Safety of Stock FJ40 Seat Mounts (1 Viewer)

[M-80]

I didn't think that you meant it seriously. But I still run into people who adhere to the "hope I get thrown clear" school of thought. !?!?!?


Mark...

I recently started a new job. When I went to buckle up after climbing on a fork lift, my trainer started yelling at me. He told me never to buckle up because if I tipped the truck over I would need to jump clear and they should have told me this in my mandatory fork lift training class.

The really scary thing is that he lives life by the seat of the pants--they will be picking him up with a spoon the next time he runs down interstate at 100+ mph on his motorcycle. :whoops:

 

[Mark W]

There is one circumstance where I generally advocate NOT wearing seatbelts. When crossing a deep/fast river where there is a question about the crossing, either because we have not crossed it before, or because we have not crossed it under the conditions which exist during the crossing in question. If the rig gets swept or tumbled and you have to make a fast exit, then it is probably better not to have to deal with the seat belt. But this is not a situation where you have high speed or large deceleration facotrs to consider.

IF I was operating a forklift on a catwalk over a swimming pool I guess I *might* prefer not to be belted in to that one too.


Mark...

 

[evL MT]

Ok Ok, I have to say something here in case a younger person runs across this thread. I realize the last post was in 2005 but I was trolling for seat info when I came across M-80 story of his fork-lift training ::

I recently started a new job. When I went to buckle up after climbing on a fork lift, my trainer started yelling at me. He told me never to buckle up because if I tipped the truck over I would need to jump clear and they should have told me this in my mandatory fork lift training class.

I have worked in industry for a long time now and still do. I have to re-cert on all terrain / rough terrain forklifts as well as large / small counter balance forklifts every two years. And after you do your walk around and get in, if you don't put your seat belt on first, you fail.
In fact that is an OSHA requirement. I have held an OSHA 10 and 30 card for quite some time.
If OSHA heard him say that they would lose their credibility to certify.

Once more, I have seen a few go over. The drivers would... have... been... crushed if they were not buckled in. Saw a guy riding on the side and holding on, not going far, loose both legs. And that was gross. And only once have I seen a kid lean one over on a power line and myself and everyone was screaming at him not to get out. ( you could tell he needed to go to the restroom ). I'll let you figure out why, even though the lift was "held", that he should not get out. And who holds a steering wheel like they were taught but this is one occasion where you better have your hands at 10 and 2. There perhaps is a way out of that one but you best be thinking.

I remember loosing a child long buddy two days after graduation, passenger, only one not wear his seat belt.

I agree with you Mark W. About a deep fast river crossing there. But in that case I would use a boat. No jab intended. For me creeks are about it.

Ok now after all that, looks like I rambled, can we get back to seats...?

 

[platypusREX]

So how did Toyota get past the D.O.T. regs to sell FJ40's in America?

If you remember, we didnt use seat belts when we drove back then. They put on emissions to get them into the US.

 

[bikersmurf]

I'm not worried, belts are bored to the 1/8" thick steel floor, and 1/8" box steel cross member... Stock rusty floors, not so much. When I bought the truck, it 'twas a different story, I didn't worry about picking up random hitchhikers along the highway... At highway speeds, I had the upper hand, the roll bar was sitting on chunks of wood sitting on confetti.

 

[kbahus]

My floor pan on the driver side is pretty rusty and cracked at the front left seat mount location. I have been pondering this same question lately. I have been contemplating getting flat piece of steel roughly the size of the floor pan and through-bolting it to the support braces of the tub and then securing the seat to the new steel plate. Has anyone tried something similar?

 

[bikersmurf]

I cut out the rusty metal and welded in a couple square feet of 1/8", and it has worked well... Basically the same idea, it'd work. I'd use something to kill/seal/slow down the rust before covering it up.

I'd vote for removing the old metal first, and plug welding new steel in.

 

[Rainman]

I had a 40mph+ frontal crash in the Zebranator way back when and (not recommended) my aftermarket seat belts were all bolted to the seats. Everything held. Totaled the Cruiser but the seat never moved. I walked (climbed) out with one bruise about the size of a dime on my left elbow from it hitting the grab handle. I hit a car broadside when she ran a 2 way stop sign. Her car was demolished. Mounting the seats and belts to the cage is a great idea but not absolutely necessary.

