Seatbelt Question

[JG2020]

Hi all,

I believe the shoulder belts in my 1984 Ford F-150 are original but the truck now has bucket seats from I do not know where.

The receiver attached to the seats is too small for the buckle. I found some seat belts set on ebay (aftermarket) that say they will fit but the belt retractor on my truck is at the top of the pillar while the ones I see have the retractor on the bottom. I would like the receiver to attach to seat if possible.

Has anyone tried these after market 3 point installs? I am not sure where the original bolt to the floor hole is. The carpet is new and the bolts that attach the seat to floor have a weld point on each one keeping me from removing the seats and pulling the carpet back.

Maybe just lap belts would be easier?

Thanks for any info.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Retractors moved to the bottom of the B-pillar in 1987, and the tongue style changed again in '90-91.
They all latch together, without issue.

I can't see your seat, but you might go underneath the truck and see where the reinforced 7/16-20 nut is.
If the bolt isn't sticking through you could poke an ice pick, up through the floor (and carpet)

Does your truck have a console between the seats?
Do your buckets swivel? (Captains chairs)

[JG2020]

Hi Jim and thanks for the reply,

While looking for/at seat belts on e-bay I spotted the receivers that are in my truck attached to the seats. From what it looks like the seats are from a 2007 Ford something.

They don't swivel. The drivers side is a power seat and when I put power to the pos and neg wires the seat work as it should.

I am pretty sure this had a bench seat originally. No center console.

I can take some more pics as to how the seats are attached. I will also crawl under the truck and see if I can spot the original mounting holes. For now I will have to keep these seats. I plan on getting all the mechanical stuff settled and then work on the interior as $$ allows.

Josh

[85lebaront2]

From the look of that retractor it is a recent enough unit it has a tensioner (tightens the belt in a collision), as Jim points out the original inboard belts attach to the floor with a special 7/16-20 bolt. Here is a picture of the floor in mine when I was working on it:


I may still have the original inboard belts from mine as they are now 1996 Opal Gray belts. The outboard ones were spliced onto the original belts so they are also Opal Gray.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Josh, I'd asked about a console because Bronco seats are a popular 'upgrade' and they do fit.
As do buckets on a mounting 'pan' from (I believe) the crew cab trucks.

The Bronco receivers are reinforced all the way to the floor, so they stand on their own. Unlike the bench seat ones that must flex to move forward and back with the seat.

If your buckets are from an '07 I have no idea, other than they should be bolted through some reinforcement not just the sheet metal floor.

[JG2020]

Thanks Jim and Bill! That photo helps a lot.
I will get some better pics of what I inherited and post them.

[JG2020]

Here is the sad situation,

[Gary Lewis]

That is sad.  I'm constantly amazed at how people mount seats.  And you say the belts attached to those seats?

[JG2020]

Yep! Seatbelts are connected to the side of each seat. 

On Mon, Aug 3, 2020, 6:14 PM Gary Lewis [via Bullnose Enthusiasts] <[hidden email]> wrote:

That is sad.  I'm constantly amazed at how people mount seats.  And you say the belts attached to those seats?

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker in front & 10.25 Spicer/Trutrac in back, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

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[85lebaront2]

 maybe? Is there any kind of safety inspection where he lives? If so, and it was bought from a used car lot he may have a case.

On the seats themselves, it looks like the bolts are welded to the seat attachments, then nuts were used as a way to level them and if the bottom ones are removed the seats should come up. I can try once tropical storm unpronounceable departs to get some pictures of how mine are mounted, they are 2000 Lincoln Continental 10 way with adjustable lumbar supports, but my seat belts are still bolted in the stock locations as they are on a Qualitex frame that had a pair of manual buckets and a folding center. I fabricated mounting brackets for the seats, but left the seat belt attachments in the original locations.

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, he might have a case.  That is awful!  And it looks like at least one of the bolts is a G2.

[JG2020]

Ok....so I gather these seats are unsafe and I should remove them ?

I bought this from a young guy from Mississippi.

He drove it out on his trailer to me in NJ since he does car delivery as a side job to his teacher job to make extra $$. No lawsuit there.

I don't think he drove it much. Just around the property and town.

Any thoughts on how to remedy the situation? Are the mounting points ruined for a stock seat install?

I am not in a huge rush on this truck. I just want to make it a nice daily driver.

Thanks!

[ArdWrknTrk]

I was going to say the bolts don't seem to have any lines (so, grade AA Butter)
And I can see letters stamped in the washer, so, Big Box.

There's no way that would stay put in a good crash.
And none of out trucks have any SRS, though often that causes more injury.

[Gary Lewis]

Yes, the seats are unsafe, especially with the belts anchored to them.

I would go back with a stock seat bolted into the stock locations, which seem to be ok from the pics unless I missed something.  Stock from a Bullnose or, if you want buckets, stock from the mid-90's using the platform.  If you haven't, read the page at Documentation/Interior/Seat Interchangeability.  It explains about the different cab floors, which helps you understand why some seats fit and some don't.

[JG2020]

I hear you loud and clear! I will check out the documentation and then I guess I am on a seat and seatbelt hunt. Junkyards are not the same out here as when I was younger.

Thanks for all the input everyone,

Josh

[ArdWrknTrk]

Lots of people seem to like the later low headrest style with the fold down center section that acts as cup holders and a cubby.

Individual seats are going to come from a Bronco or Crew Cab (with the pan)

[JG2020]

I will have to start looking around. I would rather have a bench seat but may be a hard find. Anyone know what years they are a straight swap ?

[ArdWrknTrk]

Pretty much '80-'91.
Except the crew cabs because they have a different floor behind the seats.

[JG2020]

Excellent. Thanks!

[Gary Lewis]

I think from 1980 through the mid-90's all bolt in, assuming the seats come from a truck with the same floor pan as yours.