are Britax which have the separate stalks and what is best described as a "snatch-lock" action, fitted to later cars with a variant that includes the switching wires for the seatbelt light. For some reason the switched and unswitched Britax stalks are different to each other and therefore you can't mix and match switched and unswitched Britax reels and stalks.

Securon do now make OE belts for some cars, but Securon belts made for Dolomites aren't OE, they are aftermarket replacements. Don't get me wrong, Securon belts are perfectly fine, just not suitable for use if total originality is your thing!

Steve

[Carledo]

There were 4 or 5 types of belt fitted over the years, somewhat randomly!

My late SE has Kangol belts with the micro switch in the stalk for the seat belt warning light so it does make life rather more complicated looking for replacements....

Think I have some switched stalks lurking about if you need some, i'll have a look tomorrow.

Steve

[xvivalve]

Switched stalks from Kangol and Britax are not cross compatible.

I have sets from a single brand that are not compatible with each other despite looking the same; I did have them all in a single box until I discovered this and it took an evening's effort a while back to sort them into sets.