Seat Belts

[jnicho]

What have you guys done about seat belts in your trucks?  My Dad had an old truck he rebuilt several years ago that had only lap belts.  My folks had driven it a fair distance to pick up some cabinets and on the way home they encountered a small pickup that the driver had fallen asleep and crossed the center line on the crest of a hill....he hit them head on.  The passenger of the other vehicle was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle and was killed.  My Father had some bruised ribs from hitting the steering wheel and my Mother received serious injuries to her head from hitting the metal dash.  She broke her jaw in multiple places and lost many teeth in addition to lacerations and a concision...most all of which would have been avoided if she had be wearing a combination shoulder and lap belt.  I plan to drive my truck fairly often and I think it makes sense to include the added safety of modern seat belts, but I'm not entirely sure how to go about it.  I have some ideas but if someone has already done this I would love to have some additional insight.

[JBNeal]

additional information - seat belt shoulder harness

Edited May 6, 2022 by JBNeal
revised link

[jnicho]

there has been some discussion about restraints on a few occasions... 

 

Thanks for the link to that thread.   I had searched but for some reason did not find that.

[HanksB3B]

jnicho,

 

I'm sorry to hear about the tragic family accident back then but glad your Mom and Dad were not killed. Back in the day when just lap belts were standard equipment you'd hear about accidents "that if they were wearing a seat belt" they would not have been killed" and you'd also hear stories that if they weren't thrown clear of the vehicle they would have been killed (Fire ? Going over a Cliff?).  We probably won't see aftermarket air bags going into our trucks but my intention is to install the lap belt and half shoulder harness.   

 

The first thing to know is that this is something that if done correctly is going to involve welding behind the "B" Pillar and at least a good backing plate bolted to the floor but again welding is usually the better choice.  Unfortunately for me,  I missed doing this before my cab was painted and so now I'm left with trying to solve my lack of seatbelt problem using whatever method that will allow installation of brand new set of Julliano seatbelts.

 

http://www.julianos.com/seat_belts.html

 

They weren't cheap but they included everything one would require to do the job correctly and I'm sure they would have a helpful customer service and tech group that this spring I should make an effort to get on the ball and get my seatbelts installed.

 

What I would recommend (and I've yet to do) is to know more about installation methods, and how to pick a good pair of seatbelt that'll from let's say an older BMW, Mercedes, or any good old American or Japaneese car out of a Junk Yard.

 

Well good luck and I hope those that have contribute to this thread and help us both out.

 

Hank   

 

more...to follow..

 

Hank  

Edited December 10, 2013 by HanksB3B

[Jeff Balazs]

I put retractable 3 point belts from Julianos in my truck. Door pillars should be reinforced and a heavy backing plate used at each fastening point. Julianos has a universal mounting kit that worked well for me. I don't think it is necessary to do any welding for the floor mounts assuming the floor in your cab is in sound structural condition.

 

Jeff

[HanksB3B]

I put retractable 3 point belts from Julianos in my truck. Door pillars should be reinforced and a heavy backing plate used at each fastening point. Julianos has a universal mounting kit that worked well for me. I don't think it is necessary to do any welding for the floor mounts assuming the floor in your cab is in sound structural condition.

 

Jeff

 

You don't happen to have pictures (or a link) of both the B-Pillar and the Floor mount do you Jeff ?

 

Thanks,

 

Hank 

Edited December 10, 2013 by HanksB3B

[Merle Coggins]

I thought I had some pictures of when I installed my belts to back up my statement, but there is a way to attach the upper B-pillar mount without welding. The mount that Juliano's includes could easily be modified to bolt in instead of welding it in. Just drill a smaller hole above and below the anchor hole and weld nuts to the back side so that you can use small bolts/screws to hold the anchor in place. Once the main shoulder harness bracket in bolted in the anchor can't go anywhere. I didn't do this with mine. I drilled a small hole in the pillar above and below the anchor bolt hole and plug welded the anchor plate in place that way. But I could have just as easily bolted it in without welding if I was concerned about burning a finished paint job.

 

Merle

[Jeff Balazs]

I had a friend of mine reinforce the sheet metal mounts at the pillar and used the supplied anchor plate behind this. Can't really photograph any of this after the fact. The plates they supply were also used below the floor and it is all covered with insulation,etc.. now. I think Jim Shepard may have some good photos of what he did and I took my cue from him. All I can really say is that they fit and work really well. With the way people drive around here I wouldn't even consider driving without them.

 

Jeff

[HanksB3B]

Even some after the fact pictures might be helpful to me if anyone has any. I have the plates supplied by Jullianos and am wondering what options I have at this point.

 

I thought I had some pictures of when I installed my belts to back up my statement, but there is a way to attach the upper B-pillar mount without welding. The mount that Juliano's includes could easily be modified to bolt in instead of welding it in. Just drill a smaller hole above and below the anchor hole and weld nuts to the back side so that you can use small bolts/screws to hold the anchor in place. Once the main shoulder harness bracket in bolted in the anchor can't go anywhere. I didn't do this with mine. I drilled a small hole in the pillar above and below the anchor bolt hole and plug welded the anchor plate in place that way. But I could have just as easily bolted it in without welding if I was concerned about burning a finished paint job.

