Installing shoulder belts

[91Bear]

Man, this is going to be more difficult than I thought. The threads are fine and I can only find a grade 8 3/8" bolt with coarse threads. I can't recut the threads because the T-handle on my tap is too wide to fit in there to spin it. I don't have a die grinder to cut the extra metal away and I don't want to buy one just for that. Plus, don't they run off an air compressor? I don't have an air compressor big enough.

Where do you get Grade 8 bolts, 3/8" with fine thread?

I am frustrated.

[fordman]

get the botls out of a junkyard truck. they are the same bolts. die grinders are electric also. dremel and other brands. or get some dremel bits and put them in a drill.

[91Bear]

All the junkyards are on the other side of San Antonio from me. I really don't have time to drive over there and explore. It would be much easier to buy a new bolt if you know a source.

[fordman]

a place that sells seatbelts online should have them. i dont keep those links so i cant post one.

[91Bear]

Yeah, I bought the seatbelts online but they sent a 7/16" bolt.

[91Bear]

Never mind. I didn't think doing a Google search on "nuts and bolts" in San Antonio would work, but it did.

[91Bear]

I got my seat belts from here: http://www.seatbeltpros.com/

And, I have another dumb question. I found an electric die grinder to enlarge the hole (see above.)

What kind of bit do I use with it? A grinding stone? Cutting wheel? I tried threading the bolt in the hole on the passenger side and I think I am going to have to tap it. I've never done that either. Looks like I am going to have multiple opportunities this week to screw something up!

[fordman]

id use a grinding stone. a cut of wheel can get loose and go all over the place.

tapping out new holes is fun. you will want the tap and some thread cutting oil. or any kind of oil should work. the trick is to start the tap in the metal straight. and keep it straight while turning it. if it goes off at an angle to start the bolt will want to go in at an angle and the side of the fitting that is or was threaded might not go all the way through

[austin]

I got my seat belts from here: http://www.seatbeltpros.com/

thanks for the great link

[Combat Jump]

I second that on the link. After walking around the local wrecking yard this morning, looking for a suitable shoulder harness, I decided that none of the Ford (or other) models are generic enough to bolt on to my 1971 F250.

I ordered a set from seatbeltpros.

[91Bear]

id use a grinding stone. a cut of wheel can get loose and go all over the place.

tapping out new holes is fun. you will want the tap and some thread cutting oil. or any kind of oil should work. the trick is to start the tap in the metal straight. and keep it straight while turning it. if it goes off at an angle to start the bolt will want to go in at an angle and the side of the fitting that is or was threaded might not go all the way through

I'm trying to tap the driver's side and the tap starts to cut and then shifts to one side or the other. I'm afraid I have just boogered up the threads, doggone it! The passenger side worked just fine.

Can I say #*$&%! on here?

[fordman]

i hate it when it does that. i dont know what to tell you. other than to try again slowly.

[shaggys_bump]

Go back to the drivers side and put your tap in an electric drill, preferrably one with a very slow speed, keep the drill strait and put some pressure on it. the drill will give you length to keep the tap strait and it also help because you do not have to fight keepin it strait at the same time your turning it. once you get the tap started take the drill off the tap and use your tap handle or a crecent wrench. hope that helps!

[91Bear]

Thanks but I got it done that day. It was frustrating but it works. Unfortunately, I have to do it wrong about four or five times before finally figuring it out and doing it right.