FJ45 3 Point Seatbelt Upper Bracket (1 Viewer)

[TomV]

Have read through the previous posts about fitting 3 point seat belts on an FJ45. Suggestions were to try to source a set of Canadian market upper brackets, like these, but they are apparently unobtainium. If anyone knows of a source, please let me know.

Other suggestion was to mount the belt to a bolt hole in the upper part of the cab, like was done on 40s before they began to use the roll bar mounts:

My 982 Middle East spec 45 only has brackets on the floor for 2 point belts. There are no bolt holes in the B pillar nor above the curved corner glass to attach anything to. There is no "reinforced" area either as in the photo above.

I'm curious if anyone has come up with a solution for the upper mount for a retractable 3 point harness in a 45 like mine.

Thanks for any help.

Tom

 

[Living in the Past]

A member who hasn't been on mud for years lives in Germany. He had a 73 FJ45 that had three points seat belts. It had the fixed nut at the top like installed in FJ40 hard tops starting in 1973. US market three point seat belts didn't start until 1/76. At least Germany in Europe started in 1973. I was lucky to find a set of the Canadian market only FJ45 seat belt brackets years ago. What is different in Canada was the mount for the retractable section. It was smaller than used with the fixed nut allow the top. It wasn't directly below the bracket at the corner but towards the front. Still mounted to the base of the hard top but angled towards the bracket so it operated smoothly.
Here is what the FJ40 had for the base.

Here is the back side of these brackets to show the reinforcement.

Going have to modify it somehow to fit on the side. Seat back rest against the back of the top interfering with retractable part of the seat belt.

 

[Michael B]

This is my 1978 AUS spec setup. Maybe this will help.

 

[TomV]

Thank you for the replies and the photos, very helpful.

Michael, is your upper mount bolted into a reinforced section of the cab? Do you think yours is the factory mount position, or was it added later?

 

[rlong]

Well It would look weird with a big nut and giant washer on the outside! (I do have a early US 45 so am watching this thread with interest)

 

[TomV]

Well It would look weird with a big nut and giant washer on the outside! (I do have a early US 45 so am watching this thread with interest)

Yeah that would look weird, LOL. I asked because I saw some earlier posts about welding a nut onto the upper B pillar and then comments about how that would pull right out of the sheet metal in an accident without reinforcement and then I saw some folks suggesting to take the roof off to get access inside the B pillar and welding in reinforcement (not something I want to do). I'm really hoping there is an "easy" solution to mounting the belt up top but I'm having my doubts.

 

[Living in the Past]

This is my 1978 AUS spec setup. Maybe this will help.

View attachment 3997303

Only thing I see is the belt anchored to the floor should be on the other side of that hose. Other than that that how other than Canada mounted three point belts in the pickup cab. I like the Canadian style better because the anchor is further back at the top. FJ40s the fixed nut is not that close to the B pillar. Not sure if the fixed nut last thru the 83 model but starting with the 73 the FJ40 hard top have the fixed nut. Find rusted 73 hard top sides rust out and cut the raised section off. Drill a hole in the 45 top big enough nut. Clean up edges of the raised and welded on the 45 side.