Adding a grab strap to C pillar

[ElliottM]

View media item 6381When we were looking at vehicles before buying our Expy, my wife commented that getting in and out of the 3rd row would be much easier if there was a handle or strap to grab. Looking at the C pillar, there is a small cover above the seatbelt that looks like a good spot for a grab handle or strap. Have any of you added a handle or strap here? If so, what did you mount and where did you source the part?

 

[Adieu]

Afair thats not a cover, thats a fastener

That said punching/carving holes in trim is easy. Your problem is gonna be thar you need a good hard mount for a handle or strap.

 

[powerboatr]

go look at a police expidition, I think there is a grab handle there above the seat belt .
i seem to remember last time i was in one , not as a suspect

 

[ElliottM]

go look at a police expidition, I think there is a grab handle there above the seat belt .
i seem to remember last time i was in one , not as a suspect

Thanks for the tip. I won't tell anyone how you know.

 

[Adieu]

go look at a police expidition, I think there is a grab handle there above the seat belt .
i seem to remember last time i was in one , not as a suspect

Nope.

Thats on the A and B pillars

 

[Big Brian]

just pop that little cover off and see whats behind it

looks to me might be a fastener for the seat belt bracket

 

[powerboatr]

oh yes b pillar, the pic threw me off as it looks like the b pillar not the c pillar. sorry
but the police ones do have a strap on the b pillar.

 

[ElliottM]

just pop that little cover off and see whats behind it

looks to me might be a fastener for the seat belt bracket

I agree, and as such I assume it could be used to fasten a strap. The question is where to get a strap that would work? I am wondering if the strap on the liftgate could be used there.

 

[Big Brian]

how about a junk yard?

quick check on ebay produced this

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-Expedi...ash=item3ae3c65c4a:g:S4sAAOSwgkRVUSzH&vxp=mtr

 

[Adieu]

You COULD hook or bolt a strap through the seatbelt mount...

 

[Ranger Jim]

Look at Volvo 245 station wagons, although I think they have straps that mount at both ends.
Look at other manufacturers if you have a junkyard near you.

 

[ElliottM]

You COULD hook or bolt a strap through the seatbelt mount...

I think that's what I'm going to do. Now I just need an inexpensive source for the strap...

 

[Big Brian]

I would be careful mounting anything to the seat belt bolt. You could compromise the strength of the mount. If it fails in an accident it could be tragic

I gave you a link on ebay for one for $9 that's not cheap enough for you?

 

[ElliottM]

I would be careful mounting anything to the seat belt bolt. You could compromise the strength of the mount. If it fails in an accident it could be tragic

I gave you a link on ebay for one for $9 that's not cheap enough for you?

LOL - cheap enough, yes. Not black enough though. I use my Expy for winery tours and need it to look spiffy.

The OEM version is selling on ebay but they are $34 each.

 

[Adieu]

I would be careful mounting anything to the seat belt bolt. You could compromise the strength of the mount.

No you couldn't

That thing is designed to take the full weight of a somewhat obese adult's momentum-propelled body in a crash.


That's some serious force.


Same person helping themselves up with one arm is quite weak in comparison.


Don't believe me? Pop an A or B pillar trim piece and compare the tiny things used to affix the handles to the massive bolts used for seatbelts

 

[Big Brian]

No you couldn't

That thing is designed to take the full weight of a somewhat obese adult's momentum-propelled body in a crash.


That's some serious force.


Same person helping themselves up with one arm is quite weak in comparison.


Don't believe me? Pop an A or B pillar trim piece and compare the tiny things used to affix the handles to the massive bolts used for seatbelts

oh I know all about how they are made. I used to build prototype vehicles for Ford and at one point I prepped vehicles for the crash barrier. I would spend 3-6 months working on a vehicle just to see it get slammed into a wall. Pretty cool job actually.

You DONT want to mess with that bolt or install anything on it that's not supposed to be there

and since he is carrying the public in that vehicle that just opens him up for a big lawsuit if the worst happens.

 

[99WhiteC5Coupe]

View media item 6381When we were looking at vehicles before buying our Expy, my wife commented that getting in and out of the 3rd row would be much easier if there was a handle or strap to grab. Looking at the C pillar, there is a small cover above the seatbelt that looks like a good spot for a grab handle or strap. Have any of you added a handle or strap here? If so, what did you mount and where did you source the part?

When I looked at new 2015 Expiditions before I ordered and purchased a 2015 Expediton Limited 4x4, that is one of the first things I thought when I inspected, and got in and out of the third row seating area. I could not believe Ford's engineers and interior designers didn't think of the same thing when they entered the third row seat area - where is a grab handle for the third row?

I really like some features of my Expedidton (my first Ford in 40+ years of driving) - but some features (or lack of features) are so obvious I wonder why they weren't included with the vehicle (especially the uplevel models).

I have had several people ask where the grab handle was when they entered the third row seat area. I just tell them to be careful.

 

[Big Brian]

maybe something like this would work?

https://www.amazon.com/Rugged-Ridge...945015&sr=8-10&keywords=rear+seat+grab+handle

 

[Adieu]

oh I know all about how they are made. I used to build prototype vehicles for Ford and at one point I prepped vehicles for the crash barrier. I would spend 3-6 months working on a vehicle just to see it get slammed into a wall. Pretty cool job actually.

You DONT want to mess with that bolt or install anything on it that's not supposed to be there

and since he is carrying the public in that vehicle that just opens him up for a big lawsuit if the worst happens.

Nobody sues over minor aftermarket mods.

Else taxi drivers and cops would NEVER be able to drive with partitions, and anybody with a non-samebrand shock or control arm would be risking lifelong debt slavery

 

[Big Brian]

Nobody sues over minor aftermarket mods.

Else taxi drivers and cops would NEVER be able to drive with partitions, and anybody with a non-samebrand shock or control arm would be risking lifelong debt slavery

those parts are designed and engineered for the aftermarket to be installed according to manufacturers specifications.

I am just concerned about the peoples safety. If you want to ding me for that go right ahead.

If you think that if someone butchered a taxi partition and the result ended up killing someone in an accident there would be no lawsuit you need a reality check.