[Olga]

Hey!

My seat belts are super sloppy. They don't activate at all when I pull on them quickly, or slam on my breaks. There is absolutely no resistance to them. They basically just hang there, as if they were built more for the looks than for keeping anyone safe. I have had this issue since I got the car, but only started worrying about it after I saw a few bad accidents in recent times, thinking my passengers and I would have definitely been toast in a much lesser accident considering those sloppy seat belts...

All my seat belts are sloppy the same way. Were they built this way? Is there a way to fix them? Or can I buy some kind of universal seat belts and swap them in?

Thanks for your input!

 

[marclar]

they all do that over time. goo gets into the webbing from hands and such, springs wear out... you have to replace them to fix them.

 

[Olga]

Dang, I was hoping there was a way to work on the mechanism. Is there no way to tighten the springs? Or would attaching the spools at a different angle maybe make the mechanism a bit more sensitive?

 

[marclar]

if you are willing to modify a device that is supposed to help you from going out of the windshield, thats a personal option. if it was me, I would get a new one.

 

[Olga]

No, you're totally right. I just haven't seen any new seat belts for our cars. Have you done the swap yourself? Do universal seat belts work for these cars? I have seen people swap in used manual seat belts here on this website, which they found in Canadian cars, but haven't found a single post of someone actually getting new seat belts?!

 

[Apex]

There are several companies that replace/rebuild the pre-tensioners and the webbing, they will even do custom colors for the belts if you want.

 

[Olga]

I'm actually not a big fan of the automatic seat belts, so I'd be absolutely stoked if I could just swap in new manual seat belts. Would these universal seat belts here possibly work?

3 Point Retractable Seat Belt with Push Button Buckle

Available in 32 different webbing colors, this lap and shoulder belt is equipped with an end release buckle. Customize this seat belt to your preferences.

www.seatbeltplanet.com

3 Point Retractable Lap & Shoulder Seatbelts

Our 3-Point Retractable Seat Belts offer the most in safety and convenience. Choose from over 30 colors! Sewn and Assembled in the USA.

www.seatbeltsplus.com

 

[turbo8]

Hey!

My seat belts are super sloppy. They don't activate at all when I pull on them quickly, or slam on my breaks. There is absolutely no resistance to them. They basically just hang there, as if they were built more for the looks than for keeping anyone safe. I have had this issue since I got the car, but only started worrying about it after I saw a few bad accidents in recent times, thinking my passengers and I would have definitely been toast in a much lesser accident considering those sloppy seat belts...

All my seat belts are sloppy the same way. Were they built this way? Is there a way to fix them? Or can I buy some kind of universal seat belts and swap them in?

Thanks for your input!

Over time, they collect lint and fuzz from clothes, hair, even dropped french fries. See if you can get inside the boot end, and either vacuum them out, or blow them out with high pressure air. Better yet, any shop worth it's name can unbolt them from the floor, and clean them out. DON'T oil them. As for replacing them, I ask, with what? New ones are long gone, and even if available would cost more than the car is valued at. Used ones? If you could even find any, they would likely be worse than what you have. Then you would also need the right color, body style of the car, etc. Just get them cleaned out VERY well, and I'm sure they will be okay again. That is one thing on a car that never wears out.

 

[denisond3]

I remember seeing an ad for seat belt repairing, on a google search. We sent the belts from an old Tacoma that were sticking. They came back clean and working. Cost about #30 each. Due to the design of the seat belt retractor I dont think it would be possible to get the belt to 'lock in' just from pulling on it hard. And i dont plan to bump into anything hard enough to see if they would perform. I will just continue to drive with a mild paranoia about accidents.

P.S. I have already had an accident involving flipping my car end-over-end into a cornfield. It was old enough not to have seat belts, but our only injuries were some black and blue marks.

 

[jcwagon]

I'm actually not a big fan of the automatic seat belts, so I'd be absolutely stoked if I could just swap in new manual seat belts. Would these universal seat belts here possibly work?

3 Point Retractable Seat Belt with Push Button Buckle

Available in 32 different webbing colors, this lap and shoulder belt is equipped with an end release buckle. Customize this seat belt to your preferences.

www.seatbeltplanet.com

3 Point Retractable Lap & Shoulder Seatbelts

Our 3-Point Retractable Seat Belts offer the most in safety and convenience. Choose from over 30 colors! Sewn and Assembled in the USA.

www.seatbeltsplus.com

You can replace the automatic belts with the set you have pictured from seatbeltplanet ( I wish I knew about them before I got a generic black set).

Start by pulling off the door trim (two pieces) and see if your up for taking all that stuff out, All the necessary mounts are in the car.

you'll have to pull out the door trim , remove the retractor motor and cable, pull out the slide for the top latch, cut the top track to expose the shoulder mount hole, remove the belt retractor at the bottom. Bolt on new retractor in the back hole left from removing the bottom reel, bolt on the bottom belt anchor in the front hole, cut door trim to fit new belt retractor install top trim, cut hole for new shoulder mount, unbolt old center latch located on the seat and mount new one.

Or go to your friendly upholstery shop and show them what you want done.

JC

 

[Olga]

This is fantastic information. Thank you, JCWagon!

I was worried bout where to mount the new belts. I do have a few questions for you:

I think I did see a mounting hole for the shoulder loop just under the track for the top latch, but wasn't sure about that. Why do I need to cut that track instead of just unbolting and removing the whole thing?

Its great to know that there's a mounting hole for the retractor, too. Were you able to sink the new retractor somewhat into the hole in the body under the trim? You say I'd need to cut the trim for the new retractor, which I think I'd be fine with, but it seems that there is very little space in this area between the trim and the seat. I can't see how I could fit a retractor outside the trim there?

Last question (for now...): I measured that the old buckle is 8" long from its mount on the seat. Would I have to get one in the same length? Seems hard to get in that length...

 

[jcwagon]

This is fantastic information. Thank you, JCWagon!

I was worried bout where to mount the new belts. I do have a few questions for you:

I think I did see a mounting hole for the shoulder loop just under the track for the top latch, but wasn't sure about that. Why do I need to cut that track instead of just unbolting and removing the whole thing?

Its great to know that there's a mounting hole for the retractor, too. Were you able to sink the new retractor somewhat into the hole in the body under the trim? You say I'd need to cut the trim for the new retractor, which I think I'd be fine with, but it seems that there is very little space in this area between the trim and the seat. I can't see how I could fit a retractor outside the trim there?

Last question (for now...): I measured that the old buckle is 8" long from its mount on the seat. Would I have to get one in the same length? Seems hard to get in that length...

The top track has lots of trim mounts on it , you could leave it off but the trim would be unsupported.
The bottom reel is held in by two bolts, once removed you can mount the new reel in the back hole. use the front hole to mount the belt end. With the seat back all the way, the reel will clear.
For the buckle side ask the guys at Seatbelt Plus if the could make one, they make competition sets so it's a good bet.
If you do this use grade 8 or original bolts, all connections must be metal to metal- spacers, washers, no carpet or plastic between mounts and body.

If anyone has done the Canadian swap they should have said something about the track. Maybe we could get a resident Cancuck to send a picture of the shoulder mount.