Seat belts? Just lap, shoulder or more?

Southern64 · Post by **Southern64** » November 15, 2009, 7:38 am

I just grabbed a bench out of an '85 f150, it has slots so I could run just lap or a shoulder. Any body hve a pic of them using a shoulder setup? Would that look weird? Just wanna be safe .....

fmartin_gila · Post by **fmartin_gila** » November 15, 2009, 8:36 am

I installed belts from a 74 Big Mercury. Can be used either way, either as just lap belts or with shoulder part attached. Had to estimate where to put swivel ends for the shoulder part. be Careful when drilling the mount through so the bit doesn't bite and pull through so to damage the outer skin of the cab. I used a 1/4 inch plate behind the inner skin to spread out the stress, hope it works if needed.

Fred

ICEMAN6166 · Post by **ICEMAN6166** » November 15, 2009, 2:17 pm

i think a lot of people have installed the 3 point seatbelt w shoulder strap, personally i cant stand the extra strap and would not install in my trucks.
both of our 66 have the lap belts, the others have none.

ken bogren · Post by **ken bogren** » November 15, 2009, 6:36 pm

My 61 uni has seat belts, and I've thought about adding shoulder belts, but how and where would you anchor the shoulder belt?

cavinandpavin · Post by **cavinandpavin** » November 15, 2009, 6:51 pm

am i the only one that has no belts at all??? but then again mine came with no options and i like it that way...

ICEMAN6166 · Post by **ICEMAN6166** » November 15, 2009, 7:13 pm

cavinandpavin wrote:am i the only one that has no belts at all??? but then again mine came with no options and i like it that way...

my 61 uni and 65 f350 do not have any at all. has not stopped me from driving them.

Post by **Greg D** » November 15, 2009, 7:45 pm

Nebraska State Law doesn't require seat belts in anything prior to 1964.
No seat belts in my Uni, I like the fact that they can't "make me" according to current law.
I'll probably have some in it by the time it's done but it will be MY choice.

cavinandpavin · Post by **cavinandpavin** » November 15, 2009, 9:52 pm

prior to 64? i was under the impression that my truck didnt have them from the factory, mine is a 65... and also if your vehicle didnt have something from the factory iwould think it would be grandfathered. i didnt think they could make you install new parts on your classic vehicle.

65 66 Ford · Post by **65 66 Ford** » November 15, 2009, 10:41 pm

Seatbelts in trucks were not manditory until 1971 and some states that do safety inspections only require them if the vehicle came with them.

GDG · Post by **GDG** » November 16, 2009, 8:46 am

I would not ride or drive a truck without at least a lap belt. After working at the GM proving grounds for 35 yrs and watching crash tests and videos. Those old dash boards and windshields do a lot of damage to a body and being thrown clear is a joke.
BUCKLE UP FOR SAFETY!!
Doug

Brian Taylor · Post by **Brian Taylor** » November 16, 2009, 9:33 am

My truck only had 2 lap belts with the stock bench. BUT I ahve 2 kids (4 & 7) so safety for them in my truck was most important. I added a center lap belt to accomidate both of my boys. Later I put in a set of new model split buckets with center seat, the buckets have 3 point belts and the center has a lapbelt. I am more comfortable taking my boys for a ride with them but I also live in Dallas and traffic sucks. If we lived more in the country I would still have the bench and laps.
This is like everthing we do on our trucks. It is your truck do as you want.

Max · Post by **Max** » November 16, 2009, 10:28 am

My first truck had only lap belts. I was sitting at an intersection on my way to school during a morning thunderstorm. I was third behind two other Ford trucks.

High School girl was going 50 mph before looking up and hitting the brakes. She slid about 50 yards and hit me square in the a$$. My head snapped back through the back window, then I hit the truck in front of me and my face hit the steering wheel. Fat lip, deviated septum and no more truck.

Not sure what a shoulder harness would've done or not done, but I have a good idea my face wouldn't have hit the steering wheel like it did.

Definitely putting them in my '64.

Phil · Post by **Phil** » November 16, 2009, 11:14 am

Easy breezy

These saved my life

http://fordtruk.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8407

Lowell · Post by **Lowell** » November 16, 2009, 12:27 pm

I recently installed 3 point belts from G.E.M. Street Rod Products. I secured the shoulder anchor like Fred described. The only thing was that there is barely enough room for the retractor, if you have a seat from a deluxe cab. Im going to put a small impression in the door acsess cover so that the door doesnt bump the retractor.I hope I never find out for sure,but hopefully the belt will kkeep my face out of the steering wheel.

fire truck · Post by **fire truck** » November 16, 2009, 3:36 pm

I would put shoulder belts in if you can.

