Seatbelt rebuild, Is there a thread Options

[PanelBilly]

I saw the thread about using gloves to thighen the return spring, but no how to. My biggest problem is they don't pull out easy and get stuck.

[underthetire]

All I can tell you is two things, silicon lube works well for the sticking problem. And if you remove the plastic cover over the spring a giant snake pops out.

[JRust]

Yeah I haven't tackled seat belts before. A how too would be great & seems like I have read a post somewhere on it. Someone pipe in here with the link

[dr914@autoatlanta.com]

we really have not investigated their repair as we have many many used and nos on the shelf and it is such a safety issue that we do not "fool" with their guts!!!!

[JmuRiz]

I haven't done it myself, but I remember someone mentioning that if you straightened the belts out (had them in tension) then gave them a spray of scotchguard and let them dry they seemed to retract better.

Maybe I pulled that out of my @$$, but I thought that's what they did...

edit: found something
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...;hl=scotchguard
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?s=&...st&p=398085

[Jerry75914]

I found I couldn't get mine to unroll once I rolled them up really far for storage...took the cover off to see if I could free it...and dang near lost an eye as the "snake" spring from hell flew out of there. Putting it back sucked royally, actually had to do it twice, but it does pull in better now. Given the ass-pain involved...get a better unit vs. re-building.

[underthetire]

Actually, for the roll up problem, you wash them on woolite. Scotchguard will make them even harder. The pull out problem is simply remove the cover for the cam side and put a few drops of lubricant in the mechanism. Did mine a while back and WAY better now. I had the jack-in-the-seatbelt on the first one to. 3 trys and I got it back together. I think it was the wider cover that was OK to remove. There is a member here that charges a small fee to take them apart and add tension on the spring for roll up.

[BigDBass]

I haven't done it myself, but I remember someone mentioning that if you straightened the belts out (had them in tension) then gave them a spray of scotchguard and let them dry they seemed to retract better.

Maybe I pulled that out of my @$$, but I thought that's what they did...

edit: found something
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...;hl=scotchguard
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?s=&...st&p=398085

I tried the Scotchguard thing and it didn't result in much, if any, improvement.

[Joe Owensby]

Do not release the springs from beneath the cover. The springs can be rewound fairly simply. Pull the entire length of the belt from the reel. Then, with a dull screw driver, push the loop on the belt back through the slot in the center of the reel, while holding the reel to keep it from turning. I used a pair of vise grips to lightly grip the reel to keep it from turning. When the belt is pushed back in, you can see a pin that goes through the loop in the belt. Remove the pin, and then pull the belt out. You can then use two screw drivers to incrementally either unwind or rewind the spool. When you get it to the point you want it, just re-install the belt through the slot, insert the pin, and pull the belt so that the pin goes back into the groove in the slot. This can all be done without removing the cover on the spring. There is a thread somewhere showing this. JoeO

[jsaum]

Billy,

I'm not sure he's still doing them but, PRS914-6 is the one member who can tighten the springs.

Jsaum

[PRS914-6]

Do not release the springs from beneath the cover. The springs can be rewound fairly simply. Pull the entire length of the belt from the reel. Then, with a dull screw driver, push the loop on the belt back through the slot in the center of the reel, while holding the reel to keep it from turning. I used a pair of vise grips to lightly grip the reel to keep it from turning. When the belt is pushed back in, you can see a pin that goes through the loop in the belt. Remove the pin, and then pull the belt out. You can then use two screw drivers to incrementally either unwind or rewind the spool. When you get it to the point you want it, just re-install the belt through the slot, insert the pin, and pull the belt so that the pin goes back into the groove in the slot. This can all be done without removing the cover on the spring. There is a thread somewhere showing this. JoeO

This works OK but the problem is that the belts typically need to be tightened much more than this method can deliver. You can only wind the spring up until it binds and then insert the pin/belt

I leave numerous wraps on the belt around the spool, then pull the cover off (DANGER!!)and wind the spring even further. This method loses some belt length but unless you are a size 44 waist, you'll never even know. The advantage is that you get a firm retracting belt that works the way it's supposed to.

90% of the belts I have seen won't retract properly without leaving some wraps around the spool and then fully tightening the spring.

Also, I wouldn't use any oil on the mechanism. It will attract dirt and could cost you your life. A good cleaning and a wee bit of graphite works well

YMMV.....