Replaced suspension, rear seat belts have coiled up

[RobMinhas]

So I replaced my suspension the other day, and when I removed my rear struts I also removed the seat belt mount, where the seat belt coils. i thought nothing of it and tossed it in my back seat while I replaced it. Well now, I cannot uncoil either of the seat belts in order to fit them onto the original mounts. From looking at them I didn't see any way's to uncoil them, but I could've missed something.

I've searched all kinds of different words like "strut seat belt stuck, seat belt stuck, etc" because I was certain I saw a thread with the same question a while ago, but to no avail.

Thanks in advance fellas.

[Ryan]

Ugh, this is always a nightname.

Basically keep playing with it. little tugs, big tugs, wiggle, tug, shake, tug, rattle and tug, tug tug tug.

Pause for several beer.

Repeat.

And never let it happen again use some sort of clip to stop it from going all the way in.

[Nd4SpdSe]

AH crap, how did I fix that?...

I think it's doing exactly as Ryan said. I remember remembering and used a clip to stop it the second time, heh

[Evo_Spec]

i was lucky and had a gut feeling that i should prevent it from coiling in so i used a vice grip clamp to hold it XD
glad i never had to deal with this

[RobMinhas]

i see, when I messed with them I managed to get a bit out, but it would always go back, i'm curious if replicating the position it originally is in and then tugging would be effective, as that's how it works when it's in the car.

I"m gonna spam the vicegrip/clip advice to everyone doing suspension work now hahah

[crazycanadian]

The Key is going to be holding the belts Level like they would be if they were bolted in the car... Very slowly pulling on them a little at a time.. When it locks you just go back a little bit and then pull slowly.. Its a painful process.. I cursed my self out the first time I let it happen... 6 months later I kicked my self in the a-- when I did it a again...

[wytbishop]

It didn't take me that long. CrazyCanadian's right. Hold them level and go a little bit at a time. Pull it out till it locks and then let it back just till you hear the click...then pull it out a bit farther. Just takes a few minutes.

[Nd4SpdSe]

That's right! I totally remember now that I took the seatbelts totally apart in the X to clean mud out from inside. They weren't unwinding properly because there was mud in the mechanism/ball bearing. There's a small ball bearing that rolls around inside, when it gets moved from forward or rearward G-forces, the bearing comes out of it's rest position, trips the mechanism and locks the belt. Having the belt tilted in other than it's natural level position will cause it to lock on you.

Here's a pic from a Mercedez. It's very close, the design is pretty much standard with little variation.



Replace "Impact" With "Deceleration". Some will also lock during acceleration motions too. If you've ever noticed why you can't pull out your belt to buckle up while the car is moving, that's the reason.

[RobMinhas]

[Nd4SpdSe]

Welcome

Oh, and in case anyone wonders how I managed to get mud in there...

[Polonius]

Nice pic! Did you drive out?


Yeah, I did that too. Pull until it stops, let it in a tiny bit. Rinse and repeat.

[MrMazda92]

Hah, I've had an Xterra lower than that... Stalled out though, very unpleasant being buried up to my throat in mud.

Good thing we had the sense to bring friends with, winches for everybody, just in case.

[Nd4SpdSe]

Nope, well, depends. I came through that mud hole the first time no problem, but going back, I hit a mud-wall from the guy before who got stuck after me going through and I stopped dead. Deep varies in each situation.



Back to the topic

[kulluminati777]

Kicka** pics!!!! and yeah i found out the holding it level thing when i swapped my auto seats belts for manual ones