---- "S. Lucas Valdes" <lucas@gowesty.com> wrote: > David, > > It sounds like the threads on the bolt and maybe the hole are buggered up. > The thread is a 7/16-20. You can get a replacement bolt at any hardware > store. Try a new bolt. If it does not thread in easily, you will have to get > a tap and chase the threads. > > There is not spacer utilized there. > > Lucas.

Lucas, thanks again for your response. Following the advice of David Beierl, who is a participant in the vanagon.com mailing list, I cleaned the bolt and bore threads with brake cleaner, and put antisieze lubricant on the threads. I then screwed the bolts in, tightened them up, and snugged them down on the fittings. The tightening did require more force than the 35-45 ft lbs your instructions recommend (I discontinued using my cheap torque wrench for fear of breaking it, but it would not turn the screws in at 60 ft. lbs, so I went to a regular socket wrench. The screws were clearly turning in properly, just required inordinate force. They set properly, there is no damage to the bore, the nut, or the surrounding parts. The screws did not twist, they turned in and set properly. I had been advised by someone else that the screws require a great deal of force to turn them in properly. Before cleaning them and applying the antisieze lubricant, I was unable to turn them in, but I could tell at that point that they were turning properly, not stopping because of bad threads.

Thanks again, David McNeely

> > -----Original Message----- > From: mcneely4@cox.net [mailto:mcneely4@cox.net] > Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2010 5:02 PM > To: support@gowesty.com > Subject: seat belt replacement > > Hello, I recently bought several seat belts from you, and replaced a jumper > seat belt with a 3-point, and both rear seat belts (this is in a Volkswagen > Vanagon GL Campmobile, 1991) with 3-point belts. I also replaced one of the > receivers for the rear, as it was worn and the buckle did not work well. > > When I removed the fitting under the middle of the rear seat to replace the > receiver (female end to receive the male buckle), first I found the bolt, or > machine screw to be very hard to turn, but it came out ok. Putting it back, > I find I cannot get it snugged down to the fitting, so the fitting is loose. > The bolt turns very hard, and eventually it seems to just stop as if it has > reached the end of it's travel. That leaves some 3/8" of the bolt still > exposed, and the fitting is not snugged, though it was originally. The > screw is not cross threaded. I have removed it and replaced it several > times now. I even put it into the nut without the fitting to see how it > behaved. Same way, stops turning part way in. > > It is conceivable that there was a spacer under the fitting, but if so I did > not see it at all. So, what do I do? Take the thing to a professional? If > there is supposed to be a spacer, I'm sure I can get something that is just > as good as the original, or maybe you sell such a thing. Please advise, as > I do not consider the installation to be adequate or safe as is, with the > fitting not snugged. > -- > David McNeely >

-- David McNeely