The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors Seat belt installation

Post some pix of your seat belt installation. I too will be installing seat belts but haven't worked out attaching points yet.

Here you go Otto! I think it came out good.

Nice. So the inner belt is fastened to the seat frame sheet metal? I assume there's a big fender washer on the backside in front of the fuel tank?

What keeps your shoulder harness bolt from pulling through the B pillar? What is it screwed into?

The kit is from Brother's Trucks. It's a quality kit in my opinion. There is a square nut on the back side of the B pillar. There are big fender washers on either side of the cab corners and the seat frame. If you have a 5-window, you will need a right-angle attachment for your drill as there is no way to get in there without it. I watched a couple of YouTube videos, but they don't really show you what you need to know. You will have to pull your headliner to get access to the back side of the B pillar.

If you have any other questions, let me know. It wasn't too difficult. Just need the right tools. Your access to everywhere is very limited.

Interesting. I didn't know you could get to the inside of the B pillar.

I do have a 5 window. Are you saying a right angle drill is required for the installation of the outboard floor connection or is that for the upper B pillar connection?

Well both actually. Your space is severely limited. I used a 12-inch long 1/8 bit drilled down on the inside of the cab corner to mark the location of the hole, then drilled up from the bottom just above the running boards with a step bit and the right-angle attachment. Just enough room to get in there.

Can you post a another picture of that attachment from farther away in order to get a more precise idea of it's location?

Also, you mentioned the 5 window. How does that make the floor attachment more difficult?

Out of curiosity I looked for loads during a 30 mph crash. It said with stretching type seat belts the G load is 20 and a 160 lb person would exert 3200 lbs on those seat belts.
With non stretching belts the load would be 4800 lbs with the same 160 lb person. Some of us weigh a bit more of course. So I would like to know if that sheet metal is going to take say 6000 lbs of pull with a heavier person and faster speeds?

Probably not.

However, I think the primary benefit of seat belts in antique cars like this is that they keep you positioned in front of the steering wheel. During evasive maneuvers, skids, spins, etc, vinyl bench seats don't do a good job of keeping you in place. Even during normal driving situations, making turns or going around bends, the belts keep you in place and prevent you from possibly losing control of the vehicle.

With vinyl bench seats it's very easy to slide out of position during quick maneuvers or during an emergency. Staying put behind the wheel - even with lap belts only - is an enormous benefit whether or not they prevent you from hitting the wheel or windshield in a high speed crash.

If your seat belt kit came with the nut welded on the big washer with the rolled up edges, you stand a good chance it won't pull through the sheet metal in a crash. However, if you just used a round flat or fender washer the sharp edges of those will cut right through like a hot knife.

Like Otto, I like that the seat belt will help keep me behind the wheel and in the truck.

Mike B

Not sure if any of this will help but I searched "seat belts" here (link in menu above). There is a lot of discussion in the forums about seat belts.

Yes, lots of discussion in past threads with lots of pictures. The installation in the pictures posted above is not recommended. The belts should attach to the floor, not to the seat frame.

Perhaps a thick brass fender washer or backing plate would reduce that cutting edge tendency?

Also , while it would be best that a shoulder belt mount would remain intact in a collision, I would think that if it did fail there would be energy expended in the course of that failure, thereby reducing the force with which the upper body moves forward.

Just thinking through various aspects of the scenario.

seat belt mounting plates. https://www.julianos.com/Installation-Hardware-s/5.htm. To buy or copy the designs.

Exactly why I added lap belts. Many years ago when I was young and stupid(er) I slid across the seat taking turns too fast. Put a healthy scare in me.

I did similar in my 1970 Chevelle SS. Buried to beat a traffic light, and buddies that were crossing a block away, and the raised intersection left me setting on the console. Talk about trouble keeping control. Absolutely, I’ve worn my seatbelt everyday since. Installed lap belts in my ‘57 3200 bolted to floor with specified bolt and washer hardness. I’ve had the top inch of my sternum busted loose from shoulder harness in a 3 cylinder 5 speed vehicle. Along with right heal, right knee cap, and small bone in my right hand (dang gearshift knob), and drunk driver coming down the hill at 4:00 in the afternoon. Head on collision in my ditch.

I agree the belts should be bolted thru the floor and as Mike B pointed out, the edges contacting the underside of the floor need to be radius’d in order to prevent them from cutting thru the floor. I fabricated my own using 1/4” steel plate. I also have a 5 window cab and installed 3 point belts. I bought mine from Seat Belts Plus and bought the plates with an attached nut for the pillars. A little bit of grinding and bending to get it to fit. Once in place I used a pop rivet to keep it in place. Here is the post where I documented the installation. https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthread...point-seat-belt-routing.html#Post1333066

Is the Lap belt/seat belt from Brother's still the best???

I'm going to guess that Brothers sources their seat belts from either Julianos or Seat Belts Plus. I bought a set from the latter supplier and they look to be a quality product.

I wrote a DIY for seat belt installation for the 1960 - 1966 cabs and this would also apply to the 1967-72 cabs as well.
LINK HERE.

Nicely written Jay!

Really nice guide!