79+ Seatbelt Upper Bolts (1 Viewer)

[candidochris]

I’m replacing the seat belts in my 79 after installing seats - I bought the proper set from Cruiser Corp but I’m confused about the upper mount point.

As far as I know from searching on here - most US model 79+ trucks have the seatbelt upper mounted to the roll cage.

Mine was mounted to the hardtop - I’d like to move the upper to the cage since I believe the belts I bought are made to do that.

I’m a little confused about which bolts go where. I searched but couldn’t find what I was looking for - I guess my questions are:

1. Is this the correct stock bolt in the roll cage?

2. For mounting a seatbelt here with the metal bar that moves the upper piece out - what’s the best way to clear the rubber on the cage? What bolt should I be using?

3. Any idea why my stock seatbelt looks like this on the driver side?

4. This looks like stock hardware but I have no idea where it came from - any ideas?

5. My stock seatbelt retractor has a pin above the bolt that keeps it upright - the new ones don’t have this. Was debating on adding a bolt there but I’m not keen on messing with seatbelts - any opinions?

Thanks,

Chris

 

[candidochris]

Here’s the pin on the retractor

 

[Living in the Past]

What market is your from? Factory seat belts use that pin to align the retractor part to the pivot point above. Markets without a roll bar use the hard top for the seat belts. 2/78 the roll bar was used. All tops have threaded nut on the top since 73. Even lap belt markets had the threaded nut. Only non roll bar markets with point seat belts had the lower bracket spot welded to the top. The longer plate on the driver's side is because the seat is adjustable.

 

[candidochris]

It’s a US market vehicle from 9/79.

It has the factory seatbelt mount points on the roll cage.

When I got the truck, my belts were attached to the cage (retractor), the hardtop, and then the rear seat bolt - which I learned is incorrect for my model year.

The lower hardware was missing (to anchor into the rear wheel well) and the belts were frayed so I bought the Cruiser Corps 79+ belt kit.

So now I’m just trying to figure out how to mount that belt kit upper rectangular piece to the roll cage and determine if the retractor needs some sort of replacement for that pin that the factory one had which is clearly to keep it vertical. The upper anchor that’s supposed to bolt to the cage feels like it needs a longer bolt and some kind of spacer to mount the rectangular piece (to clear the rubber on the cage) and I can’t tell if the bolt in there is factory or not. I was going to chase down a 7/16-20 longer bolt but I figured I’d check on here in case I’m missing something.

I’m also just trying to figure out what I’ve got - I thought all 79s had the belts mounted to the cage but mine appears to have factory hardware in the roof so that’s a point of confusion (I know they all have the holes as you noted - but it’s weird that the hardware is there). It also seems weird that the driver side upper piece (that was attached to the hardtop) is really long and the PS one is shorter/normal.

Thanks

 

[Living in the Past]

Here is my 7/79. Best pictures I could find. Looks like the long bar is on the passenger side. Vehicle is somewhere else to look at. Top is off a early 78 that still uses the hard top for the seat belts. Third mounting point is not the wheel well. It bolts to floor at the back of the seat. My 73 FJ40 uses the wheel well for the jump seat belts. With a roll bar it uses one of the four roll bar mounting bolt for the jump seat belts.

The one picture with rust color cruiser is my 68 I pulled the roll bar and seats belts out of a wrecked 79 back in 1983. Sure I kept the seat belts in their original sides. It's the same way.

 

[candidochris]

Thank you so much for all the info - this is exactly what I needed.

I was planning on reusing the washers/spacers that are currently on the bolt anchoring the seat belt upper to the hard top in the same configuration when I bolt it into the rollbar -- does that sound correct? Here they are laid out in order - they look like what I need to clear the foam on the roll bar properly.

Thanks,

Chris

 

[RevISK]

Here is how it is s on my 4/80