> I just wasn't sure how to hold the welded nutplates
> to tighten the bolt. Any suggestions?

Okay, it is easy. Feel free to order. The most complicated thing is to drill the holes.

I just finished my truck. I will post back here in a day or two. I thought it out and came up with some simple tricks to get it in there. Does not even take 1/2 an hour per side, counting the drilling.

 

I just ordered mine from Andover. I got Qty. 2 "WS80 Lap w/Harness/Direct Color: Black-B" for $45 each. Since I have a '72 with the existing reinforced holes I'll just tap those to 3/8-16. When I'm done I'll take some pics and put them on my FTE site if I get a chance.

Thanks again everyone for all the details.

--Matt


1972 F250 Custom Sport Camper Special 4x2 360 2v C6 3.73
Soon to have a 104" wheelbase as part of a Broncification project
My FTE Website -- http://www.clubfte.com/users/mlf72f250/index.html
My Galleries -- https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gallery/displaygallery.php?userid=1108

 

Matt...

Looking forward to the pics... next step in my '67.

GolferSA
67 Ford F100 Custom Cab
352V8 C6 Auto Factory Air
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golfersa@netscape.net
Check out my gallery!

 

PUTTING IN THREE POINT SEATBELTS ON A FORD F-100

Putting in three point seatbelts on a Ford F-100, mine has a 1971 body with only lap belts and no shoulder attachment points.

Tapping the sheet metal for a bolt would not hold that attachment point in a crash. You could pull the seat belt attachment point out by hand if you really tried.

Additional materials needed:

welded nut plate from Andover Auto (www.andoauto.com)
3/8 fine thread grade 5 bolt (usually comes with a three point belt set)
(2) ¼ x 1 inch grade 5 bolts (don’t use grade 8)
(2) ¼ inch grade 5 nuts
(4) ¼ inch lock washers
(2) ¼ inch flat washers
(1) plastic coat hanger or weak metal coat hanger
(1) roll of electrical or vinyl tape
(1) 9/32 inch drill bit
(1) ½ inch drill bit
(1) magnet (expanding pencil type). Not really needed, but, helpful.
(1) small thin tweezer or needle nose pliers

Putting in three point seatbelts on a F-100, can be a challenge when it comes to the plate with the welded nut because an attachment point does not exist on the older trucks that came just with lap belts. Plus, there is no way to get to the backside to hold a wrench. After some thought, here is a method I devise that will work on pretty much anything.

This article assumes you first removed any trim and the headliner. Move the dome lamp wiring to the inside of the cab to get it out of your way and so you do not accidently damage it.

The welded nut plate looks like this

¼ tab sticking up
5/16 hole
3/8 hole where nut is welded on
5/16 hole

The place I mounted mine was where it looked like a coat hook might have been on the pillar behind the driver about three inches above shoulder level where you might expect a factory seat belt retractor.

There was a round hole surrounded by three small holes in a triangle shape. Line up the plate so the big 3/8 hole for the seat belt bolt is centered over the ¼ hole in the pillar. Now mark the centers of the 5/16 holes onto the pillar.

MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT FLIP THE PLATE OVER. I did and my 3/8 hole was off by ¼ inch. Put the plate over the pillar exactly as it will be behind the sheet metal. Now drill the holes. I suggest using a variable spped drill with a stop on the bit so you do not drill through to the other side of the pillar post and put a hole in your exterior sheet metal. I used a stop and start method so I would not over drill the hole.

.Start with the ½ hole, line up the plate to make sure the 5/16 spots are still lined up. Drill one 5/16 hole, line up the plate again to make sure everything is centered, drill the other ¼ inch hole.

Take the plate with the tab facing up, straighten the coat hanger, then bend a 90 degree angle in one end. The 90 degree end should be about 1.5 inches long. Take the 90 degree end and stick it through the back of the welded nut plate so the coat hanger sticks out through the middle of the 3/8 hole so it will face towards the inside of the truck when installing the plate behind the pillar.

Now put two wraps of electric tape around the tab so it holds the coat hanger securely, but, loose enough so it wiggles a bit. The reason being is that you are going to yank the coat hanger loose when done.

Take the ¼ inch bolts and put a lock washer on them. Put them through the plate from the back. Put two very tight wraps of electrical tape around the bolt heads, but, not over the threads. One wrap on each side of the bolts sticking though the front of the plate. Angle the bolts slightly towards each other while wrapping the heads up. This is to prevent the bolts from falling out, plus, this allows you to tighten the bolts from the other side. The lock washers will then dig in and it will be like having a wrench on the inside of the pillar.

Take the coat hanger assembly and slide the plate into the pillar. When you see the coat hanger (the piece sticking through the 3/8 hole in the plate nut) grab it with the needle nose pliers. By moving the coat hanger and needle nose you can get the bottom ¼ bolt through in one shot. If you are having trouble, use the pencil magnet. Gently pull the ¼ bolt all the way through, but, not enough to push against the ¼ bolt that is not trough yet.

Hold the ¼ bolt at the back and thread a nut unto the very end of the bolt. Do not tighten it all the way down. Now, push the plate slightly back into the pillar and grab the other ¼ bolt with the tweezers or pliers. Again, the magnet might be handy. By my second plate I was able to manuever the top bolt into place and pull it through with the piece of coat hanger that is placed through the 3/8 hole. Now put a nut on the top ¼ bolt.

