The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 41 1/2 ton seatbelts

I soon hope to install seatbelts (lap only) in my 41 1/2 ton. Does anybody have any good pictures of where they attached theirs to the cab? Thanks

Sorry....no pics. Mine are mounted thru the floor panels with big washers washers each side to spread the load.

I put a piece of 1/8" steel plate between the washers and the floor on mine. I used the washers that came with the belts. Sorry, I can't get any pictures right now either.

Hi what you need is too mount them basically as far back and as high up as you can on the main floor pan so any force that gets trasmitted to them is a more sideways force or as low an angle as you can, Ideally mount them in the floor through as solid and thickest part of the floor you can. In the Cars I worked on ( Rangerovers Bmw's The new Mini, Rovers, Some Hondas and some Nissans, I was a Engineer in charge of Reworking any assemblies that didnt meet standards back too Engineering specs) we had a plate nearly an 1/8 thick and sometimes 3" by 2" Square that was spot welded inside another Assembly then this was mounted again with multiple spot welds too the floor, So basically In the event of some Force it spreads that force over a greater area and wont pull through ( the last thing you want too happen).More modern Seat Belts are mounted that will Peel slowly allowing force too be built gradual. but its a bit precise Engineering For that, My personal approach would be too weld at least a 1/8 inch 3" by 3" too Either the head of the bolt and mount it With bolt going inside the cab then Either a larger plate or washers on the inside under the seat belt, Or weld a 3" By 3" plate inside too the floor (Less desirable) . All you are trying too do is spread the load over a greater distance and prevent them from pulling through the floor. On A personal Note I hope what ever way you mount them That you never ever need them
Ryan

Make sure the seat is anchored well, you don't want the seat belt to be taking the load of you and the complete seat assembly together.
Also work out a way to use a shoulder belt too, even with lap belts your going to whack that non-collapsing steering column and the header panel over the windshield pretty hard if you do have an accident.
Also if you are having kids ride in the truck definitely use shoulder belts, there have been terribly severe spinal injuries to children who have only had a lap belt on, as they tend to buckle over in a crash damaging their lower spines, because they aren't tall enough to hit the dash, this is why you don't see lap belts in the back seat any more.