Hi folks me again, like me my friend has a 1990 4wd Townie, but his is a master surf/master ace not sure of the name and mine is a town ace limited, we were wondering if we can fit inertia reel seat belts for the rear seats both sets. I also have a 1992 townie which already has them fitted but i am not sure if earlier models can take them. Any advice would be gratefully received.

To all those who have offered help before and to the site manager thanx this has to be one of the best sites around for helping and giving advice, its nice to see people helping each other out. regards Marc

- (#3069) Marc Hamilton, 22 May 02

I believe Dave Mason who runs the sister site 'Ace Answers' replaced his rear belts with inertia reel. Check his site he may have covered it.

- (#3080) Ian Dunse, 23 May 02

Dealer put some in ours when we bought it (rear and middle seats, outside ones only of course). He said he used Transit minibus belts as most car ones weren't long enough. There's definitely something about it on Ace Answers ( this Ace Answers website ).

My Tranny belts are a bloody tight fit for fatsos and kids in bulky babyseats BTW.

- (#3087) SteveFE, 23 May 02

Yes see "Seat belts" in the Bodywork & Accessories folder on this Ace Answers website
After nearly a year of satisfactory use, three comments on the Securon belts I installed in the back.
(1) Adults say they find them tight on the shoulder on long journeys. This may be more a case of not being quite up to the rest of the Royal Lounge standard of comfort, rather than a real problem. Usually it's children or short journeys.
(2) The two door pillar fixings that are close to the window catches (a) make it hard to open those windows if you ever want to, and (b) can cause an unfamiliar user to knock the window catch partly ajar - let some rain in once. Starting again, if the belt length permits, I would consider fixing higher up than the holes already in the metalwork. This might make them more comfortable too. I wonder how this is in yours, Marc, with [presumably Toyota] belts the already fitted
(3) The round black plastic covers don't stay well on the fixing bolt heads! Must get some adhesive.

- (#3102) Dave Mason, 24 May 02

Thank you all. Dave the seatbelts already fitted in my 1992 Townace are just great and very comfortable to wear, although I have not been a long distance in them, they are a little tight but I am 6' 4" and well built, but my oldest children are both over 6' and they don't complain ( probably because I gag them at the start of the journey)however, because of this I was seriously thinking about trying to get hold of 4 original Toyota Townie belts. I will let you know how I get on. Marc

- (#3107) Marc Hamilton, 24 May 02

Help! Have just read the last messages re seat belts. I have just bought 1990 Townace with no belts in back, I am needing to use the van for trip at the end of this week and desperately need to install seat belts asap - could anyone confirm if the belts listed above are ok, and where would be the best/cost effective place to have fitted?
thanks
- (#3118) sarah, 26 May 02

Visit your local motor factor & get 6 lap belts, they will go onto the existing mountings on the seats themselves, the Townie only haslap belts as standard, many people have fitted lap & diagonal belts in the back, fine for the rear most outer seats, no good for the middle, and the middle row of seats turn around of course so a problem there as well. If you do want to fit Lap & Diagonal belts at the very back, then there are holes in the metal behind the side trim, but no captive welded nuts are fitted, so this would have to be done. The ordinary lap belts could be fitted by you quite easily.

- (#3119) Rob Drinkwater, 26 May 02

hi i fitted rear seat belts into my 1998 townace. I bought seat belts from halfords for the toyota space cruiser. We had to weld captive nuts into the pillars & side panels to hold the top & bottom fixings. We used the lap belt fixings for the retainers.

- (#3122) john heaps, 26 May 02

Hi,
I have a 1988 Master ace surf and one of the front belts in the cab has jammed. I had a look at a belt for a Hi-ace van in Charlie Browns but the fixings were different. Any ideas where I could get one ?


- (#3382) Ian Gamlin, 16 Jun 02

I contacted Toyota GB who put me through to their import section. I was advised to make no alterations to the lap belts in my Marster Ace surf as the vehichle has been designed only to carry the stress delivered through the lap belts. The seats recline and the fixing of a harness would mean drilling into the floors and i was told they may not be approriatly strengthened to do this. I have a six year old and 4 year old who are rapidly out growing their car seats and need another system of harness. I do not feel confident just using the lap belts. Has any one any experience with a MasterAce 8 seat vehichle and upgrading of lap belts. Otherwise it might have to be a trade in which we don't want to have to do.
Thanks for any help.

- (#11981) fiona knox, 24 Nov 03 8:03

Hello Fiona.
I have a Townace Royal lounge, and when we did the deal at the importers, it included fitting 3 point belts on 4 seats in the rear, at a cost of £125 per belt. It sounds like a lot, but they removed all the interior to avoid any damage from hot swarf, and did an expert job. No one queried the floor strength, but then the seat belt clamps are fixed to the seat using the same bolt as the lap belts, whilst the inertia reel and feeder is fitted to the side pillar of the van. It has to be able to take the strain better than the base of the seat surely?

If your anywhere near the Bournemouth area, I can give you the details of the garage. Failing that, turn the middle seats round to face backwards, and use them for the children.

- (#11982) dave Bright, 24 Nov 03 8:36

This is not meant to be unsympathetic bu can you imagine any other response that Toyota GB might have given? Having gone through all the hoops of regulations, tests and presumably insuring against any liability incurred, they are hardly likely to say, "Oh yes it'll be safe if you alter it".
My children were 6 and 8 when I got my Townace 2 years ago and I fitted four 3-point belts in the rear, as many other owners have done. I found there were holes for the fixings in the side pillars and made my own decision that what I did is safe enough. OK, I'm a chartered engineer, but all parents make dozens of decisions every day about what is safe enough for our children, often based on very flimsy knowledge. In the end you can't reduce risk to zero, and in these days of litigation you're unlikely to get anyone else to decide for you what level of risk is acceptable except at the point of manufacture.

- (#11983) Dave Mason (Sussex), 24 Nov 03 8:56

Help please I HAVE A MASTER ACE SURF 1990 automatic, diesel ,and cant find the screen wash container.The hand book says, and illustrates, that its at left of rear door or left oF the passenger seat,but there is nothing there that looks like a container.
CATHERINE (warwickshire)

- (#6926) Catherine Wilson, 10 Dec 03 09:52

Open tailgate, right hand side should be a black cap in the recess. There should also be a bit of plastic pipe that shows the water level. If both are not there then it should be in the front passenger footwell (very rare).

- (#6926) Clive (Bristol), 10 Dec 03 10:32