New-er seatbelt upgrade?

Discussion in 'Interior/Electronics' started by Perkolator, Sep 21, 2015.

  1. Perkolator

    Perkolator Toyotaholic

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2015
    Messages:
    1,061
    Likes Received:
    268
    Location:
    Placer County
    Truck:
    1975 Hilux
    I assume some of you may have upgraded your seatbelts at some point to a newer style of belt. I've actually never seen any belts like the stock ones in my 75, where the shoulder piece is rigid and doesn't retract - you shoulda seen the confused look on my face when trying to set my seatbelt for the first time, lol.

    Anyways, the PO gave me a set of newer "modern-style" seatbelts that I want to install in the truck since there's none on the passenger side right now. I'm pretty sure the new ones are out of the 78 parts truck he stripped. I went to bolt in these new units but found that the older truck doesn't have a hole for the protruding tab on the back-side of the retractor base. The tab keeps the retractor in vertical position.

    Since my cab interior is freshly painted by the PO I'm on the fence about drilling a hole for the tab or cutting off the tab so the base can move freely like the original 75 belt is currently. Wondering if there will be any functionality lost if I remove the tab? If I go that route I'd likely put some felt bumpers on the back-side so it can't scratch the paint. What did you do on your trucks?
     
  2. convict

    convict Member

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2015
    Messages:
    50
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    Brisbane, Austraila
    Truck:
    74 hilux (pickup)
    If you drill the hole for the tab all you do is tape off around the spot where the tab will sit and then get a pin punch make a small punch mark so when you drill it won't go every where and stuff your paint when drilling don't push the drill hard as when it makes the hole it will hit the out side panel. And the tab is there to help the belt lock into place so it won't swing around that's all. I still run the factory belts in mine as mine were still mint and working
     
  3. jetas

    jetas Grand Toyotaholic

    Joined:
    Mar 26, 2009
    Messages:
    6,655
    Likes Received:
    1,091
    Location:
    Oxnard, CA
    Truck:
    72.5 Hilux
    You cut the tab off and the belt is just going to flop around and damage your freshly painted cab. Just drill the hole and call it done.
     
  4. Perkolator

    Perkolator Toyotaholic

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2015
    Messages:
    1,061
    Likes Received:
    268
    Location:
    Placer County
    Truck:
    1975 Hilux
    i haven't done it yet but i'm going to drill the hole and leave the tab. i figure it's there for a functional reason and i don't want to compromise my seatbelts.

    btw - where can i find some good pics of the b-pillar of our trucks? i've been looking but cannot find one. the PO removed and filled in my vents, so wondering what it's supposed to look like with them. mine just looks smooth, so he must have welded in a plate and body filler. the exterior i can slightly tell since it needs a bit more filler to be flush.
     
  5. convict

    convict Member

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2015
    Messages:
    50
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    Brisbane, Austraila
    Truck:
    74 hilux (pickup)
    Here is one I found I can take a pic to night of mine when I get home
     

    Attached Files:

  6. Perkolator

    Perkolator Toyotaholic

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2015
    Messages:
    1,061
    Likes Received:
    268
    Location:
    Placer County
    Truck:
    1975 Hilux
    Thanks. I found that trucks pics before. Looking for a closeup of the exterior and interior of the pillar - assume there was a hole to the inside somehow.
     
  7. convict

    convict Member

    Joined:
    Mar 24, 2015
    Messages:
    50
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    Brisbane, Austraila
    Truck:
    74 hilux (pickup)
    Nope no hole inside the cabin just a vent on the out side that gos into the piller but don't know where it gos from there
     
  8. jetas

    jetas Grand Toyotaholic

    Joined:
    Mar 26, 2009
    Messages:
    6,655
    Likes Received:
    1,091
    Location:
    Oxnard, CA
    Truck:
    72.5 Hilux
    This^^^
     
  9. YOguyDA

    YOguyDA Addict

    Joined:
    Jun 20, 2009
    Messages:
    739
    Likes Received:
    59
    Location:
    Sacramento, CA
    Truck:
    1986 Regular Cab
    Most vehicles have venting to allow for pressure relief in the cabin

    My '86 has a vent on the b pillar outside and louvers at the bottom of the b pillar inside.
     
  10. Perkolator

    Perkolator Toyotaholic

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2015
    Messages:
    1,061
    Likes Received:
    268
    Location:
    Placer County
    Truck:
    1975 Hilux
    Thanks for all the ventilation clarification. I'll have to investigate. I know that right now when I shut my doors I can see the leaves get disturbed at the cowl vents under the windshield - so I guess my dash vents is my cab vents right now.

    As for seatbelts - I tried again to install this past weekend. My replacement belts have siezed retractors, so didn't work. I also found that I'll need to rig up some sort of bottom mount for the seatbelt. All modern belts seem to have 3 mounting points for the moving section of the belt, plus one for the fixed side. On my 75 pickup, the stock belts only had 2 mounting points plus the fixed side. After seeing some "kits" for seat belt anchors, I think I can just fab up a mounting tab to install on my floor. I'll also try and source some new/used seat belts, hopefully some with the retro "toyota" markings.
     
  11. Perkolator

    Perkolator Toyotaholic

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2015
    Messages:
    1,061
    Likes Received:
    268
    Location:
    Placer County
    Truck:
    1975 Hilux
    Finished!

    Investigated under the cab to see clearance for drilling a hole to mount seat belt. Found a reinforcement bracket that the seat mounts to, with a spare nut approx 4" outward, likely used for the seat belt anchor - but there was no hole through to the cab!
    [​IMG]

    Drilled out the hole with the biggest drill bit I could slip inside the nut so it would stay center and not damage threads too much. On the inside I used a 1/2" bit to enlarge the hole in the cab floor only. I didn't have the right bolt to mount it the way I wanted to (from top), but did find a few in my parts that were too long with a smooth section of shank near the head - so I stuck them upward through the floor and used a nut to secure the anchor, good enough until I get to store for new bolts. Total install time for both sides was maybe 30 min :clapping:
    [​IMG]

    Also, went and met up with the PO of my truck and he had a box of parts he found in his garage - inside was the missing 1975 passenger side seat belt which prompted this whole ordeal, lol.
    Hopefully his will help anyone who wants to swap their belts over to newer retracting style.
     

Share This Page