Quote:
Originally Posted by davepl
Not to doubt you, but the LMC kit comes with Grade 8 washers - that's what I meant by "hardened". I figured I should stick with the hardware they supply.
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Really! You'd trust your life and those you love to LMC? Do they answer to NHTSA and Transport Canada? I do. Ask them if their installation package is tested and get them to provide documentation. It all seems so simple and logical until you watch simple and logical fold up and fall apart in a pull test. In my teenage days I too bolted buckets into my Chevelle with basic washers and bolts. I get why most think the way they do. Experience has taught me to know better.
The last pull test we did we lifted the back of the vehicle off the ground while pulling the belts. That's pulling forward at and angle about 15 degrees off horizontal and on a 3500 series van. If you think what a seat belt is required to hold is trivial think again.
As I said before seats themselves are not rocket science. The loads they and their mounts are required to withstand aren't that great. When the belts are integral it's a whole different ball game. I specifically avoid doing the same thing because in a retrofit environment the hurdles are generally more than practical to overcome. Belts by themselves aren't even bad when you understand what you are up against and have the benefit of seeing that with your own eyes. The stuff I do that passes the tests often significantly damages the vehicle structure when tested. It's a real eye opener to see a mounting point permanently deflect 3 or 4 inches and I'm generally known for significantly overbuilding my stuff.
Whenever this topic comes up I chime in with same broken record stuff and I get a lot of the same doubt about what actually needs to be done. Ive designed and tested dozens of installations over almost 20 years. Take it or leave it but the best belt installation you can do will use the factory mounting points in the 67-72 trucks. Integrated belt seats are application specific and are a poor choice for this application. Can it be done? Yes. I could do it and feel comfortable with the results and be confident that it would meet the burden of the test. Would I do it? NO I would not.