Rear Seat Belt Guide

[rodo]

There have been a lot of dumb replacement bits and pieces I have felt compelled to buy for my car (ie: faded wheel caps, faded badges, inserts for armrests...) but the worst thus far has to be the utterly cheap plastic belt guide that screws into the rear seat. $104 or so for two of those plastic bits. I'm drawing the line with them. Somebody please tell me they either 1) have come up with some alternative or 2) has a workable 3D printing digital model they want to share.

[PaulC]

Autoricambi has a wire type set for $49, but actually easy to make your own from some mild steel rods and washers.

[Akspider]

Working on it!

[rodo]

Do it, Akspider! This looks like a fab start.

I tried to make one a couple of years ago. Used a terrible phone app to scan terribly and then the junkiest printer available and...it was a crappy mess. But clearly with the right scan and printer it should be a snap.

This could fund your college dreams. Or those of yours kids. Ha, or maybe just your FIAT restoration.

[Akspider]

Think I got it together to print now - - https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:5404787. My print with PLA at 50% infill was too weak so did one at 90%. Would be better with PTEG or ABS probably. (better printer someday!) Designed with pieces off a '78 I had but presume would be same. Kinda fun making little accessories for my projects Hope it would work for you....have some knobs for the heater controls to upload to Thingiverse next

[rodo]

AKspider you are a stud. Well done. I'm going to give this a shot this week and will let you know how things go. Thanks for the tech advice on printing, too.

[rodo]

Okay, printed the first pair. The shape is just right and in need of a tiny bit of cleaning up. I primed them, sanded a bit, and primed again, in an attempt to clean up the printer grooves. Painted it and tried to fit it and, of course, fitting it with the foam and vinyl is tricky and snapped the overly brittle ends. Issue was material. Used the cheapo ("sugar based") stuff. Ordered a spool of ABS in the correct color: maroon for my car. Will post again with photos after I get these printed.

[rodo]

Here are the ABS versions. What a difference. Thicker, flexible, sturdier. ABS is the only way to go. They printed better, too, cleaner edges and sides. Thanks for the file, AKspider!