Anyone running with a 4-Point Harness?

[Smokin72on20s]

i was thinking about getting 4-point harness seatbelts for my truck, i just think it would be different and cool. I am not going to put racing seats in my truck, but i think the 4-point harness would still work? anyone running with 4-point harnesses? where would i mount them at? these are the ones i am thinking of getting:

[RON WOODGEARD]

I was running them, but they are a real pain to have to get into all of the time..And I felt them to be very restrictive for everyday use. I had RJL's

They will bolt to the same spot as factory except for the shoulder harnesses, Weld a plate under the cab to bolt the shoulder harnesses through. and use fender washers..

[Alexis]

I got a set of crow enterprise. there 5 point. i need to get them organized and sell them. They do strap you down but man, there slick.

[Longhorn Man]

remember they are not legal on the street.

[MylilBowTie]

Not to say they are legal, but what makes them illegal? Could it be the latching system?

[Longhorn Man]

1. It is not DOT aproved.
2. it is illegal to modify any safety device or system.
Technicly, putting 3 point retractable seat belts in our trucks is a no-go...and I got busted for it in Tx. I even tried palying dumb, but the inspector knew his stuff.

[Smokin72on20s]

how would you get busted for it? when you are getting emissions? or a cop or someone just sees you and pulls you over?

[LUV2XCLR8]

Originally Posted by Smokin72on20s

how would you get busted for it? when you are getting emissions? or a cop or someone just sees you and pulls you over?

AROUND SEPT. 4TH THE LAW CHANGED IN TN. WHERE THEY CAN NOW PULL
YOU OVER JUST FOR NOT WEARING YOUR SEAT BELT, VACATIONER'S BEWARE.

[Longhorn Man]

In tx there is an anual safety inspection. That's when mine was discovered. The problem is, they don't want some yahoo doing a 1/2 assed instalation. If it is not installed properly, it can do more harm to you, then just having the correct lap belt.
Some of the instalations I have seen on here are marginan at best. While the top point is fine, and the mounting point that the latch will go to is fine too, (all stock holes) the point that you need to mount the racheting mechinism is the point of trouble. on the drivers side, there is not enough room to just bolt it into place. The fuel tank is in the way with most belt assemblys. So people use a piece of flat metal. I don't care if that metal is 1/4 inch thick, it'll bend in an accident from the leverage and amount of force you put on the upper belt in an accident. Then there are the ppl who just drill a new hole in the cab floor. This is also a bad idea, even with a large washer underneath the floor, it can easily rip throughthe floor in the extreem forces of a collision.
There is the chance of future lawsuits against whom ever installed said 'upgraded' belts. Saw a case in California where the person who restored an old Mustang (a 68 if memory serves...it's been about 10 years) and installed a modern 3 point. The guy who bought the car, let his son drive it who was killed in an accident. It was determined that the incorrect belt mounted in the car is what killed him.
Notice NHRA has very strict guidlines on how to install a 4 or 5 point harness. If it is not EXACTLY how they tell you to do it, you don't race. That's it case closed end of story. This is becouse of improper instalations. Like some one bolting the 2 upper straps to the floor behinde the drivers seat. This will crush you in a wreck.

Chances are, 99% of the time, no one will ticket you for adding a 3 point, but you'd be asking for a ticket wearing a 4 or 5 point on the street.

[71 Blazer CST man]

This may be slightly off topic but not much....The police said i had to have them. They said "We dont care what you drive, it needs seat belts" - Cal. Highway Patrol. So i dont think that's 100% correct but, its' what they say. I dont feel "Safe" installing my own -functional- seat belts (this is in my 71 blazer ) .... and not one shop in Sonoma, not 1 place in Santa Rosa, wants to touch my truck. Everybody says it's a liability. I'v been pulled over 7-10 times in my blazer...i'v never gotten a ticket for anything having to do with seatbelts.....A cop has never even done so much as to lift an eyebrow. It's only over the phone they say "we dont care if it NEVER had them, it needs them" - stupid Local cop, and CHP operators that dont have a clue what they're talking about.. my .02

[Alexis]

i wore a 5 point seatbelt system when i drove britney. Not once did I get asked about it, nor did I get pulled over either. I loved those things. Especially when I got out, made me feel like a race car driver with the quick release. If you want I'll post a picture of them when I got work on britney at the end of the week. Or I might have a cd with the photo of the installed.

