Seat belt removal

Aspen500

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2015
Messages
7,030
Reaction score
2,758
Location
Rib Mountain, WI
Early September 79 built View attachment 4849280’ 40 k original car, Chrysler quick fix for not having the correct delete plug, other photo is March 80 build date
Those are the plugs my 79 had (build date June 21, 1979). Now I remember where I got the plungers from, a 78 parts car. Only put them in as "door poppers" and it looks better than the plastic plugs.

To answer the question, they're a mechanical cable. Cutting them won't hurt anything. The belts will still function normally, although we all hope that we never have a field test of the belt system.
 

Autostocks

Active Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2022
Messages
35
Reaction score
8
Location
Michigan
They had it thru the 80s. My 88 has it.
From the service manual:
"On standard seat belt systems, spring tension keeps the belt snug at all times. On seat belt systems equipped with a tension reliever, a cable which is activated by closing the door, cancels this tension. This allows a small amount of slack to be left in the belt for comfort. When the door is opened the tension returns and the belt will retract."
This is the best description I've seen yet, thank you. So it is a cable. Now just need to figure out the best way to disassemble it.
 

Mikes5thAve

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 3, 2020
Messages
1,372
Reaction score
537
Location
Canada
If you're trying to get them out remove the 2 phillips screws on either side of the button in the door frame and it all pulls out from the inside.
If you mean disassemble it from the seat belt no clue, I'd let whoever is going to replace the belt deal with that.
 

Justwondering

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2015
Messages
3,602
Reaction score
1,003
Location
North Texas
Speaking about seatbelt experience.
Having a little play in the seat belt has been a requirement in this house for decades.
I used two options:
1. Bought a gel pad that wraps around the seat belt and has velcro. It has a C-shape on the bottom side. Then you move this gel pad up to where it cushions between the seat belt and your chest. Making sure the 'c' cutout sits around your pacemaker.
seatbeltsmall.jpg

and here is another version
seatbeltlarge.jpg


These gave you a little 'ease' but didn't address the continued belt tensionning.
Helped tremendousely when my husband got his pacemaker until it fully healed.

2. My personal solution was to clip the belt in and then duck under the chest belt and but it behind my back. Yes, I know. Not legal, not smart, not safe. But vehicle either wouldn't start or dang warning bell kept going off. The solution stopped the ever increasing tension that never seemed to release on deceleration. It often seemed like the car was trying to cut me in half diagonally.

Eventually, I went to adding a 'stop' to trick the tensioner. I just put velcro where I wanted it to stop so I would still have easement in the strap but could wear it comfortably across my chest.

Now it seems the tensioner, like everything else, has a little 'give' and has lost some of its 'tone'. rotflmao

So, the belt tensioners and I get along pretty well now.

None of my vehicles had the lead on them like you folks have have/had.
JW
 

Autostocks

Active Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2022
Messages
35
Reaction score
8
Location
Michigan
If you're trying to get them out remove the 2 phillips screws on either side of the button in the door frame and it all pulls out from the inside.
If you mean disassemble it from the seat belt no clue, I'd let whoever is going to replace the belt deal with that.
Yeah, I don't think getting it out would be a problem. Getting it back in means I'd have to fish the cable back down the B pillar, which means at a minimum I'd have to remove the trim panel beneath the fixed side window, right?
 

Autostocks

Active Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2022
Messages
35
Reaction score
8
Location
Michigan
So my seat belt replacement project is finished. Much more of a hassle than I expected, but it came out good.

However I am missing one plastic cover that goes on the front belt buckle. Part #F405 MX9. Picture attached.

Does anyone have one they're willing to sell?

20230505_092931.jpg
 

Aspen500

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 14, 2015
Messages
7,030
Reaction score
2,758
Location
Rib Mountain, WI
Those are tough to find unbroken. Thought I had a good one but when I looked, two of the tabs are broken off.
 
Back
Top