Tequipment bar installation - what to do with the rear seat belts ?

I have done a lot of reading on the tequipment roll bar install but I can't see anybody talking about the rear seatbelt issue see the attached picture, the OEM screw (black) have a little spacer allowing for the rear seatbelt to attach to them, but the new screw (silver), which come with the tequipment roll bar, don't have this spacer... I have to attach my rear seat belt to something, can I put them on the new screw ? Additional question does anybody knows of a part number to buy new screws ? mine are a bit damaged, I'm gonna try to re-thread them but I don't know how good it will be, I'd rather buy new ones. I assume those are made out of 'special' metal, I can't just buy some similar looking one at home depot, right ?

You can use any Grade 8 bolt... that is of the proper thread/pitch. It should be 7/16-14 as it is controlled by the SAE (society of Automotive Engineers) standards and all cars in the US will be the same.

But wouldn't it be metric? Local fastenal store is a source.

US Standards drive many aspects of a car built for use in US. Just like CARB standards drive other state standards.

All cars imported into the US must meet the SAE specifications... Thus, it will be 7/16-14... And yes the local Fastenal or even a TrueValue, Ace Hardware would have the correct size...

Phil, if your installing the tequip bar you should remove the rear seats and belts. You cannot have a passenger in the back with the bar in place. You will drop 40lbs by doing this also... If your installing the bar yourself there is a decent utube video that will help.

Unless you are going to completely remove the rear seatbelts (by pulling the side panels off and removing them from the car)... just bolt them back at the normal location at the base of the Roll bar (we do this all the time of clients whom are not ready to start removing items). You can remove the seat backs or leave them in (again we do this depending on clients wishes).

yes I did remove the rear seats cushion and seat back (the one which go up and down). But yes I am left with the belts that are inside the rear pillars. I don't want to remove the rear pillar and remove the belt completely as I will certainly have to take the bar out if I sell the car. Thanks Chris, I wanted to check if it was ok indeed to attach them back on those screws as they are evidently not designed for that, and I can understand it. Porsche certainly assume that if you put the rollbar in you will remove all the rear seats and belts 'properly'. Last question, how can I tell if a bolt is 'grade8' ? do they have a stamp on them or something ? I never paid attention to this at my hardware store but I don't remember seeing any grade on the bolt price tags.

On the Head of the Bolt it will be marked like this: 6 Radial Lines

Quotes source post: 8859293

Learn something new everyday..... The grade 8 has 6 lines on the head. What Chris said ^^^^

I always thought those little bar were decorative Lolll Thanks guys !

one more question because I am not an expert in nuts and bolts ... I found something here: http://www.fastenal.com/web/products...0115161&ucst=t but what to they mean by "Thread: Coarse" Is that the "Coarse" thread, the right one for this application ?

Coarse is a general term for the type of Pitch (# of threads per inch) in this case it is 7/16-14. The other thread callout would be fine (in the case for 7/16 it would be 7/16-20 or 20 threads per inch). Each size has a common Coarse & Fine thread callout... While this is not to say that they are the only Thread pitch sizes...Just the most commonly used.

I just received my bolts but they are in 'coarse thread' (yellowish on the right) unfortunately and the thread I needed is 'fine' (aluminum look oem bolt on the left) So to recap the proper size bolt is : 7/16/ diameter and 20N thread (fine)

I have installed a couple Tequipment roll bars into my cars over the years. Not only is the bolt Grade and thread critical, but also the length. After running new bolts through the seat belt holes, longer bolts often rub on something somewhere. And if it is rubbing a rotating part (such as a tire or wheel) you are going to have an ugly problem very quickly. Clearance problems aren't always visible during installation. And just installing the old bolts isn't a given either if you removed something (seat belt mounting flange), because now that bolt has to go further into the hole to seat. And it wouldn't be a bad idea to put a good sealant in the thread since it is going through the body. You want to keep the water out of the car and carpets.

That is correct, you need a fine thread 7/16 (20) bolt, not a 14.

And I must make a full appology for that mistake... I went out and checked my stock of hardware and it was 7/16-20... Talk about Egg on my face!

no worry, one need to learn ... the hard way. I did not own a set to check thread, now I do I'll go check ace hardware tomorrow as it seems the blot cost like $50 as an oem part. I only have one bolt that is pretty badly injured, the other three are decent but I need to clean them up. today I bought a inch tap and die set, but unfortunately the 7/16x20 die is too small.. the bolt doesn't fit in.

How bad are the threads on the OEM bolt damaged? If they just have some dings in them... you can take a thread file and clean them up or if you have a any jewelers files... Take one that is tapered and carefully file the damaged areas (blend into the thread form). I would do this over chasing the thread with a die... these tend to remove much more material then needed and changes the thread class (makes it much looser by thinning out the thread shape).

Why not just go to a hardware store that has a bigger bolt selection. For example there are two ACE hardware stores within about 30 miles of me that have literally every fastener known to man - two massive isles from floor to head height filled with bolts and nuts and stuff. They've even had stuff that Fastenal didn't. Or order one for about $5 from fastenal? (assuming yours is the 3.5" long one...) http://www.fastenal.com/web/products...ex?sku=0172414 99704480019 - 7/16"x90 - $50 90007549402 - 7/16"x45 - $8.76 90007549302 - 7/16"x70 - $8.76

thanks for the link, but it seems grade 18-8 is not as strong as grade 8 though. I am going to ace hardware now, we'll see If not fastenal, I'll keep you posted if I find what I need. My bolts are in pretty good shape but with all the drama about the threads being very fragile on the car, I want to have my bolt as clean as possible to avoid damaging the car threads, which would be a major pain.

At least you will have owned your AB (associates in "boltology") when you are through with this ... LOL.

The Grade 18-8 is for Stainless steel fasteners and only has a Tensile strength of 100 - 125 k psi... while grade 8 is for all other materials of fasterners that meet a min of 150 k psi tensile strength (also the yield strengths are much different.... 18-8 ~ 80 k - 90 k psi vs 130k psi). More advacned course work towards that AB

Here's a grade 9 bolt for $2.53. http://www.fastenal.com/web/products...l.ex?sku=20853

You can use a grade 9 bolt... But, you need to keep in mind as the bolt strength goes up, you also risk potential failure in a different mode. Most of the time the L9 bolts (specialty bolts) are used only in HIGH Load applications where the bolt is subjected to extreme Tensile Loads and not typically high Shear loads.

Tough to please huh? http://www.fastenal.com/web/products...l.ex?sku=18884 7/16"-20 x 3-1/2" Yellow Zinc Finish SAE J429 Grade 8 Hex Cap Screw

I went to ace hardware and they do have some choice in grade 8 and they have similar size as what I needed. they guy at the store thought I was nuts when I was trying each single bolts in that size to make sure the thread was as soft as silk, he came back twice, certainly thinking I was...nuts Installing this weekend is wife is undertanding.. if not will check back here on monday