How to Add Seat Belts to a Car

Seat belt use is required for drivers and passengers in almost every U.S. state.

Seat belts are an essential safety feature for every car. If your car is a model from the 1950s, when seat belts were not required, or you just want to add another one, you're making a good choice for the safety of you and your passengers. Since seat belt laws exist in nearly every state in the U.S., installing seat belts will also keep you in compliance with the law.

Things You'll Need

• Seat belt and hardware
• Drill with 3/4-inch bit
• Socket wrench

Instructions

1. Remove the carpeting around the inside portion of the seat and the plastic or fabric covering on the door post of the car. You need to place one bolt in the floor of your car, and three more bolts on the door post of the car, so you'll need to remove the upholstery to determine whether you already have bolt holes in the proper locations. Cars built after the 1950s should already have anchor holes.

2. Mark the desired location for your bolt holes, if you do not already have anchor holes drilled in your car. Look at the underside of your vehicle to determine whether your floor bolt location will interfere with the exhaust pipe or any other parts underneath.

3. Drill one hole on the floor of the car and three on the door post of the car near the seat. One door post hole should be slightly above the seat. The lower two should be near the floor, several inches apart.

4. Bolt the end piece of your seat belt to the anchor point in the floor of the car. This is the "receiving" piece that the rest of the seat belt buckles to.

5. Add the three bolts to the holes in the door post to place the shoulder belt from the rear bolt, up through the upper bolt, and down through the forward bolt. Tighten all bolts.

6. Test the seat belt by buckling the shoulder belt into the receiver portion.

7. Cut holes in the carpeting and door post upholstery/plastic to allow the seat belt to come through. Replace the carpeting and upholstery/plastic.

Tips & Warnings

• Replacement seat belt kits, with all the needed hardware, are easy to find from many online companies. Just make sure you get the proper size for your seat setup.

References

• Insurance Institute for Highway Safety: Child restraint/belt use laws
• Wesco: Replacement Seat Belt Installation