Feasibility of adding middle row seat belt anchor? (1 Viewer)

[bcart1991]

Been thinking about seating 5 (I have 3 boys) and still kitting out the 3rd row area of my 80 for drawers/sleeping. I have the third row seats, but it would be a pain R&R-ing those all the time.

How feasible would it be to add a shoulder belt anchor for the middle seat? My first guess would be bolting it to the roof somehow, and a clip on the top of the seat back for routing/comfort.

Am I crazy? (I know that answer...)

 

[BILT4ME]

I would take it to an anchor point from one of the seat hooks in the floor from the third row seating if you're not going to use them anyway.

The other possibility is to go straight down through the floor and up over the back of the seat. The seat is locked in place and there are some of the GM trucks that use this method on the center front seats.

 

[CJF]

I would take it to an anchor point from one of the seat hooks in the floor from the third row seating if you're not going to use them anyway.

You mean over the second row and then down to the floor behind it?

That sounds like really bad juju unless you've got a very small kid in the middle seat.

 

[BILT4ME]

Here's a possibility:



Apparently GM thinks it's OK.

Front Seat Belts for 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | Auto Parts Express

www.gmpartsonline.net

Look at the center shoulder belts.

I looked up "2020 Silverado WT center shoulder seat belt"

 

[BILT4ME]

Rear Seat Belts for 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | GMPartsDirect.com

www.gmpartsdirect.com

 

[gummycarbs]

@BILT4ME the RAV4 uses a very similar setup for the second-row, so I guess it's Toyota-approved.

 

[bcart1991]

Yeah that's the kind of setup I'm thinking of (had them in our Hondas), but how would I mount the anchor in the ceiling? I don't think a bolt through the roof would be the best idea...

 

[BILT4ME]

Yeah that's the kind of setup I'm thinking of (had them in our Hondas), but how would I mount the anchor in the ceiling? I don't think a bolt through the roof would be the best idea...

No, it's anchored to the floor, BEHIND the seat.

If you're only attaching to the ceiling, locate one of the roof crossmembers and bolt into that and cut a hole in the headliner.

I vote for floor attachment.

 

[bcart1991]

You're right, forgot about that.

Time to start digging.

 

[bcart1991]

You mean over the second row and then down to the floor behind it?

That sounds like really bad juju unless you've got a very small kid in the middle seat.

5-point belts in track cars use the rear seat belt receivers. I don't think using those anchors would be any weaker.

 

[bcart1991]

I could probably salvage a setup from a Honda and make it work. Like I have time for that too...

 

[gummycarbs]

I hope you don't have time for this, because it's honestly a terrible idea. Unless you're a mechanical engineer and a certified welder, of course.

Think about how you'd feel if one of your kids died because you were wrong about how strong some part of the body was.

 

[bcart1991]

I hope you don't have time for this, because it's honestly a terrible idea. Unless you're a mechanical engineer and a certified welder, of course.

Think about how you'd feel if one of your kids died because you were wrong about how strong some part of the body was.

Yeah there's no way I'm going to put an anchor bolt in a random-ass piece of sheet metal. There are mount points rated for things like this, that's what would be used.

I really don't have time for it, but something I was thinking about lately. It *should* be doable, but exactly how is the difficult part.

 

[BILT4ME]

I hope you don't have time for this, because it's honestly a terrible idea. Unless you're a mechanical engineer and a certified welder, of course.

Think about how you'd feel if one of your kids died because you were wrong about how strong some part of the body was.

Yet every car seat with the additional restraining strap was directed to anchor to a point on the floor behind the seat.

 

[gummycarbs]

Yet every car seat with the additional restraining strap was directed to anchor to a point on the floor behind the seat.

You're not a mechanical engineer, right?

 

[BILT4ME]

You're not a mechanical engineer, right?

No, but I know a lot of really dumb ones.......

 

[gummycarbs]

No

If one of this guy's kids dies, do you intend to be at the funeral?

 

[jellis]

....but luckily the smart ones are designing and testing collision restraint systems!! But this is FOR SURE a genuinely a terrible idea unless you can mount it to an engineered anchor. And I say this as an engineer who has designed commercial auto lifts that hold our giant rigs over our heads all the time!!! I added third-row seats to my HDJ, and replaced lap with shoulder anchors, but all using engineered components/anchors.

 

[bcart1991]

....but luckily the smart ones are designing and testing collision restraint systems!! But this is FOR SURE a genuinely a terrible idea unless you can mount it to an engineered anchor. And I say this as an engineer who has designed commercial auto lifts that hold our giant rigs over our heads all the time!!! I added third-row seats to my HDJ, and replaced lap with shoulder anchors, but all using engineered components/anchors.

That's my thought. The only tricky part is mounting the "pivot clip" or whatever you call it in the roof, like in minivans etc. Like I said, I'm not throwing a bolt in sheet metal and sending it.

 

[jellis]

Actually this is a legitimately a whole thing that can be done properly, quite easily by the looks of it:

RetroBelt® Shoulder Belts

RetroBelt offers Modern Safety for Your Classic Car, with lap belts, shoulder belts, retractable belts, and other seatbelt solutions.

www.retrobelt.com

Seat Belt Hardware Kit #1 - for Retractable Seat Belts

Check out the deal on Seat Belt Hardware Kit #1 - for Retractable Seat Belts at Replacement Seat Belts | Lap Belts | 3 Point Seat Belts

www.seatbeltsplus.com

These outfits claim compliance with the 209 standard, this standard states (emphasis added):

(f) Attachment hardware. A seat belt assembly shall include all hardware necessary for installation in a motor vehicle in accordance with SAE Recommended Practice J800c (1973) (incorporated by reference, see § 571.5). However, seat belt assemblies designed for installation in motor vehicles equipped with seat belt assembly anchorages that do not require anchorage nuts, plates, or washers, need not have such hardware, but shall have 7/16-20 UNF-2A or 1/2-13 UNC-2A attachment bolts or equivalent metric hardware. The hardware shall be designed to prevent attachment bolts and other parts from becoming disengaged from the vehicle while in service. Reinforcing plates or washers furnished for universal floor, installations shall be of steel, free from burrs and sharp edges on the peripheral edges adjacent to the vehicle, at least 1.5 mm in thickness and at least 2580 mm 2 in projected area. The distance between any edge of the plate and the edge of the bolt hole shall be at least 15 mm. Any corner shall be rounded to a radius of not less than 6 mm or cut so that no corner angle is less than 135° and no side is less than 6 mm in length.

Here's an install vid:


Turns out it doesn't take that much steel to stop a human!