Saggy rear seatbelt

FIFTY

Member
Messages
3,100
Noticed this when I was clearing the tools out of the back if the 4200 after installingan amp in the centre console

The belt recoils for all of it apart from the last 50cm... is that a MOT failure? Looking more likely that I will be removing the back seats soon

20180101_155424-1.jpg
 

spkennyuk

Member
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5,931
If you access the seat belt reel and pull the belt out as far as it will go and then spray some furniture polish on the first couple of inches of the seat belt on boths sides of the belt.

If you then let it recoil slowly and then pull the belt back out again a few times it often cures this.

The friction against the recoil mechanism is getting too great so it cant pull the whole belt back in. The polish helps reduce the friction.

Worth a go and its a free fix if it works.

As it stands i suspect its an mot failure due to incorrect seat belt operation.
 

FIFTY

Member
Messages
3,100
Cheers Kenny I'll give it a go nothing to loose. Second hand assembly is 65+vat from ES or 125+vat for new. Back seats hardly get used so will go for second hand

Also this might be a good counter point to those who store their back seat belts plugged in long term as I suspect this is the cause of this fault.
 

spkennyuk

Member
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5,931
No problem at all. Hopefully it will work for you.

You can be pretty liberal with the spray furniture polish. Dont be afraid to add more if you need to.

Once it retracts fully again you can wipe the excess polish off.

You can also spray in a little silicon grease if you want aiming for the sides of the reel. Your more likely to get the grease on the part that could come into contact with clothes or the seat if you use that method.

Same trick works if the belt recoil is slow as well.
 

Scaf

Member
Messages
6,512
If you have been storing them plugged in, then more than likely just a few pulls in and out - feeding it in if necessary should fix it - sound like lack of use rather than over use.
 

FIFTY

Member
Messages
3,100
Bit of closure on this one. The trick with the furnature Polish did nothing so it is safe to assume the mechanism had dried out

On closer inspection both rear seat belts and the front passenger seat belts were suffering with this struggling to recoil the last foot or so of the belt. On the front passenger one you could hear it creaking as it came to a stop

Spoke with Voicey who suggested spraying some lubricant ouround the edges of the reel so it goes into the mchanism he recommended anything with PTFE such as GT85.

Just sprayed the stuff into the mechanism of the seat belts and problem solved!
 

allandwf

Member
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10,958
Why do they need to fully retract? Surely if they are not saggy when clicked in, but no one using them, then that should suffice? Obviously free from damage and stop under inertia.
 

spkennyuk

Member
Messages
5,931
Bit of closure on this one. The trick with the furnature Polish did nothing so it is safe to assume the mechanism had dried out

On closer inspection both rear seat belts and the front passenger seat belts were suffering with this struggling to recoil the last foot or so of the belt. On the front passenger one you could hear it creaking as it came to a stop

Spoke with Voicey who suggested spraying some lubricant ouround the edges of the reel so it goes into the mchanism he recommended anything with PTFE such as GT85.

Just sprayed the stuff into the mechanism of the seat belts and problem solved!

Gt85 is silicone spray that i mentioned to use down the sides. :)

Glad its sorted. One or the other trick usually works. :)
 

spkennyuk

Member
Messages
5,931
Why do they need to fully retract? Surely if they are not saggy when clicked in, but no one using them, then that should suffice? Obviously free from damage and stop under inertia.

It falls under incorrect seat belt operation on the MOT. If you can manually feed the last foot or so of the seat belt back into the reel it would pass. If the belt wont feed all the way back into the reel either on its on or with assistance its a fail.
 

allandwf

Member
Messages
10,958
It falls under incorrect seat belt operation on the MOT. If you can manually feed the last foot or so of the seat belt back into the reel it would pass. If the belt wont feed all the way back into the reel either on its on or with assistance its a fail.

Thanks, learning all the time :)
 

FIFTY

Member
Messages
3,100
It falls under incorrect seat belt operation on the MOT. If you can manually feed the last foot or so of the seat belt back into the reel it would pass. If the belt wont feed all the way back into the reel either on its on or with assistance its a fail.

Under this definition mine would have passed but it's better to have them working properly anyway