Astra H VXR Sprint

Replacing the factory front seats for the Recaro Pole Position seats also means the factory seat belts and pre-tensioners are being removed (although for road use the Recaro Pole Position seats are approved for used with the factory seat belts and pre-tensioners) and 4 point Sablet harnesses are being used.

I have chosen Sabelt harnesses, with pull down straps and are supplied complete with snap hooks to attach the straps to the eye bolts.

The shoulder straps are simple to fix into the car, one of the reasons a rear cage is being fitted. The rear cage was manufactured with captive threads in the harness bars and the eye bolts are screwed in ready for the shoulder straps to clip on;

Roll Cage showing Eyelets

The outer lap straps are also pretty straightforward to fix in, because an eye bolt can simply be screwed into the captive thread originally used for the lower seat belt retainers at the base of the ‘B’ pillar, once they are removed from the car. The eye bolt screws in (right) but removing the OE bracket also leaves a hole in the trim (left);

Outer Eyelet Fitted

Which can be blanked by an OE looking blanking piece;

Outer Eyelet and Blank

The inner eye bolt provision is a little harder to do as there is a fair degree of work involved and they will need to screw into the centre tunnel. First the front seats have to be removed, along with the front centre console and the front carpets need to be moved out of the way. Then underneath the car the heatshield around the exhaust centre section also has to be dropped off the car.

The inner eye bolt is fitted opposite the outer eye bolt, so the mounting location into the centre tunnel is measured and marked and then a suitable size hole is drilled in the tunnel. From underneath a pair of eye bolt backing plates 65mm x 65mm with a 7/16 UNF captive nut on them need to be welded to the underside of the tunnel. Also another plate was fitted on the inside of the tunnel. These are a strengthening plate and are essential for safety reasons. The eye bolts were temporarily screwed in to allow the plates underneath to be held securely in place while they were welded to the tunnel. The welds were then seam sealed.  The exhaust heatshield was then refitted. The eye bolts were then removed and then refitted after a small slit was cut in the carpet to allow the eye bolt to be screwed in through the carpet once it is refitted.

Eye Bolt Backing Plate

Inner Eyebolt Fitted (before carpet is refitted)