G#$ Da*# M#*%#@ F#$%^$@ Seatbelt!!!

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I think the two are connected. Because the belt doesn't feed back easily the lock doesn't release after it engages.

So as you're driving along you apply the brakes and the belt mechanism locks, which it's supposed to do. Now when you start driving again the seat belt should relax and release the lock. But since the belt doesn't feed back into the coil the lock never sees that release and stays locked.
 
Could be, it also locks when going up or down hill, or when turning, or damn near anytime the vehicle is moving...you can imagine my frustration. You don't notice how much you move around in your seat while driving until you're suddenly not allowed to. lol
 
I spent two hours coming back from Savannah today pinned to the seat as well. It makes me like I'm in a sports car doing high G corners. That, and I'm too lazy to f with it. Although I did take apart my rear passenger door and fix the power window today. :D
 
Darwood said:
So how much do these things go for? I'm guessing they aren't that cheap.
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The fronts range in list price between about 120 bucks to 140 bucks. Wholesale would be around 90-105 bucks.

D-
 
Romer said:
As always Dan, a man of few words. or should I say . . . .word!
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Well,

I could have said "Three hours of intense labor will concretely establish the fact that it is not phisically possible to install the second row seat belt retractor in place of the front row seat belt retractor."

:flipoff2:

:D
 
This is an old thread but is there any repair or maintenance that can be done to get the belt to retract better? I too have to feed it back by hand. I must have the Chinese model.

I'd appreciate any advice, but I will try the silicone spray trick by flintknapper.
 
The best belts were in the '75 fj40. Lap belt only. Retracting. Whenever the fj40 went over a bump, my butt momentarily sank deeper in the seat, and the belt would evily ratchet a little bit tighter. Repeat. Bump after bump. Belt tighter and tighter, never loosening, until I was forced to unbuclkle the belt, fully retract it, and then extend it and buckle it again. All just so the cycle could start over and repeat endlessly, over and over.

An insidious Japaneese torture machine, stiff, bouncey leaf springs, solid axles, drum brakes, loud as hell, max speed around 65 with the engine wound out, and a seat belt trying to squeeze me in half.

Wish I still had it.
 
I found this about retracting seat belt repair. Hope it helps.
http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/minutemods/seatbelt/

By: Josh Carlson- 1/2004

Do you have a seatbelt that doesn't retract all the way when you take it off? Tired of slamming the door on it? Sick of having to untangle the mess each time you need to put on your belt? Josh Carlson illustrates how to fix that pesky seatbelt in 10 easy steps. Tools needed include:


Small Flathead Screwdriver
Ratchet and 14mm Socket





The loop that must be loosened.
Step 1: Start off by getting any kinks or binds out of the seat belt.

Step 2: Remove the 14mm bolt from under the retractor.

Step 3: Remove the plastic cover.

Step4: Pull the seatbelt out until it ends. The retractor has a mechanism that keeps the belt from moving when the ball is anywhere but level in the bottom. It is necessary to hold the retractor straight up and down to move the belt out.



Removing the plastic bar.
Step5: Push the seatbelt so some it sticks out the other side. That way you can use the screwdriver to pull the loop out.

Step6: Remove the plastic bar and then remove the seatbelt from the retractor. Note how the belt came out so you can put it back together. Always keep pressure on the spool. Do not let go or else it will completely unwind.

Step7: Turn the spool until the metal spring on the side is completely wound up. This may take awhile. This spring was tight out of the factory, but after time the spring will stretch out.



Viewing the spring through the plastic.
Step8: Back the spool off until you can line up the belt and the part it goes into. It is easier to back it off a little farther and thread the belt in to reach the spot on the spool. Then thread the belt into the spool.

Step 9: Reinsert the plastic bar and test the belt to see whether the belt is correctly inserted.

Step 10: Retract the belt. Reinstall the cover. Reinstall the 14mm bolt.

It also helps to clean the belt itself. To clean the belt, remove the belt completely and wash it in a washing machine. Simply remove the belt from the retractor and then remove the other 2 14mm bolts that anchor the belt down. It is possible to insert a screwdriver into the retractor to keep it from moving.


the link has pics, it was in the toyota minute mod section.
I think it will only help with seat belt retraction though, sorry Ary.
Steven
 
I had the same problem. Cruiser Dan would probably know this for sure. My 91 had really good seat belts and our 94 had the kind that you are describing. They retracted over ever little bump. So I swapped the front seat belts from the 94 to the 91 and the 91 to the 94. I probably violated some federal law by doing this. I think the earlier belts looked a bit different that the later ones. I suppose they were made safer some how. However, they can't be safer if you can't stand to wear them on the trail.
 
Hi my name is Arya, I have seatbelt angst......

Seriously (not really) sounds like a job for big pharma
 
Take the belt assembly out of the vehicle, pull the belt out as far as you can then spray out the real with brake cleaner (a can with the red spary needle works best) let dry then blow it out with an air hose. I've done this on several different types of vehicles and it usually works very good.
 
It's a good question 2badfj's, but I'd imagine it's only for failure of the mechanism, not inconvenience.

I just did the mod loquito posted and it seems to have helped a little bit, enough that by taking the seatbelt off and feeding it in one brisk motion seems to get the belt to retract fully. I wonder what affect the temperature change in my area might have on my impression. It has been in the 60's for a while now, but it's dropped to the 30s today and is snowing. Don't think it would have very much of an affect, but you never know.

I did manage to completely dissassemble one side of the seatbelt, clean the mechanism that makes the belt catch, and reassemble it, without any catastrophic failures. We'll see if that makes any difference in regards to my initial problem.

Ary
 
Arya Ebrahimi said:
It's a good question 2badfj's, but I'd imagine it's only for failure of the mechanism, not inconvenience.
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That can be arranged. :evilgrin:

-B-
 
re: the incremental strait-jacket seat belt syndrome. On my montero if I fully extend the seat belt it will perform the strait-jacket syndrome. However, if I DO NOT fully extend the seat belt it performs flawlessly. I don't have the problem (yet) in the 80 so I don't know if it's the same, but easy enough to prove or disprove.
 
jonb96150 said:
re: the incremental strait-jacket seat belt syndrome. On my montero if I fully extend the seat belt it will perform the strait-jacket syndrome. However, if I DO NOT fully extend the seat belt it performs flawlessly. I don't have the problem (yet) in the 80 so I don't know if it's the same, but easy enough to prove or disprove.
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This feature (fully extend - rachet back in) is for infant car seats and works great. I don't see a need for it in a drivers restraint though....
 
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