Aftermarket 3 point shoulder belts

[daveo68]

Anyone got any pictures of how you installed yours. I've searched on here and everywhere else for some kind of instructions and pictures. This is going on 1968 Chevy lwb. I'm having problems with the floor mounts and angle brackets. Can't get retactors to fit right. Just need to see how they are supposed to be.
Thanks,
Dave

[JDL]

hear are some http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=416602

[dsy1]

Here are some pics of mine...I made a bracket for the driver's side, but used the supplied L-bracket on the passenger side.

[48richard]

I bought my belts from LMC, and the only way I could get them to fit put a twist in the belt, so I ended up making brackets from 1 1/2" angle steel that moved the retractors forward about 3 inches. They bolt to the floor with 2 bolts - one in the original seat belt mounting hole, and the other right through the floor with a big reinforcement washer underneath.

I made matching brackets for both sides, although I really didn't need to do it on the passenger side, because there's a lot more room there.

Hope this helps,
Richard

[daveo68]

Thanks, guys this helps some.I believe I can get the passenger side alright. I still have in the cab tank so driver side is going to be PITA.
Thanks, again
Dave

[NC67Chev]

I found this company:

http://buckle-up.net/

They make a bracket kit especially for trucks with the tank in the cab. I just don't know if they offer the brackets by themselves. I purchased the "kit," which includes the brackets and the seatbelts.

[OJ1988]

What is the issue with the drivers side, that requires everyone to make a bracket? Is it just celaring the stock gas tank?

[camrycurt]

I had problems with the drivers side fitting under the tank too and solved it by reversing how the belt fed through the buckle part and the shoulder loop up on the pillar (i.e. I turned the belt around and fed it back through everything) and extended the mounting bracket by using a longer 1/2 inch grade 8 bolt fed through a large connector for threaded rods. By reversing the belt you reverse the orientation of the big retractor at the base and it fits nicely under the corner of the tank. Once I snugged everything up it fit nicely and works smoothly.

It's a little hard to explain but makes sense once you see it, so I'll try to get some pics tonight or tomorrow and post them up.

[daveo68]

ttt

[camrycurt]

Originally Posted by camrycurt

It's a little hard to explain but makes sense once you see it, so I'll try to get some pics tonight or tomorrow and post them up.

Here are some pics of my setup. Like I said, I reversed how the belt fed through everything which turned the whole setup around. Then I used a 5/8" x 2 1/8" connector for threaded rods to extend the bracket out from underneath the gas tank and used 1/2" grade 8 hardware to secure everything. I used the angle bracket that came with the belts to secure everything to the floor.

It works really nice and I like having the anchor point of the belt in front of the retractor instead of behind it. It makes it nice and smooth when extending.

Hope that helps!

[daveo68]

Thanks

[dmack91]

I used some self-containted F**d belts I pulled from a yard and made some really heavy brackets to bolt them to the floor with backing plates.

I would be concerned with the last pic using the threaded coupling. Looks like you may be making a long lever to act on that small 90 degree bracket mounted to the floor.

[daveo68]

Originally Posted by NC67Chev

I found this company:

http://buckle-up.net/

They make a bracket kit especially for trucks with the tank in the cab. I just don't know if they offer the brackets by themselves. I purchased the "kit," which includes the brackets and the seatbelts.

How did this work out. I'm thinking about going this route myself.

[kevmcrae]

Got my belts new from seatbeltsplus.com. Completely enclosed and very compact retractor unit. I planned on using the stock bolt but didn't like the retractor coil so visible. So I fabricated a flat "L" bracket from 1/8" x1 1/4" strap steel, (self etching primer and painted black.) It allowed me to use the stock bolt hole, but move the retractor back 3 inches, out two inches, then a tab angled straight up to bolt the retractor to. Now it tucks nicely way back in the space behind the door jam.
The other end of the belt is attached to the same factory bolt location that holds the new flat "L" bracket.
For the buckle part, because they are the cable type, I made a simple 90 degree bracket and used the factory bolt holes.

[gcburdic]

all good info...kevmcrae...you got some pictures??....

NC67Chev....let us know how they worked out for ya!!!

[TobyArnot]

I bought my belts from Juliano's. The driver's side retractor is tight using the supplied brackets, but it did work. I made a 4" long strap (1/8" x 1.25 wide CRS) and added them to the under seat portion of the latch ends. This allows the buckle to extend a little futher out from the seat back and also lets the shoulder strap portion move away from my neck. I found them to be more comfortable for me that way.