To all against safety belts: don't be so selfish.

I've been a firefighter for 17 years and conducted around 200 auto extrications. I don't put it in gear without my safety belt on. I've put enough people in body bags to know that all those "if I'da been wearing a belt I'da died" claims are BS. ALL auto safety systems for crashes rely on one thing, the occupants having their butts in the seats. I feel no remorse for people who die in accidents when not wearing a belt, they got what they knew was coming. People really need to thing about what their death will do to their family and no the law and how they won't be told what to do when it comes to this. Case in point: Last year a guy was late to work so he passed a car in a curve only to see an suv coming around the bend toward him. He cut back into his lane early hitting the front of the car. The car spun out, but no one in it was hurt. He lost control hitting the SUV, an isuzu rodeo, offset frontal (drivers side corner to drivers side corner) and both spun. The SUV when down an embankment and smashed into the ground at the bottom. Both the pickup (90 GMC sierra) and the SUV had only drivers on board. I cut both drivers from their vehicles, this was the longest extrication I've ever done. The guy in the SUV was pinned tight, the dash cam in on him in the impact with the truck and the floorboard came up when he hit the bottom of the embankment. To get the guy out of the SUV I had to cut off the drivers side doors, clip both 'a' pillars, roll the dash, cut the steering wheel and cut the clutch and brake peddles out.
I used the spreader to pop the drivers door open on the truck. Then we pulled the driver out and bagged him. He had a large cut on his right arm, but only a couple drops of blood on the door where it came to rest. He had hit the steering wheel hard enough to stop his heart. Had he put his belt on he could have climbed out the passenger side. I've seen this enough times it doesn't bother me at all. When you put a gun to you head and pull the trigger it's not a surprise what comes next,this is the same thing in my book. I did feel sadness that day after we pull that man's lifeless body from his truck and I still do every time I pass that spot. I fell sad, not for him , but the two little girls that used to sit in the car sears that were strapped in the back seat of that pickup. They keep a cross decorated on the side of the road where he died instantly at his own hands.

Phil · Post by **Phil** » November 16, 2009, 7:25 pm

I've scrapped 3 70 Torinos that I wasn't trying to preserve.
It took days with a sawzall.

I can't imagine how long it still must take with the jaws.

Thanks for doing that job.

I want to add that I used the wesco belts in my Torino.
In an effort to retain originality I used bench (VS plastic bucket) female ends because they were more like factory canvas ones.

They were about 8" too long putting the buckle over my junk VS my hip.

When I spun the car the impact flung me out of the shoulder belt. I hit the pass seat side knocking me out.

If you put em in do it right.

cavinandpavin · Post by **cavinandpavin** » November 16, 2009, 9:19 pm

d@mn. that might be my next project.
thanks for the reality check.

matt2491 · Post by **matt2491** » November 16, 2009, 9:30 pm

Go for lap belts. Shoulder belts are no fun in an old pickup.

Gritsngumbo · Post by **Gritsngumbo** » November 16, 2009, 9:31 pm

I've worn seat belts for so long that I don't feel comfortable driving without them (required or not). I put mine on to pull out of the driveway to turn the vehicle around.
I don't know about where you guys live, but it seems that the majority of the fatalities reported in the news include the phrase "the deceased was thrown from the vehicle".
Remember, it's not the speed of the vehicle that will kill you...it's that vehicle's sudden stop, with you continuing forward at the original speed of the vehicle.

charliemccraney · Post by **charliemccraney** » November 16, 2009, 9:51 pm

Yep, that sudden stop is a killer. In some instances, a sudden stop will not be avoidable. I'd rather not travel through the windshield before coming to that sudden stop. It just improves upon the already slim chance for my survival. Further more, in the event of that sudden stop, I'd rather not slam my head into the steering wheel. I'd rather have the force distributed through my much more resilient torso, rib cage, collar bone, etc, rather than confining it to a rather small portion of my skull, which if hit hard enough, ensures the end of my life. So a shoulder belt is necessary.

Another good choice for safety, while not the most aesthetic, is high back bucket seats. They will prevent my skull from passing through the rear window, in the event of a rear end collision. I know a padded headrest will feel much better than a sheet of glass. They also add a great deal of comfort for long trips.

Another good reason for seat belts is they won't let you drag race without them!

Here's how I handled the mounitng of the 3rd point for the shoulder belt.
http://fordtruk.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=10557