 

Merle

 

 

I had a friend of mine reinforce the sheet metal mounts at the pillar and used the supplied anchor plate behind this. Can't really photograph any of this after the fact. The plates they supply were also used below the floor and it is all covered with insulation,etc.. now. I think Jim Shepard may have some good photos of what he did and I took my cue from him. All I can really say is that they fit and work really well. With the way people drive around here I wouldn't even consider driving without them.

 

Jeff

 

 

 Read my lips...No new welding..

 

Thanks Guys,

 

Hank   but 

[jnicho]

Good info here...thanks.  I'm with Hank...would prefer to do this without having to weld if possible.

[Barry Maxwell]

I agree with jniho and Hank. Also, the link that JBNeal noted in post #2 was helpful. Particularly the post and photos from Merle.

Barry

[Plymouthy Adams]

the principle is displacing the expected pulling force over a larger areas and pinching the body at this point between/In the up right of the B post or other body attachment areas.  I try to fit as thick a plate as possible behind/inside...often this will require a capture screw to keep the backer plate in place and I have a nut welded to the displacement piece so to be able to assemble your upper shoulder harness tie point after headliner install.  (why I also try to use 1/4 inch plates, also most modern seatbelt hardware is 7/16-20)   Floor brackets design  depend again on the style/donor belt being used..will it need to pivot, will it have a dress cover over the anchor...making these transitions is not hard and again the sandwich of the floor between the mount inside and the backing under the floor.  Retractors can be mounted in the lower section and if you have sold metal here again, just sandwich..but if lightly built...reinforce as needed.  If you cannot hide the retractors and usually you cannot..simply place them in attractive build cover to protect them and give cosmetically smooth install.  Do not tie the floor fastener that is the forward point of the three point to a frame member...you wish to stay with the body of the vehicle..it has its own independent mouting system that must first fail.  Also and a big point...do ensure that your seat mounting base and floor metal is still very solid as its very mounting is also a sandwich pinch application.  I say this as some install aftermarket seating where the very lap belt is affixed to the seat frame itself.   Case in point is my very buckets seats I installed.  IF I recall you get a medium weight 3 inch backing washer from Julianios' set up..I go with 4x 4 plates 1/4 thick where possible..slightly over the top but was to hand and with my chop saw easy also to work with.

 

I hear many folks say do not get used belts...I am afraid my friend that if you drive a car from new some 20 years you trusting used belts...I have never seen a mandate or individual replace a belt unless it suffered physical damage.  Using common sense at a local wrecker to source belts is not uncommon, it's inexpensive nor for that matter is it foolish...it would be however be  foolish if  the car was sitting for long time in the yard, doors/glass gone and belts exposed to the elements..use common sense here.   I trust the belts in my older cars back to 1990 as they are in great condition, never wet or exposed to the elements..But then again..your car..your call...I also have active SRS in 4 of my builds.

 

Vice grip holding 1/2 drilled and tapped backer/displacer..also drilled and tapped for locator csrew for ease of install after the headliner install

 

Just  a sample of the backer plates I use....

 

This mount is rounded as the attachement point pivots in use and then a picture of of it with the dress cover...

Edited December 10, 2013 by Plymouthy Adams

[HanksB3B]

I agree with jniho and Hank. Also, the link that JBNeal noted in post #2 was helpful. Particularly the post and photos from Merle.

Barry

 

Thanks Barry I knew I had seen someting somewhere.

 

Hank 

[Jeff Balazs]

In my opinion the backing plates that came with the kit I got from Julianos are more than adequate. They are about 2 1/2" x 4" or so. If I pull those through the floor I have much bigger problems than the seat belts are going to solve. I opted to not fasten any of the backing plates directly to the sheet metal. They are held in place by the anchor bolts. If your floor is not in real good shape then by all means make a larger backing plate......there is plenty of room under the cab.

 

I thought they way the factory sheet metal is attached at the pillar could use some beefing up and that is what I had my buddy do some welding on. I am sure that with some creative thinking one could come up with a shaped backing plate that could be slipped into place that would spread the load in the pillar area without doing any welding on the cab itself. Some additional mechanical fasteners could be used in lieu of the welding I had my friend do to insure that the sheet metal does not tear away from the pillar.

 

I will look through my photos to see if I have any that show what I did.........but there are probably several variations that would work. Main thing is to get them in and use them.....

Jeff

 

Jeff

[Frank Elder]

How about mini van middle seats with seat belts built into the backs...................might be able to fit the system to your gennie seat.

[Dajudge]

So has anyone put a lap belt in the center?  What length did you go with?  Our truck will have 2 and 3 folks in it often.  I'm guessing the 74 inch standards, but they also offer 60".