Gently snug the plate against the pillar making sure the holes line up. Flip over the coat hanger to hold everything in place. Doing each ¼ bolt by itself. Remove the nut, put a flat washer and then lock washer on, then the nut, and snug up. Now, is everything lined up? Tighten the top ¼ bolt, now the bottom ¼ bolt. Now finally tighten them real snug.

Fold the coat hanger back up, push threw into the pillar, pull on the coat hanger really hard (the long end of course) and remove the coat hanger. Your plate is now in place!

Andover Auto does not give you instructions on how to hook up the third point harness. I did mind like this. Bolt, lock washer, flat washer, shoulder plate, round tube spacer, attach to welded nut. The idea is the shoulder plate pivots around the bushing which is squished between the welded nut and flat washer. I used the lock washer because I have seen simular setups in Chevy vans back off over time, which is not good. I put anti-sieze on my 3/8 bolt. The bolts that came with the seat belt were the same size and thread as the Ford floor seat belt bolts.

Copyright 9/24/2002 by
John Brown
PO Box 249
Avondale Estates GA 30002-0249
bii at dscga.com

May be freely distributed on motorhaven.com (www.ford-trucks.com) , a most awesome site and well worth the $20 FTE membership!

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 25-Sep-02 AT 06:12 AM (EST)]Rebo...

Your truck must not have come with the hole for the shoulder belt already drilled and rubber plugged, on the cab corner about halfway up, on both sides of the cab... many of us have this, it's already reinforced from the factory, the truck just didn't come with the optional shoulder belt. Mine is definitely not a 'coat hook' location, much too stout for that.

Anybody know the first year that shoulder belts were an option in Ford trucks? Just curious.


GolferSA
67 Ford F100 Custom Cab
352V8 C6 Auto Factory Air
https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gallery/displaythumbnail.php?&photoid=5688&.jpg
golfersa@netscape.net
Check out my gallery!

 

Ok, here are the pictures!
http://www.clubfte.com/users/mlf72f250/SeatBelts/photogallery.html

I finished it this evening. I'm already thinking that the factory shoulder mount is a little too low for my shoulder. In the long run I may use rebocardo's method and relocate it higher.

--Matt


1972 F250 Custom Sport Camper Special 4x2 360 2v C6 3.73
Soon to have a 104" wheelbase as part of a Broncification project
My FTE Website -- http://www.clubfte.com/users/mlf72f250/index.html
My Galleries -- https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gallery/displaygallery.php?userid=1108

 

Matt, IMHO you want the shoulder point about at the base of your neck. My Taurus has a slide point and I find it more comfortable in the lowest position. I really hate belts rubbing my neck and when riding in someone elses car I look to see if it can be lowered.

Nice Job!!
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John

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In the cool still quiet of night, you can hear chevies rusting away.

 

Thanks for the encouragement. Actually, my Taurus has the adjustable mount, too. Maybe the ultimate fix for this is to incorporate some sort of adjustable mount.
--Matt



1972 F250 Custom Sport Camper Special 4x2 360 2v C6 3.73
Soon to have a 104" wheelbase as part of a Broncification project
My FTE Website -- http://www.clubfte.com/users/mlf72f250/index.html
My Galleries -- https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gallery/displaygallery.php?userid=1108

 

I am planning the same mod. I will use the rear seatbelts from a 1993 club cab Ford. It will involve fabing brackets from the 1993 base mount to fit the 1970 cab. I'll cut the old mount out of a wrecked 93 and weld these into my 70 cab. The top mount hole is already there. I will take plenty of pics and post it on here if it turns out OK, and if it doesn't?????.

 

I've always thought that the ultimate fix is to install late model seats that have the seatbelts incorporated into the seatbacks. I know that those "other" two U.S. companies have had them for several years now (my wife has a Yukon with them). Anyone know whether any Ford products currently have seat belts built into the seats, themselves?

 

Now Karl, I know you went with her and helped her pick out that brand X product. A man should love and cherish his wife enough not to let her make that kind of error, and, and I thought you were one of us. sniff, I gonna have trouble sleeping tonight, sniff, wail, bellow.
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John

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[link:www.ford-trucks.net/users/jowilker/NCFTE.html|NCFTO] North Carolina Ford Truck Owners Group

In the cool still quiet of night, you can hear chevies rusting away.

 

Nah, it was her father's fault, and I don't mess with the old man. In their defense, they get the family discount thanks to dear departed Grandpa and Uncle Jack, who both worked for Detroit Diesel, and that amounted to 10 grand off. Ford couldn't come close, and the new Expedition wasn't out yet. She is admiring the new Expedition, but she can't get another new vehicle for at least 3 years, so she's stuck with what she has.

I, meanwhile, continue to drive my '96 Mercury, restomod my '69 F100, lust over the '03 Mustang Cobra, and dream of building a 427 Cobra and a '61-63 unibody. I bleed Ford blue, except for football Saturdays, when I bleed Michigan blue.

 

Thanks Karl, That helps, but the thought of that brand x on your driveway still pains my heart.
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John

jowilker email me
[link:www.ford-trucks.com/users/jowilker|My Club FTE Page] Member 0004 since 01 01

[link:www.ford-trucks.net/users/jowilker/NCFTE.html|NCFTO] North Carolina Ford Truck Owners Group

In the cool still quiet of night, you can hear chevies rusting away.

 

 

I have had my share of friends decapitated due to not wearing seatbelts, I was in a wreck a month ago that totaled my car. I slid under the lap belt Thank God for the shouler strap.

My question is: How safe are the three points yall have installed? with 7 car accidents in the last four weeks I want to know if anyone else has 'tested' their three points esp. since I tote around someone else's kids.