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Hi guys,
I have a problem and could do with some advice please.
My Cortina failed the MOT on the passenger seatbelt not retracting (it goes, but very very slowly).
Anyway, I took it apart only for the flat coiled spring to go shooting across the room like a can of worms much to my horror! I have put it back together but still no luck. The spring has obviously got slack over time. I rewound it so it was quite a tight coil (but still room to make tighter) but that didn't seem to work, it looked like the coil might be binding so I gave it a squirt with WD40. Still nothing. I tried slackening it off to take out any potential binding and still no return.
Firstly, does anyone know how tight it should be coiled? I'm thinking it might be that I just haven't tightened it up enough...
Secondly, if anyone has any general tips on this they would be greatly appreciated!!
Many thanks,
Gareth
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Slightest doubt about seatbelts and replace them. You've "given it a try" without success so for your own safety simply buy new.
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no harm in taking the unit out and giving it a good hoover or blow with an airline , could just be grubby with years worth of dust in the mech
id be inclined to replace it if that doesnt work , they're not the sort of thing you can take apart
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91 golf g60, 89 golf 16v , 88 polo breadvan
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mk2cossie
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 3,037
Club RR Member Number: 77
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Slow to retract seatbeltsmk2cossie
@mk2cossie
Club Retro Rides Member 77
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As above, a dusting out would be the first port of call. The springs for retracting are wound up pretty bloody tight tho, hence the damn thing launching across the workshop when you dismantled it
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steveg
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,586
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I put a couple of extra turns on my Astra seatbelt and it now retracts properly. Rather than taking the mechanism apart I took the belt out of the reel. If you fully extend the belt you expose the end of the belt and the small steel pin that locks it into the reel. If you pull the belt through, remove the pin and then take the belt out you can wind on a couple of turns then re-fit the belt. I've taken the mechanisms apart in the past on old belts but the new ones are normally a build only item.
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Brill, thanks for your help :-)
I'll have another go and if it doesn't work order some new ones. One thing I would say is that they lock up fine, it's just they are very slow to retract.
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I put a couple of extra turns on my Astra seatbelt and it now retracts properly. Rather than taking the mechanism apart I took the belt out of the reel. If you fully extend the belt you expose the end of the belt and the small steel pin that locks it into the reel. If you pull the belt through, remove the pin and then take the belt out you can wind on a couple of turns then re-fit the belt. I've taken the mechanisms apart in the past on old belts but the new ones are normally a build only item. Thankyou. I've managed to tighten them using this exact method. They still seem a bit slow though so I might get some new ones if this doesn't do the trick. Turns out there is a rubber grommit on the end that pops off to allow you to pull the pin out and tighten with a screwdriver so there was no need to have the spring firing across the kitchen!!!
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steveg
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,586
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There is probably a limit to how far you can go tightening the springs before they start binding up but as others have said if there is any doubt about it a new or good used one might be a good idea if you can find one. I dare say they fitted the same belts to loads of different models though.
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taurus
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,084
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I've had several cars with slow to retract belts and they've never been failed. The rules used to say that the examiner could feed the belt but that seems to have been removed. The test now seems to check that they remove slack with the belt in its locked position - I guess that's been in place for some years as that's how they seem to come back from the MOT.
So just being slow to retract isn't an issue, it doesn't affect their ability to lock up. It's a case of whether they leave slack in the belt when in the locked position - often they lose enough spring so the belt doesn't retract when unclipped, but there's enough spring to hold it tight when the clip is buckled up. If it's slack at the latter point then I'd guess a replacement is best. I've taken several to bits, it's very exciting when it all shoots across the car, but to be honest I've rarely found it worth the hassle.
The regs as they seem to be at the moment....
a. the locking mechanism of a seat belt does not secure or release the belt as intended
b. a retracting mechanism does not retract the webbing sufficiently to remove all the slack from the belt with the locking mechanism fastened and the seat unoccupied
Note 1: In doubtful cases, this should be checked with the seat base set in its rearmost position.
Note 2: The vehicle presenter should be advised of and given the opportunity to remove any temporarily fitted device likely to cause failure under this reason for rejection before notification of refusal is issued.
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Last Edit: Nov 10, 2015 8:07:55 GMT by taurus
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I find washing the belt itself and once dry copious amounts of furniture polish i have heard of using hair spray but not tried it personally....
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lilbob
Part of things
Posts: 419
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as daft as it sounds I had this problem and solved it by cleaning the belt with a damp clean cloth and cleaning the seatbelt top mount (on the b pillar) with some very fine grit wet and dry (clears the build up of dirt,grime and dead skin) then spray the bottom reel and top mount with a dry silicone lube after that it should reel back nicely
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Nov 11, 2015 10:36:45 GMT
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The belt stiffens with muck remove muck and add a dry lube and all will be well....
Little things that make all the difference....
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