Aftermarket seats and seat belts?

[Toad]

I am looking to install some after market seats and 5 point belts into my cj this winter. Is there a way to attach the belts coming over the shoulder to the floor and not to a cross bar on the roll cage. I want to keep the back seat open. Any recommendations on seats. I like the looks of smiitybilt xrc seats.I have seen a few that the fabric has fallen apart on. Any other suggestions?

 

[bryson]

I am looking to install some after market seats and 5 point belts into my cj this winter. Is there a way to attach the belts coming over the shoulder to the floor and not to a cross bar on the roll cage. I want to keep the back seat open. Any recommendations on seats. I like the looks of smiitybilt xrc seats.I have seen a few that the fabric has fallen apart on. Any other suggestions?

Seat designs are mostly the same, but quality is a big variable. I have had experience with PRP, Mastercraft, Beard, and Corbeau. All of them seem to be fairly good products. I don't know who builds the seats for smittybuilt, but I'd bet it is one of the previously mentoned names...

As for the seat belts, you won't want to run over-the-shoulder harnesses without a cross bar. The cross bar needs to be there to keep the harness from compressing your spine in the event that you actually have an accident. The seat isn't designed to support the belts without a cross bar.

 

[Toad]

[

As for the seat belts, you won't want to run over-the-shoulder harnesses without a cross bar. The cross bar needs to be there to keep the harness from compressing your spine in the event that you actually have an accident. The seat isn't designed to support the belts without a cross bar.[/QUOTE]

Explain that to me a little further please. I dont understand why it would have much affect mounted to a cross bar or to the floor?

 

[Bear T]

When mounted to the floor, the vehicles body has more chance to give or fold in a rollover, when doing so, it can cause severe injury to the spine. All aftermarket harness manufacturers state not to attach to the body of the vehicle.

I wouldn't recommend the Smittybilts, Especially if any big people are going to sit in them, 2 minutes and your arse hurts.

You can pickup the vynal black Corbaeu Moab series for cheaper than the Smittybilts at 4wheelparts. I think they are $220 a seat. Mastercraft are my personal favorites, but about $300 a seat.

 

[Chevycrew]

I have seem some pretty trick cross bars that allow belt attachment, and access to the back seat basically shaped like this: -v- but with smooth flowing curves.

 

[bryson]

Explain that to me a little further please. I dont understand why it would have much affect mounted to a cross bar or to the floor?

Copied from Yahoo Answers:

"Truthfully it's not as safe as your stock belts unless you install them right. To install them right you need a harness bar, roll bar or roll cage in the car.

The shoulder belts is the prob.. Most ricers, and kids that wants to look cool buys the belts and bolts the shoulder belts to floor pan behind front seat..

That is VERY bad. In a crash the belts will pull you towards mount point.. If belts are pulling down that much on your shoulder, you risk spinal compressing, which is where your spine in compressed or pushed together.

To mount the shoulder belts safe they need to be level with shoulders to 4" below shoulders.. No lower than that, and never higher than shoulders.

Next is the mount point.. Just drilling a hole in floor pan, putting bolt through tab on belts and through floor is a joke. The floor pans are too thin and weak. The bolt will just rip out during a crash most of the times.

I race my car at a NHRA track and to be legal to race my shoulder belts has to go to the seat cross bar of my roll cage.. Crotch strap and lap belts if mounted to floor must have a 2" dia or square, 1/4" thick steel plate on top and bottom of floor where belt mounts too with a grade 8 1/2" min thread size bolt through both plates..."​

Hope that helps a little.

 

[Toad]

Yep thanks