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Seatbelt doesn't want to retract

5K views 60 replies 19 participants last post by  Mykes 
#1 ·
I have done a lot of searches, all I found was a 3 year old thread about putting armourall on the belt and filing one of the guides. Mine you have to pull it back and it will retract. Well I have all my interior out right now and was wondering if anyone has found a better fix to the slow/no retract seatbelts?
 
#2 ·
I remember someone said that the guides before the roller get crusted up with human slime/beef.
 
#4 ·
Replace it lol, thats what I did. Wish I knew more, but I gave up and swapped out the one that didnt work.
 
#5 ·
After digging in all of mine I am stumped. Everything is clean and I can't find anything that could be a separate spring housing to pull and replace. I guess I will look at how ridiculously expensive it is to replace.
 
#6 ·
$240 for one!!! NEVERMIND!
 
#8 ·
Yeah it really would be. But I'm working my rear off to keep this car looking absolutely stock. Can be a real headache as in this situation. I will try and find a good used one or just deal with mine. Got a lead on a used one now so fingers crossed
 
#9 ·
New product idea: seat belts that work. Common problem from what I've heard, not sure how these things worked new, but mine decide when they do and don't want to work properly. It's always a toss up.
 
#10 ·
I know you just took your interior out, so I should mention that the seat belts won't retract when they are out of the car. At least they didn't for me the last time I took them out. I think it has something to do with them being anchored and counter weighted maybe. Did you have this problem when they were in the car?
 
#11 ·
Yeah I did that is why I figured I would figure out the problem while it was apart.
 
#12 ·
There was a thread somewhere one point in time about taking them apart and cleaning them internally. As stated they get buildup on them and dont like to retract because of it.

Have never done it myself and dont have my stock belts in place anymore so cant tell you any details.
 
#13 ·
My driver side is the same way, I have to help it retract back into place, which is a bit of an annoyance. It sometimes will slowly go back by itself but if I forget to help it back into place I often find the belt and/or buckle slammed in the door the next time I get in the car.

What I have been trying to do lately is just throw the slack on the seat when I get out and don't bother messing with it. I was hoping there might be some type of easy remedy for this but for a 20 year old car, I'm guessing the retractor is just shot. The next time I have the side panels off I may try and see if there is anything I can do as far as cleaning it or lubing it up.
 
#14 ·
I read through some old threads and some said to spray armorall or some other nonsense down in there and then move the belt in and out o free up the pulley/guide, to me this will just fix problem until it dries up... how about putting anti seize on it in a way that wont get onto belt and smear your shirt, and then cleaning up + covering the hole so no more crud gets in there? I might try that later this weekend, but right now I'm off to the recording studio

SUBSCRIBED
 
#15 ·
I have always used a silicon based spray for this, one similar used to dress up engine. Pull the belt out fully and spray the actual belt on both sides and you slowly let it retract. Pull it all the way out and release it a few times and then Leave it for an hour or so, there is no residue on the belt that transfers to clothing or anything.

This is the exact one i use although I'm in the UK so you would need something similar form your end

Everbuild All Purpose Silicone Spray - 400 ml - Consumables, Lubricants, Silicon - Spray

I do this once every 6 months and the belt retracts so fast when released it nearly yanks your arm off :evillaugh:evillaugh
 
#18 ·
My belts and internals all look clean and brand new so I picked up a can of Specialist Water Resistant Silicone lubricant spray. Everything about my belts and actuators looks like it was just unwrapped brand new so, hmmmm. Sprayed the outters on the sprockets and the last 2 feet of the belts and did a lot of in and out with the belts. They seem faster now but hard to tell with them out of the car as you have to "click-release" over and over again to get them out. We shall see as the interior goes back in this weekend. I will update if this works.
 
#20 ·
subscribed. My driver's side sort of works, the passenger side... IDK, almost nobody ever sits there. But I think it does not work anymore.
 
#22 ·
Interior is going back in Friday morning so I will report back on it.
 
