Seat belts in a Pilothouse?

[Jeff Balazs]

Hi Guy's

What creative solutions have you all come up for installing seat belts in your Pilothouse trucks? I would love to see some photos. I am getting ready to take my cab off and have been giving some thought to all the prep work that needs to be done prior to painting it.

Thanks, Jeff

[JBNeal]

hmmmmm...

[Jim Shepard]

Here's what I did...

[HanksB3B]

Here's what I did...

I'm just curious what is behind the hole in the Pillar just behind the window? Is it a welded plate or something?

Thanks,

Hank

[Jeff Balazs]

Thank you for the photos Jim;

That is very helpful and I think pretty much what I would like to do.

If you don't mind me asking a couple more questions.....what (or who's) belts are those? And what sort of fastening arranment did you use on the upper shoulder point?

Thanks very much.

Jeff

[Jim Shepard]

I'm just curious what is behind the hole in the Pillar just behind the window? Is it a welded plate or something?

Thanks,

Hank

Plate steel with a nut for the bolt...

[Jim Shepard]

Thank you for the photos Jim;

That is very helpful and I think pretty much what I would like to do.

If you don't mind me asking a couple more questions.....what (or who's) belts are those? And what sort of fastening arranment did you use on the upper shoulder point?

Thanks very much.

Jeff

I got the belts from a local speed shop. There is a piece of plate steel behind the post with a nut welded to it for the bolt.

[Jeff Balazs]

Jim;

Thanks very much. I will do something very similar.....this is exactly what I was hoping to see.

and Hank........did you look at the seat skirt in the photos? It is the same as my cab..........

Jeff

[John-T-53]

Like Jim shows, the reinforcing at the B pillar is critical. The original sheet metal filler panel here is just tacked and screwed in place. A reinforcing plate/bracket should be securely attached to the body, fully welded.

[Jeff Balazs]

Hi John;

Yes. I will be removing the cab soon and want to have a buddy who is an ace welder/fabricator prep for this installation. I am no genuis but I do know that things like this need to be considered early on so that they don't become problems later on....

Also I am considering doing sort of a mild "woody" hybrid interior and may want him to add some additional mounting points here and there for this. I haven't really had time to come up with a final design for this .... but I have some ideas. Also a laminated wood rim steering wheel would be nice. My stock wheel is a mess.........

Jeff

[HanksB3B]

Like Jim shows, the reinforcing at the B pillar is critical. The original sheet metal filler panel here is just tacked and screwed in place. A reinforcing plate/bracket should be securely attached to the body, fully welded.

One of those things "poor planning on my part" I have a great set of new belts from Juliano's but I at am a loss as to how to mount them now that my cab is painted. Really when I think about it it's the only thing I didn't do correctly, but safety wise it is the most important one. I do have backing plates that came with the seat belt mounting kit that possibly could be welded to the inside member of the "B" Pillar. Is Epoxy resin and carbon fiber of fiberglass tape a ridulous thought?

Any Ideas Greatly Appreciated.

Hank

[Dave72dt]

The nut welded to the plate and then the plate epoxied in would work. It wouldn't be as strong as reworking that upper corner with welded steel but it would spead the shock load over a larger area. Seat belts alone would bump you up about 15 + years in safety.

[JBNeal]

I have looked at the Juliano's tech section again, and I reckon the third point anchor plate welding is just for show as a mechanical attachment would work also. Welding that structural plate to sheet metal only holds the plate in place and gives the third point anchor a clean look as only the shoulder bolt passes through the sheet metal. If the anchor plate holes are tapped and round head screws are used to mechanically attach that anchor to the sheet metal, that should work just as good as the welding. Epoxy may work well, but the bonding surfaces need to be clean and preferably roughed up a bit to produce more surface area for bonding.

All of the anchor plates act to spread the load over the sheet metal when loaded in compression. Since the sheet metal loading is in compression and not in tension, welding the plates to the sheet metal does not contribute to any structural strength the sheet metal has. Factory anchor plates are usually welded to sheet metal because it is a faster attachment process. But as this is an aftermarket addition to individual vehicles rather than a step in a high volume assembly line, the plates can be attached to the sheet metal by whatever means are available to the individual.

[HanksB3B]

Thanks Guys,

With your help I'll figure something out. I would think for ultimate strength there should be gusset plates shaped and welded to the outer shell of the cab, the inner sheet metal and pre manufactured plates that come with the kit.

Hank

[John-T-53]

Thanks Guys,

With your help I'll figure something out. I would think for ultimate strength there should be gusset plates shaped and welded to the outer shell of the cab, the inner sheet metal and pre manufactured plates that come with the kit.

Hank

Exactly. There might even be a way to get a piece of sq. tube steel in there that could be attached to the cab shell.

I'll hopefully be doing it this summer, along with the drip rails.

[HanksB3B]

John,

Your truck is already painted so I'm assuming you are going to do something involving adhehsives? I'll follow your lead as you do things unusually well.

Hank

[John-T-53]

No, will weld in something for sure. It's an old paint job, and as I repair different areas it's beginning to look more like a quilt.

So not worried about weld burn-through. Eventually the truck will get a complete (paint job). Just need mo money.

Thanks,