Congratulations on the new Land Rover!

I’m a little perplexed by your question. Any Defender would be factory fitted with suitable restraints for the relevant seat, so I’m guessing you’re retro-fitting seats to a commercial bodied vehicle. It’s important to understand that the EU regulations on passenger seating and restraints changed in 2007, requiring that all seats face forward. The intention to fit inward facing restraints suggests inward facing seats, and if your vehicle is indeed constructed post-2007, then these would breech the regulations. If that is the case, then your insurance would also probably invalidated.

If you are fitting inward facing seats (be they new from suppliers like Exmoor Trim or second hand from another Land Rover), and your vehicle is post-2007, then please check with VOSA to verify the legality of those seats. Don’t ever just trust the advice of vendors as they may have made mistakes in understanding your details or in interpreting the regulations.

For all that, if you are retro-fitting seats to a commercial body, then the best option would be to acquire the genuine parts, ideally new (especially the belts themselves), or second hand (be very wary of second hand belts). Failing that, Exmoor Trim sell good alternatives, just as I used in the photos above. As I said, I don’t think much of their seat belt geometry, but it can be resolved using standard parts. The quality of their components seems satisfactory, though.

I’d be very happy to help you fit the seats or restraints if you bring everything down to Bedford (UK), but please understand that I am an enthusiast and amateur, not a professional, so don’t hold/sell any parts and also cannot be held liable for any issues resulting from the installation (correct or otherwise), so though it would mean you get free installation, it would be very wise to spend a small amount on an inspection by someone suitably qualified such as a VOSA inspector or even just an MoT tester before using the seats. That’ll still be much cheaper than having them garage fitted (probably by an untrained mechanic or apprentice), and your insurers are very likely to insist on a certificate or letter-headed engineer’s report on the installation anyway.

Use the email contact function on this site to send me your phone number if this fitting option suits you, or even just to talk about potential ideas.

Nick.

Thanks for following the blog.

Have a goodie!

The belts were tested before use and have passed numerous MoT inspections.