 

[Living in the Past]

The only seat that Toyota mount seat belts to the seat and not the floor were the 73-78 bucket seats. Of the three main seats styles Toyota use (early-72, 73-78, 79 and later) the 73-78 were the most stout. I've had a number of cruisers over the years and this is the only style I've never seen problems with the seat frame. I switched to 74 seats in my 68 thirty years ago with no issues. Only thing I should probably do is add sleeves thru the boxed section in the back. Currently just have bolts thru whole section with large fender washers. Also using 79 seat belts mounted to the floor and roll bar I added out of the same 79 the seat belts came from. Also have a couple of other cruisers that came factory with these jump seats. I'm not concerned about the seat belts being attached to the seat frame more worry their just lap belts not three point.

PS: There is a reason people are always looking for AZ cruisers. I have never had to deal with rusty floor boards. Other than a rusty rear sill if it isn't something really rare it's a parts vehicle.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

My Uncle fell asleep at the wheel of his 75/76-ish, rusty, Land Cruiser back in the mid 80's. He was running lap belts and no roof. Plowed into the back of another car at a red light doing about 50mph. The rear seat mounting bolts pulled through the tub, and the mounts bent forward. He was actually thrown out of the lap belt, over the steering wheel, through the windshield (which actually folded flat in the impact) and into a ditch beside the Land Cruiser. He walked away battered but otherwise unbroken. Basically, the windshield being rusty to the point that it collapsed when he flew through it probably saved his life.

Maybe Toyota designed the Land Cruiser to rust so that, when the driver was thrown out of the vehicle, it would simply turn to dust around them and not cause any permanent damage?

I believe the seat pulling up was a result of the floor rusting out around the bolts.

Long story short, I agree with those who have said "no, they aren't safe" and Brian, who said "just don't wreck it."

I'm currently running lap belts mounted to the floor at the rear heater, and an old Chevy bench seat welded to the stock mounts (yes, welded). When I install bucket seats, I'll be mounting shoulder harnesses belts to the floor and the roll bar. I might see about reinforcing the area of the floor that the belts mount to as well.

 

[Living in the Past]

Personally any vehicle that is that rusty shouldn't be on the road no matter how you mount the seats and seat belts. You have to have something solid to start with. Also a few cases of falling asleep at the wheel which is something that could be avoided. Tired and highways speeds don't mix even in the safest modern vehicle on the road. Because the seats broke out of a rusty floor is not going to convince be that mid seventies bucket seats aren't stout. Toyota used the lap belt on these seats from 9/73 to 1/76 when the first three point started. Because my 10/75 76 model is so original I will probably use a three point version that used the roll bar and seats to mount. That way I can bolt everything in without having to drill holes in stock rust free FJ40.

 

[RWBeringer4x4]

Didn't mean to imply that the existing seat mounts bolted through the floor were a design flaw, simply that, given the age and condition of many of these trucks, it might be something to check, and, if need be, address through reinforcement. If the floorboards are totally rusted through, it's an obvious hazard. If they are somewhere "in-between" (or have lost some thickness to rust) it's less obvious and potentially less likely to be addressed.

 

[Living in the Past]

Here is my 73 FST I bought twenty years ago only because the owner offered it to me so cheap.

 

[Living in the Past]

First time I have been able to post pictures and not have it all screwed up since the update. Was afraid to edit my post just incase that screwed it up. This cruiser has two small rust spots on the back corners. Not bad enough to replace the sill that part is solid. Just add a little skin to patch the rust. For me much more than this and it's not worth fixing.

 

[1973Guppie]

holy old thread batman!......

 

[Living in the Past]

While looking for some parts today I opened up a box that had three point seat belts. Trying to identify the year. Guessing 1/76 to 12/78. Looks like the main section bolted to either the hard top or the roll bar. The female catch would bolt to the seat. Not sure where the other end would bolt to but I think the outer side of the seat. Black in color and driver' side has the wire for the seat belt warning. I believe 76 and 77 have seat belt warning light mounted to the bottom of the dash. So all three years had the wire for the warning? Would these fit all three years or did 78 move the mounts to the floor like in 79?