Seat belts problem
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 42
Likes: 3
Seat belts problem
Hi friends,
Need some help with my C3 1976.
Have some problems with my upper seat belts, they are not retrackting well. Is it a problem with a spring? Can i fix it by myself, anyone some adeas?
Thanks in advance,
Claudio
Need some help with my C3 1976.
Have some problems with my upper seat belts, they are not retrackting well. Is it a problem with a spring? Can i fix it by myself, anyone some adeas?
Thanks in advance,
Claudio
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,852
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
The belts on these cars are susceptible to corrosion just from sitting in the pocket well of the car. Often you can remove the belt and pull it completely outward… when you do this you’ll usually find rust in the retractor. If you play with this and lubricate the retractor (off the webbing), You can usually free them up.
Ironically, we have a 76 in the shop right now that has the same issue… I worked with the belts for about 1 hour and got them freed up…. While the belts don’t look all that great, after pulling the retractor outward, letting them retract… working them in and outward and then lubing them up…. Well a ton or rust fell out of them and the pivot looked horrible… but eventually they began to work again.
Ironically, we have a 76 in the shop right now that has the same issue… I worked with the belts for about 1 hour and got them freed up…. While the belts don’t look all that great, after pulling the retractor outward, letting them retract… working them in and outward and then lubing them up…. Well a ton or rust fell out of them and the pivot looked horrible… but eventually they began to work again.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 42
Likes: 3
The belts on these cars are susceptible to corrosion just from sitting in the pocket well of the car. Often you can remove the belt and pull it completely outward… when you do this you’ll usually find rust in the retractor. If you play with this and lubricate the retractor (off the webbing), You can usually free them up.
Ironically, we have a 76 in the shop right now that has the same issue… I worked with the belts for about 1 hour and got them freed up…. While the belts don’t look all that great, after pulling the retractor outward, letting them retract… working them in and outward and then lubing them up…. Well a ton or rust fell out of them and the pivot looked horrible… but eventually they began to work again.
Ironically, we have a 76 in the shop right now that has the same issue… I worked with the belts for about 1 hour and got them freed up…. While the belts don’t look all that great, after pulling the retractor outward, letting them retract… working them in and outward and then lubing them up…. Well a ton or rust fell out of them and the pivot looked horrible… but eventually they began to work again.
Thank you for your advice, I cleaned the system, now the seat belts are retrackting normal. Best regards, Claudio
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 76,656
Likes: 1,852
From: Jeffersonville Indiana 812-288-7103
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Another trick is to use RIT dye to re-dye the belt color. You might have to play with the coloring for a long time to get the correct color but once you have the right color you basically boil the belts in the dye. (Like doing tye dye t-shirts in the 70's).
The 76 we just fixed needs this done badly, the red on the belts looks horrible but the customer elected to wait until a later date. Willcox