#23 ·
subscribed. finally got my car back recently and noticed the driver side is a bit sluggish.

by the way Lunchbox, glad to see your car's coming along. i'm one of the guys you met last year at the twin peaks meet up. been super busy this past year so i haven't posted too much, but i've lurked a few of the threads you've posted in and have seen all the work you've been doing. she looks great :) like i said, just got my baby back, so we'll have to get together sometime. we'll be the prettiest girls at the ball! haha

cleaning/waxing her tonight for the first time since january of last year :)
 
#24 ·
Well the only bad news about it the rebuild is the seat belts. The spray silicone did nothing. And on top of that both of the guide plates snapped all the tabs off so the only thing holding them is the one center screw, my first time so I probably did something wrong. Other than that the interior is back in aside from the door panels and 2 panels in the trunk. Also the new coils and rebuilt TB are on. She runs like a DREAM!!!!!
 
#25 ·
Sorry it didnt cure you belt issue :(, Could it be the guide not sitting in situ correctly is still slowing them down ? I know there is VERY little tolerence where the belt runs through the guides and the loop at the top. Perhaps its time for another belt now :(

Certainly works a treat on my belts (and 99% of my mate who have done it)

Cheers
 
#26 ·
Yeah I have thought about doing another bout of the silicone now that it is installed and perhaps filing the guides. Maybe it will help.

VR4 ftw, good to hear you are still here. I bet your car is a beast now that you got it back. If I remember you were getting 19T's and were running safc and all kinds of super stuff. I can't wait to see it. Also thanks for the tip on the PCV lines. Those things had turned to stone and came off in pieces. I got all new ones until I can route a catch can on the rear one and hide it completely. I'm still on the 100% stock look. Let me know when you may want to cruise and we can hang and stuff. Maybe invite the other Houston guys. Most already have their clicks but perhaps they will come out again. There are a few more people in the area now like Aero, I met him and he is a pretty cool cat. He is just starting on a VR4 that he got with a spun bearing. Let me know, later.
 
#31 ·
VR4 ftw, good to hear you are still here. I bet your car is a beast now that you got it back. If I remember you were getting 19T's and were running safc and all kinds of super stuff. I can't wait to see it. Also thanks for the tip on the PCV lines. Those things had turned to stone and came off in pieces. I got all new ones until I can route a catch can on the rear one and hide it completely. I'm still on the 100% stock look. Let me know when you may want to cruise and we can hang and stuff. Maybe invite the other Houston guys. Most already have their clicks but perhaps they will come out again. There are a few more people in the area now like Aero, I met him and he is a pretty cool cat. He is just starting on a VR4 that he got with a spun bearing. Let me know, later.
dr750's, ems v2, meth, blah blah blah. but yea she's a blast. i'll pm you my number. just got home and went to pop the hood like i usually do to let her cool down and the hood latch cable, which was on its last leg, had given out. have to pull the bumper to replace it, but after that i'm down whenever. you know of any meets around town? i have yet to go to one. no idea when/where. we should definitely make an appearance.
 
#27 ·
WELL HELL, HOLD THE PRESSES!!! I drove the car all day today and after about 10 times of getting in and out of the car, that driver side seat belt will take your head off!!!! This is an absolute pass in my book, works like a charm. THANK YOU for the suggestion because I never would have tried the silicone spray!!!!!

I need to hit the passenger one again and work it a bit.
 
#28 ·
So I had a clockspring break on my subaru. Rather than buying a new one for a lot of money, or taking my chance on a used one I cam accross a company that rebuilt them. I sent it out and got it back in a week. It's worked perfectly for over a year now. I noticed they also offer a seatbelt repair service as well. I can't speak for the seatbelt repair they would do, but I'm very pleased with my clockspring.


Order Airbag Modules Resets, Seatbelt Repairs, Buckle Repairs & Clockspring Plugs | SRSRepair.com
 
#29 ·
That's good info for a few reasons. Can you say how much it was? Mine is doing the "whine" when you turn it so I need to get it rebuilt before paying to have my SRS light turned off
 
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