[daveo68]

ttt

[NC67Chev]

Originally Posted by daveo68

How did this work out. I'm thinking about going this route myself.

Sorry for the delay in replying! In my opinion, the brackets are high quality and heavier than any of the other angle brackets that I've seen. The seatbelts they sell also seem to be good quality. One of my obstacles was the tank in the cab. I noticed a lot of guys install the retractors in a lot of different ways (at an angle, twisting the belt, etc.) The drivers side bracket they provide allows the seatbelt retractor to be installed without putting it at an angle or anything. The only thing I wish is that the retractor's were a tad smaller. I'll take some detailed pictures of them mounted when I get back into town on Friday evening. If I were doing it all over, I would use them again.

[daveo68]

Thanks, NC67Chev
I talked to Bob at Buckle Up and went ahead and ordered mine. They do a lot of seatbelts for custom applications. Real nice people !!

[NC67Chev]

Here's some pics of mine. Please let me know of any other specific pics you want.

[kevmcrae]

Finally took some pics. I don't have a tank in the cab.
Made brackets in order to tuck the retractor back into the cab corner.

[daveo68]

Can't wait to install mine.
kevmcrae, clean install, looks great

[jocko]

Hmm. I have to say that just because it's connected to the original mounting location via an angled bracket and a couple big bolts does not mean it's as safe. While some of the posts above look pretty darn beefy and I'd be comfortable relying on them to hold up - some of the posts do not. Specifically, the homemade "extensions." By adding any bracket into the equation - especially some of the longer ones - a torque on the original mounting location is induced that could potentially cause a tear-out. I mean, the factory mounting locations are designed to have an axial/tensile load on them coming straight outta the line of the single mouting bolt - some of the above would multiply that with the brackets - some of the brackets could bend under the stress of a real crash. I don't want to poop on anyone's parade, and again, I'm just surmising here, but I'm cautious when it comes to homemade seat belt mounting arrangements. I'd be more comfortable if it was a bracket / arrangement, etc that was designed by a company that sells this stuff (like Juliano's as some of you mentioned above) because they could show you the engineering that went into it or at least assure you it has been assessed to exceed original mounting requirements, etc. But, making one's own bracket does not guarantee it'll work simply because the dots connect and because you are able to slide it on and connect the buckle. I know, I know, not a popular thing to say considering many have made this mod on their own - I'm just hesitant - and don't want any of you wearing a windshield necklace either. Ok, I'll be shutting up now.

[twouvakind]

Originally Posted by jocko

Hmm. I have to say that just because it's connected to the original mounting location via an angled bracket and a couple big bolts does not mean it's as safe. While some of the posts above look pretty darn beefy and I'd be comfortable relying on them to hold up - some of the posts do not. Specifically, the homemade "extensions." By adding any bracket into the equation - especially some of the longer ones - a torque on the original mounting location is induced that could potentially cause a tear-out. I mean, the factory mounting locations are designed to have an axial/tensile load on them coming straight outta the line of the single mouting bolt - some of the above would multiply that with the brackets - some of the brackets could bend under the stress of a real crash. I don't want to poop on anyone's parade, and again, I'm just surmising here, but I'm cautious when it comes to homemade seat belt mounting arrangements. I'd be more comfortable if it was a bracket / arrangement, etc that was designed by a company that sells this stuff (like Juliano's as some of you mentioned above) because they could show you the engineering that went into it or at least assure you it has been assessed to exceed original mounting requirements, etc. But, making one's own bracket does not guarantee it'll work simply because the dots connect and because you are able to slide it on and connect the buckle. I know, I know, not a popular thing to say considering many have made this mod on their own - I'm just hesitant - and don't want any of you wearing a windshield necklace either. Ok, I'll be shutting up now.

Gotta agree....the home "engineered" units/brackets may or may not function as intended BUT they sure(quite possibly)beat a stand alone lap belt or going bare belt.

[jocko]

Actually, my main concern is that home-made offset brackets may in fact fail at the bolt head or at the bracket itself - rendering the entire system inoperative. In this case, a lap belt alone would have been better than a faulty 3-point system. When a 3-point fails at the floor mount, the whole thing fails together. If it fails at the shouler mount point, then you potentially have a sudden long slack in the lap system, causing it to be useless also. I didn't see any above that had "separated" lap and shoulder belt systems - but I could be mistaken. If they are truly separate (separate belts that never meet) then you are absolutely correct - you'd revert to a lap belt only system in a crash. You bring up a good point - belt condition itself, fraying, etc is a failure point in a crash - I think I need to replace one of mine for that very reason!