72 seat belt retractor disassembly and repair

[Mike E.]

Anyone had any luck with this? I'm trying to help with a car that had water on the floor. The belts are freed up, but the retractors are NG. When I call the big name seat belt companies, they say "we can try" but are evasive about their abilities. I don't want them to give away trade secrets, I just want to know if they can fix them. And if they have figured them out, I wonder if anyone else has. Has anyone tried to figure out the assembly sequence?

Thanks!

[Rob V.]

Re: 72 seat belt retractor disassembly and repair

Mike--

How did you free up the seat belts?? The passenger belt in my car is stuck in place--the metal part that the belt wraps around is rusted and will not move. Di you soak it in soapy water; use WD-40; or, ???? Please forgive me for asking--I don't wish to hijack your thread, but I would like to know your trade secret on how you freed the belts so they move.

Thanks in advance,
Rob

[Eugene V.]

Re: 72 seat belt retractor disassembly and repair

Rob,

I have a 1970 with the same problem. If you are referring to the male portion of the buckle, then the top portion, the buffed piece of metal, can be pried off exposing the belt. You can then move the belt away from the large pin in the buckle in attempt to clean it up. I had limited success with trying to remove the rust with a small wire brush and some WD-40.

Hopefully it will work better for you.

Gene

[Mike E.]

Re: 72 seat belt retractor disassembly and repair

Gene,
70 doesn't have a retractor. 72 has a spring-loaded retractor/reel. That's what I'm looking for help with.
Rob,
My approach was rather unsophisticated. I whacked away with a hammer and some thin punches. Tugged, whacked, tugged, whacked on the spool area and wrapped-up belt. It took a while. Retractor and springs don't bring it back now that I have it freed and derusted.

[Patrick H.]

Re: 72 seat belt retractor disassembly and repair

I know that Lyle Chamberlain has played with these quite a bit. You might want to contact him.

[Rob V.]

Re: 72 seat belt retractor disassembly and repair

Gene and Mike--Thanks! I will try your methods. Anything will be better than what currently exists, as the belt is way too big for either my wife or daughter (might fit my fat body, but then I couldn't drive). Thanks again!Rob

[Christopher K.]

Re: 72 seat belt retractor disassembly and repair

Mike

I successfully rebuilt my retractable lap belts on my '73, I think they're about the same as your '72. I soaked them in Evaporust for a few days, with some work and wd40 in between - they were really bad.
There's a clock spring behind the cover that says "do not remove". Be gentle (no hammer) when you take it off so you don't break off the plastic pieces. And the spring will pop out, so be careful.
It's common for these to break, that's probably what happened. I just cut it a little shorter, reassembled, and then adjusted to the proper tension. You could buy a new spring, maybe from a clock repair store.
They have been working fine ever since, but this repair is not DOT approved!

[Alan S.]

Re: 72 seat belt retractor disassembly and repair

Hi Chris,
Enough RAIN yet?
Nice work on the retractors!
Regards,
Alan

[Christopher K.]

Re: 72 seat belt retractor disassembly and repair

Hi Alan
Yes, lots of flooding around here. The street at the bottom of my driveway is more like a river!