Type 44 seat belt swapping problem

[Taka Mizutani]

The facelifted type 44 (new dash, door panels and slight exterior changes)
was the
start of Procon-Ten. That would be '89 for US cars- when they changed the
model
names to Audi 100 and 200 (which was, I'm sure you know, the designation for
the
car in Europe the entire time).

Procon-Ten's restraint system would be extremely labor intensive to retrofit
to a car
that was not originally equipped that way- you need Procon-Ten compatible
transmission
bellhousing, seat belts, steering column and probably a bunch of other
mounts.

You might be better off ordering a belt for a '87 to make sure that you
don't end up with
Audi 100 parts.

I am surprised that they would get you the wrong belts- time to take them
back to the
dealer for an exchange.

Taka


On 9/19/06, DeWitt Harrison <six-rs at comcast.net> wrote:
> >
> > Some years back, I acquired new factory front seat belts
> > for my '88 5kcs. Just recently, I installed them only to
> > find that they are somewhat different than the originals.
> > The upper b-pillar mounting shackle, the piece of
> > hardware the belt slides through, was shaped differently.
> > For example, the plastic over-molding was too fat to
> > pass through the access slot in the b-pillar trim panel
> > without a little modification. Additionally, the small
> > plastic trim cover that covers the exposed metal part
> > on the 5k's seat belt shackle doesn't fit quite correctly.
> >
> > I suspect my new seat belt set are upgraded parts to
> > be compatible with later model type 44s such as the
> > '89-'91 200s or the V8s. Investigating the upper b-pillar
> > seat belt attachment point arrangement of the newer
> > cars showed that the seat belt emerges from behind
> > the b-pillar trim panel much higher on the pillar
> > via a more streamlined looking height adjustment
> > mechanism than that of my 5kcs.
> >
> > My thought was to obtain b-pillar trim parts and
> > mounting hardware from a newer car and do a conversion.
> > A q-lister who is parting out a V8 tried to help me out
> > but the Procon belt tensioning cables foiled his attempt
> > to remove stuff. I've also noticed in the family album
> > that there seems to have been various stages of evolution
> > in the front seat belt system. I'm feeling I may be better
> > off trying to make a conversion to a belt system closer in
> > model year to my own. Perhaps a '89 200.
> >
> > What was the first model year that Audi made front
> > seat belt tensioning part of the Procon system in the
> > type 44 cars? This and any other helpful type 44 seat
> > belt wisdom would be greatly appreciated.
> >
> > DeWitt Harrison
> > '88 5kcstq
>