Middle seatbelt

[mixer788]

I have a 2018 Silverado standard cab with a fold down console, my question is can I just unbolt the stars bolts that hold the middle seatbelts in place? Will I need to disconnect the battery before I start or can I just take them out and have it become a 2 seater?

[HeySkippyDog]

Why?

 

Just roll it up and drop it in the main compartment that's underneath that middle seat. No need to unbolt it.

 

Those seatbelts are incredibly unsafe anyway. Nobody should be in the middle seat.

[JimCost2014]

2 hours ago, HeySkippyDog said:

Why?

 

Just roll it up and drop it in the main compartment that's underneath that middle seat. No need to unbolt it.

 

Those seatbelts are incredibly unsafe anyway. Nobody should be in the middle seat.

Welcome back!

 

Don't see many posts from you these days. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!!!

[Salsa De Piña]

11 hours ago, HeySkippyDog said:

Those seatbelts are incredibly unsafe anyway. Nobody should be in the middle seat.

 

And yet many of us survived past the 80's.

[Grumpy Bear]

1 hour ago, Salsa De Piña said:

And yet many of us survived past the 80's.

 

Even my kids survived the 80's 

 

If the world was 'right' love of our neighbors would protect us from each other and love of self and self preservation would protect us from ourselves. If the world was right. 

 

Law is suppose to protect us from "...time and unforeseen occurrence...". Eccl 9:12

 

But many do not value either themselves or their neighbors and law became adulterated by politics. And now? Tis the majority....

Edited December 2, 2021 by Grumpy Bear

[KARNUT]

We never rode in a pickup as a family. Sedans, station wagons, mostly 2 doors. Three kids sometimes in tight. Lab belts. They survived, dad and mom are excellent drivers. Especially dad.

[mixer788]

I want to remove the third seatbelt because in one main stretch of freeway near me,  you need three people in your vehicle if you have three seatbelts for the HOV lane. Its only me and the wife so if I remove the third seatbelt I would be able to drive in the HOV lane with 2 people and 2 seatbelts. If I remove the third seatbelt.(middle one) will this affect my air bag system at all?

[Grumpy Bear]

Can't see it being an issue. People swap consoles for third seats and vise versa all the time.  

[16LT4]

23 hours ago, mixer788 said:

I want to remove the third seatbelt because in one main stretch of freeway near me,  you need three people in your vehicle if you have three seatbelts for the HOV lane. Its only me and the wife so if I remove the third seatbelt I would be able to drive in the HOV lane with 2 people and 2 seatbelts. If I remove the third seatbelt.(middle one) will this affect my air bag system at all?

 

Where are you located that the HOV laws require every seatbelt to be filled?  I've driven through a dozen different states and their respective HOV lanes, and every one simply required at least one passenger.

 

Would removal of a seatbelt not come with its own legal issues, as well, being a safety and federally required item?

[shakenfake]

No it would not. Airbags are required but you can remove them with no consequence. As long as nobody sits in the seat where the seatbelt would be it is no problem

[16LT4]

2 hours ago, shakenfake said:

No it would not. Airbags are required but you can remove them with no consequence. As long as nobody sits in the seat where the seatbelt would be it is no problem

 

Which goes back to the "where" of the OP.  In my state, it is illegal to register or to operate a vehicle that does not comply with the seat belt relevant laws when manufactured.

 

At the very least, OP would want to verify that removal of the seat belt to skirt one law doesn't put him in violation of another.  Under federal statute, OP would be unable to sell the truck without the seat belt AFAIK.

[shakenfake]

Eh just take it out. Nobody is ever going to check to see if there is a seat belt there or not imo

 

The only "legal" issue he would come across is possibly selling the truck. I know in New York you cannot but I believe that that is more of a dealer law than anything. In a private party sale mostly anything goes, especially if you state it has no seat belts.

[Silverado4x4]

47 minutes ago, shakenfake said:

Eh just take it out. Nobody is ever going to check to see if there is a seat belt there or not imo

 

The only "legal" issue he would come across is possibly selling the truck. I know in New York you cannot but I believe that that is more of a dealer law than anything. In a private party sale mostly anything goes, especially if you state it has no seat belts.

It's not a dealer law it's called state inspection law. If the vehicle is a 5 or 6 etc passenger vehicle then the inspector doing the vehicle inspection is wanting to see the required seatbelts for each passenger based on the vehicle's passenger specs.

 

If he removes the middle seatbelt and gets stopped in the HOV lane with a front bench seat trying to get around the requirements he will be in violation of the vehicle safety code from him removing the middle seatbelt. It's all in the VIN number.

 

New Hampshire is the only state that doesn't require seatbelts so far.

Edited December 3, 2021 by Silverado4x4

[shakenfake]

I could not find a statute that states you aren't allowed to remove a seatbelt period end of story. If you can find me that I will eat my words but I believe if it is your personal vehicle you can remove the seat belt. It is the inspector's job to determine if your vehicle is not compliant.

 

I found them that said you can't get inspected nor sell the vehicle but not that you can't remove a seat belt. Technically a console swap breaks the law

[txab]

On 12/2/2021 at 10:14 AM, mixer788 said:

I want to remove the third seatbelt because in one main stretch of freeway near me,  you need three people in your vehicle if you have three seatbelts for the HOV lane. Its only me and the wife so if I remove the third seatbelt I would be able to drive in the HOV lane with 2 people and 2 seatbelts. If I remove the third seatbelt.(middle one) will this affect my air bag system at all?

have you actually talked to a person, with knowledge, who actually can say that what you're looking to do would make you legal to be in the 3 occupant lane with only 2 passengers. A friend that is retired CHP doesn't believe it will pass muster.