[grnddwn]

I've got them in the back seat right now and I'm switch the front over this winter. Just make sure you mount them to real steel not just sheet metal

[72k5]

Have had them for 15 years. Love them. They are great off-road and on very long drives. I never would have guessed how much they HELP with comfort. I have never had any trouble with law enforcement.

Since I have a Blazer and a cage, the upper belts attach to a tubing loop that goes from the rollcage to the floor behind the seat. It's kind of an "h" behind each seat. Would be tougher in a PU though. As others have said, install them properly, or not at all. But my thought is - see that steering wheel in front of you? That thing is lethal!

[RON WOODGEARD]

Longhorn Andy is right, I read somewhere in a safety magazine or article, (Can't remember where !) But the shoulder harnesses should NOT be bolted to the floor, In a collision, the forward force will squeeze you down in the seat breaking your spine..

I know they're cool, it gives a race appearance and feeling,, But for safeties sake don't screw with them on the street,,, Now I have done my "DADDY" thing to the kids, and you're going to do as you want anyway..

[Longhorn Man]

Originally Posted by 71 Blazer CST man

This may be slightly off topic but not much....The police said i had to have them. They said "We dont care what you drive, it needs seat belts" - Cal. Highway Patrol.

This is not 100% true. If the vehicle was never equipped with belts, they can not require you to install them. Safety is a federal thing, not governed by the states...only enforced. If a vehicle never had it...it never needs it. However, since all 67 - 72 trucks (and truck variants) came stock with lap belts...you are required to have them.
No joke, I was recently pulled over for not wearing my seat belt, and when I pointed out that I had it on and that it was only equipped with a lap belt, the officer stated that I am supposed to have updated my truck. I told him to go ahead and write the ticket, and in the same breath I asked if I needed to install 5 MPH bumpers and air bags. He never wrote out a damn thing.

Originally Posted by 71 Blazer CST man

.... and not one shop in Sonoma, not 1 place in Santa Rosa, wants to touch my truck. Everybody says it's a liability.

again, back to tampering with safety items, and the liability that follows it.

[weasel29gm]

Dang Andy, we still use rope here for seatbelts !!!!!!!! LOL!!!!!

[71 Blazer CST man]

However, since all 67 - 72 trucks (and truck variants) came stock with lap belts...you are required to have them.

Really? I did not know all blazers came with lapbelts. Guess you learn something everyday....

[Longhorn Man]

if there was a seat, (at least up front) then there was a seat belt.

[Smokin72on20s]

so do you think a 4-pt harness is better then no seatbelts at all?

[71 Blazer CST man]

i think after reading everything posted, the answer to that would be, YES - IF installed properly...as to not do MORE damage to you....god forbid.....

[Smokin72on20s]

could someone post exactly how and where i should install the seatbelts? maybe with pics? anything is appreciated.

[Lippyp]

I also understood that the top mounting points for 4 point belts should be above or at least level with your shoulders, the manufacturer should be able to confirnm this though.

[71Blazer]

How do you mount the harness and allow access to the rear seat? Seems like any bracketry to mount the shoulder harnesses would get in the way. I've wanted to do this install for sometime but I never came up with a good solution for this problem. Could they mount overhead to the roll bar given that it is behind the drivers seat?

[72k5]

Originally Posted by 71Blazer

How do you mount the harness and allow access to the rear seat?

I installed a piece of tubing on each side that is welded to the roll bar at shoulder level, parallel to the seat back. It has a 90 degree bend downward just inside of the center of the seat and attaches to the floor. The center point where the belt bolts on is reinforced with a piece of channel, giving a flat, strong attachment point.

I don't have a center console, so access to the back seat, while not the greatest, is not too bad. In fact, it is kind of a hand rail for getting in and out of the back. A side benefit is that the extra tubes make a nice bulkhead and tie down point if you want to haul something back there.

The only drawback I find is the seats don't recline much.