No SAFE B Pillar Mount For Shoulder Belt?

[butchp]

Originally Posted by Rickysnickers

Have a pointer to the article?

I will look tonight and tell you the month it's in.

[58CameoAZ]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

I used 07 Tahoe third row seats to get the intregated shoulder belts. I made a frame that uses the stock seat mount points and allowed the seats to be removed. The short headrests are not to visible from the back in my small window.

Hey Orrie, May i ask on your Back seat Bracket, what did you put underneath?
The reason i ask is i had back in the day almost the same setup on my 58 Cameo, i backed the bottom up with a rectangular plate and had it bolted to the floor board that way and when after several years i took my truck down apart
i had found i had small Hairline Cracks at the attachment points in the floor board sheet metal.FWIW
Allen

[OrrieG]

Thanks for the heads up. Front bracket is 7/8 inch threaded stock welded to a 1/4 flat plate with holes to match the stock seat frame mount without any additional backing. I used G8 bolts. Rear is a 1/4 vertical plate welded to 1/4 flat stock with holes to match stock frame mount without any additional backing. Seat frame is 1" heavy wall tube, threaded stock goes thru it in front for up and down adjustment. In the back it has a vertical leg with 3/4 pivot hole to match hole in the bottom bracket. Pivot bolt is G8 with no threads on contact area.

I currently have the frame out for carpeting. I will check the area around the stock bolt area for any cracks. I went over the floor pretty carefully, it was not rusted but I wanted a good surface for paint, I believe any cracks would have been obvious after the white primer was put on.

When I had the previous bucket seats in used 2" x 2" x 1/4" plate under the flat floor parts for the lap belt and child seat attachment. I did some pretty hairy off roading that challenged the seat belts and when I welded up the old holes did not notice any cracking around them.

[MARTINSR]

I drive a 1959 Rambler every single day, I have faced this simple fact, it's a little better than riding a motorcycle and that's all there is to it.

I drive it as I use to ride a motorcycle, leaving LOTS of room, going the same speed as the car in front of me so it's not "slower" as many people think.

I do this every single day in the city all with 1.5 inch wide 9" drum brakes with a single reservoir master cylinder (oh the horrors!) and it doesn't even have self adjusters!

I drive it like the car it is and that is all I can do. Oh and by the way, I treasure driving that funky little car every day, I feel blessed to be able to it.

Brian

[58CameoAZ]

Orrie, I stand 6'4" and at 235#'s, so maybe it was my FAT Butt Lol.

Allen

[BBPanel]

Don't know if its any better but I'm going to try a set of four-point belts mounted below the window frame (backed up with a steel plate):

[_Ogre]

that setup only gives a false sense of security without a serious plate welded in there
i realize we all want to be safe, but there is only so far we can go with our metal dashes and steering columns
like martinsr drive marge, i drive my truk like a motorcycle, keep distance and don't drive stupid
i installed lap belts in truk to appease my wife, who won't ride in truk, i may take them out

[Dan in Pasadena]

Re

Originally Posted by OrrieG

I used 07 Tahoe third row seats to get the intregated shoulder belts. I made a frame that uses the stock seat mount points and allowed the seats to be removed. The short headrests are not too visible from the back in my small window.

Orrie,
Resurrecting this old thread because my truck is in the body shop and a decision on the shoulder belts has to be made - I can't procrastinate any longer.

I searched your build thread but couldn't find (I'm sure I missed them) close up photos of the complete mount frame you fabricated for your Tahoe seat.

From the pictures above it looks like a rectangular frame of 3/4" or 1" tube mounted to the original seat floor mount locations. How has the rod-to-plate weld in the front held up? I'm a little more "porky" than I care to admit (225lbs) and concerned that weld would fatigue after many cycles of getting in, getting out. In hindsight in the rear would you use both factory seat holes on each side or has yours been solid?

My research shows 2007+ Tahoe third row seats runs between $400-800. Pricey but they're leather and are in perfect condition so no reupholstery cost.

Thanks for answering questions that are likely in your build thread. Maybe just point me to the post #'s. Best, Dan

EDIT: Went back and looked at photos here more closely. I see there's no adjustment fore/aft but I see the rod in front allows up/down tilt. I assume that's why the rear mount is bolted and allows the frame to pivot using a Nylok nut, is that right? I also now see one cross member, so there's likely two at least and the solid rod the seat clamps hold. Anything else I'm missing? Is that front rectangular frame member visible other than when first entering the truck? You don't hit your ankles on it?

[OrrieG]

Answers - 1) I am short and 160 right now. I designed the seat so I could place my elbow out the window comfortably and adjust the angle. Front to back was not an issue, I am using a caddy tilt telescope column. I set the initial angle to match my CRV which I think is about 15 degrees. That matches human anatomy in a seated position. 2) After I fabbed the seat I placed the side bars on blocks and jumped up and down on the center of the cross bars, no obvious movement. If its a concern you could add bracing down to the cab floor cross braces in the middle. 3) In retrospect the front back could be moved back closer to the round rods. I solved the shin/leg gashing issue with upholstry, photos attached. 4) Frame is 1" heavy wall tube steel. Bars are 1/2" solid rods. Plate is 3/16". Bolts and threaded rod are 1/2".

I paid $100 for my seats, the person was literally leaving town on short notice for a new job and had their truck and Tahoe completely full and was going to leave them at the rental if someone did not buy them.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Extremely helpful post Orrie, thanks.

Now I've just gotta decide if I want to drop the $400-800 (Eek!) Ive seen them advertised for here. What about width? The photos in the ads I've seen make these seats look narrow compared to our cab door-to-door width? How much open space between seat & door panel do you have?

[OrrieG]

You can see in the picture that the seat edge line up with the vertical step metal. That is set back about 5" from the inside door line, so there is clearance for the handles and arm rest. The seats I got have provisions for a third person in the middle with lap belt only, so it is essentially like a bench. I did not put any horizontal stops on the mounting bars, I want to get some miles behind the wheel first so I can slide it back and forth. I have some plans for keeping a small gap between the seats.

[1project2many]

Dan, did you choose a direction yet? I just found the factory accessory manual online and I thought I add GM's answer for shoulder belts as installed in passenger cars. They used a supplemental belt which the lap belt passed through. The supplemental belt is attached to the floor behind the seat. I don't know if anything like this is available today but I actually like it. A harness mounted this way works well with a folding seat which does not latch in the "up" position.

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com...cpctai099.html

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally Posted by 1project2many

Dan, did you choose a direction yet?

Yes, I've tentatively decided to follow Orrie's approach and use a modern seat with shoulder belts built in. Thanks so much for thinking of my situation though.

[bowt1ed]

Hey Dan, have you chosen/gotten your seat yet? Wondering what you went with. Almost pulled the trigger myself, but still hesitating on giving up any width... Cheers, Jim

[Dan in Pasadena]

No, I haven't bought a seat yet. I have been watching the used market prices on Craigslist though.

I don't want to buy until I'm a lot closer to ready for interior work as my garage/shop has rats that come and go periodically. I've poisoned and trapped them and they go away for awhile but they come back. It's because I live in an older neighborhood with mature fruit trees and plenty of nesting areas. I don't want to take a chance on a rat ruining a newly purchased seat I'm storing.

Im still debating color too. I won't really know how I feel about that til the truck is final painted and at home.

[1project2many]

I don't want to take a chance on a rat ruining a newly purchased seat I'm storing.

Yikes! I feel for ya. We have lots of mice here and they're a huge nuisance. Rats are 10x as bad.