[DML] Re: Seat belt repair or replace?

["welmoedj" <joe.dalton@xxxxxxxxxx>]

It surely will make a big difference having a long time neglected car 
(I know your car's history) or a rather normally maintained car.
However at Ed Uding's I noticed that removing the panels was not that 
difficult.
Then again, when I had to replace headliner and gas strut retainers I 
also had to make the panel giving way for removal of the headliner 
panels.
After removing screws, door seals and using gentle force the panel 
came off in a jiffy.
Perhaps you are too worried (I would also be!).

Anyway, should you want to replace the seat belt(s) look at the ones 
used over here: European belts seem to be stiffer and retract easier.

Welmoed.


--- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Tom Tait" <TTait@...> wrote:
>
> My car has been through a lot.  After 69k miles it sat untouched 
for 12 years.  For the last few  of those the Drivers window was 
broken out.  A lot of the car was in bad shape and its been a lot of 
work to get it to a clean daily driver.
> 
> The drivers seatbelt mechanism has always been weak.  Very slow to 
retract, but it did. I have been confident that it would work if 
needed.  I have been reluctant to replace it as the cover panel is 
out of stock and I can't replace it if it gets damaged.  I'm told it 
often does.
> 
> Last week my wife drove the car, and was dissatisfied with my 
lackluster seat belt retractor so she gave it a hard sharp pull to 
whip it into shape.  It no longer retracts at all - its fully 
extended and stuck.
> 
> So...  I have a Safety Vehicle that has no drivers seatbelt (I can 
cheat and make the lapbelt portion work but thats nearly useless).  I 
have kids.  I can't continue to drive around without a seatbelt, its 
just dumb.  
> 
> So - is there a way to possibly resurrect my seatbelt without 
removing that cover panel? I'm sure the years of exposure are a 
factor. If I have to remove it I'm obviously installing a new unit 
and will be done with it - but how do I remove it without damaging 
it? I'm not afraid to work on the car but I know this part is very 
hard to come by and I don't want to ruin it. IF I get the cover off 
undamaged, is there a better way to reinstall it so it comes out 
easier in the future? Is the best answer to smile and pay my local 
vendor (an hour away) to do it?
> 
> Advice will be appreciated, and will make my car safe again.  
Thanks.
> 
> Tom
> 10902
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>




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