Seat Belt Retractor Replacement

Hello All-
I've got a 96 T100 4x4 Extra Cab that I love. Just did a search and was surprised to not find anything under the umbrella of fixing Toyota's notoriously bad seat belt retracting system.
Simple question I guess... Has anyone attempted to remedy the problem? If so, what was involved?

Cheers!

Yah gotta just know where to look (http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/minutemods/seatbelt/)... ;)

This is perfect! Cheers!
:thumbsup:

I did the R&R on my belts. It didn't help one bit. I still have to help them retract every time.

That's not good news! Anyone else have this experience?

The only thing I did not do (yet) that I have read about is to carefully sandpaper where the belt goes through the upper restraint to make it slide easier. I don't know for sure if it works, but it may be worth a try.

I brought it up to the Toyota dealer once, and they said that's how they are. Like the poor gas mileage. That's the way it is.

The only thing I did not do (yet) that I have read about is to carefully sandpaper where the belt goes through the upper restraint to make it slide easier. I don't know for sure if it works, but it may be worth a try.
For a low-friction finish, you'd want some pretty fine sandpaper - I'd think that wrapping the bearing surface with a slick-backed tape (electrician's, teflon, etc) would be easier and more effective.

That's the way it is.With enough money and effort, you can replace parts on any car and modify - until you end up with a homemade Lear jet. Nothing mechanical is unchangeable.

Danno, who's willing to put up with minor inconvenience before he has parts custom-milled, though.:eek:

I did the R&R on my belts. It didn't help one bit. I still have to help them retract every time.

Did you throw the belt in the washer? No fabric softner and no dryer!!

No, but they haven't worked right from the factory, and the truck is very clean with only 45K miles.

I have a 96 T100 4x4 and when I bought it as a 2 year lease return, Toyota Certified, it had the retracting problem. Even with the Extended Platinum warranty, I couldn't get the Dealer to fix the problem. They said it had to be broken to get it fixxed. I called it a safety issue, and they still wouldn't fix it.

Funny, my car failed inspection in Maine twice because of the seat belt retractor. The inspection code considers it a safety issue and an indication that the active restraint system is failing (not so). It even still works pretty well, just not like from the factory. It does the job when extended to the point required to buckle; it just doesn't keep the belt out of the door without you helping it out.

Third time was the charm though, just had to find a "headlight only" shady inspector.