Twisted Seatbelts?

[daver01]

thank you, thank you. i'll be here all week. don't forget to tip your waitress

 

[MPSnyper]

I removed my seatbelt loops and to me it looks so much better. Also its easier for somone to get in the backseat. There are 2 Torx screws that hold them on T-10 or T-15 I think.. You can remove them with the headrest on but it makes alittle easier to remove them.. About the holes.. do you ride with you headrests up.. if not dont worry about it.. Also you can put the screw back in, if you wish.

Saftey Note: I have no idea if the loops are part of the "Restraint System". So if you remove them and somthing was to happen you could be blamed for the failure of your restraint system..

I think the loops there for 2 reasons.. (1) For comfortable belt placment.. (2) Keeps the seatbelt so that its easy to get to.. With the loops off, I have to find the seatbelt somtimes.. Now im only 5'7" so my seats not that far back.. so taller peeps you prolly wont have this problem..

Hope that helps..
Matt

 

[nyuk98gt]

JohJon:

No, it isn't that the belt is twisted in the B-pillar, just the metal tongue is pointing the wrong way so when the belt is latched there is a twist in it. I meant that you work on the belt portion between the seat holder and the bottom anchor bolt (it is all exposed/outside the B-pillar). Some people don't mind the twist but it really bugged me so I fiddled around until I got mine looking better/twist-free.

The reason the belt retractor fails is because the nylon spool breaks. It is very thin and is just not up to the task. If you look on the floor under the retractor mechanism you will find pieces of thin, white plastic. Once the spool starts to break, then the belt rubs on the metal housing (rather than riding in the plastic spool) and the belt retraction is much slower (because there is a lot more friction). Lubrication will help a little but the piece is going to fail, no doubt about it.

Poor quality piece, that spool. Kind of reminds me of the ashtray door in the older Mustangs!

Chris

 

[SteedaV8]

Both of my seatbelts have stopped retracting. Will ford replace them for free. Or how much is it to have done??

 

[JonJon]

The reason the belt retractor fails is because the nylon spool breaks. It is very thin and is just not up to the task. If you look on the floor under the retractor mechanism you will find pieces of thin, white plastic. Once the spool starts to break, then the belt rubs on the metal housing (rather than riding in the plastic spool) and the belt retraction is much slower (because there is a lot more friction). Lubrication will help a little but the piece is going to fail, no doubt about it.

Poor quality piece, that spool. Kind of reminds me of the ashtray door in the older Mustangs!

Chris

stupid spool crap

Both of my seatbelts have stopped retracting. Will ford replace them for free. Or how much is it to have done??

Ford told me it was covered under 50k miles/5 years. I went in at 46k to tell them they didn't work (though they've been broken since 30k miles) and I just hit 50k last night. My roomate got his replaced at 15k.

All free. Though I had to wait freaking 2 months for them to get the replacement belts.

 

[Yellow01GT]

Don't you find it a lot harder to reach the belt now?
I'm 6' and it's a pain even though I have the seats pretty far back.

Nope, I guess I'm just used to it though. Just reach back and buckle...i don't even think about doing it when I get in the car, I just do it.

 

[Jeff 81]

I am having this same problem. How do you get inside the panel where the retractor sits? Where does the panel pop off if this is how you get in? Also, since the retractor is such a cheap design, does anybody know of a retractor from another vehicle that could be fitted to work better??????