Restoring OEM Seatbelts

[LT7A]

I always like seeing the renewal. They look really good. What are you hearing back about durability of the dye? You get it through USA 1 correct?

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by LT7A

I always like seeing the renewal. They look really good. What are you hearing back about durability of the dye? You get it through USA 1 correct?

Can’t say I have heard from anyone. I have had a couple of repeat people, having me do other sets for them, that’s good news.
I have had my belts for about 4-5 years now. They were the very first set that I had ever done, and it was almost a couple years after that, that I started doing other belts. During that time in between, I did a lot of research on the belts themselves, just trying to learn different things and the do’s and dont’s. I’m still learning a lot, and I have certainly have expanded on the cleaning techniques since my set, and some of the very first sets that I did.
And USA1 is where I get all my supplies. They are literally the only place that has all the correct colors for our trucks interior. I do use SEM as far as the prep stages of dyeing. But when it comes to dye, SEM has discontinued a lot of our colors. And with so many different shades of one particular color, I gave up on SEM when it comes to finding the right color that matches. So USA1 it is!

[TKCR]

I’ve been making these color samples myself, because the color sample card sometimes doesn’t show the true color.
And of course there’s a lot of colors I have even had the opportunity to use yet.

[LT7A]

Originally Posted by TKCR

Can’t say I have heard from anyone. I have had a couple of repeat people, having me do other sets for them, that’s good news.
I have had my belts for about 4-5 years now. They were the very first set that I had ever done, and it was almost a couple years after that, that I started doing other belts. During that time in between, I did a lot of research on the belts themselves, just trying to learn different things and the do’s and dont’s. I’m still learning a lot, and I have certainly have expanded on the cleaning techniques since my set, and some of the very first sets that I did.
And USA1 is where I get all my supplies. They are literally the only place that has all the correct colors for our trucks interior. I do use SEM as far as the prep stages of dyeing. But when it comes to dye, SEM has discontinued a lot of our colors. And with so many different shades of one particular color, I gave up on SEM when it comes to finding the right color that matches. So USA1 it is!

Oh my, that's a collection to dye for! Sorry, couldn't resist ; )
Thanks for the info!

[TKCR]

1987 Charcoal Black. These were restored for someone in Canada. The lap belts was cut pretty bad, so I was able to replace them with a better set. The set also needed the upper anchor caps. These got the usual of through cleaning of the retractor mechanisms and relubed. Disassembled the buckles for debris and rust removal.
Here are the Before pics

[TKCR]

After Pics

[LT7A]

Great work TKCR. The male part of the buckle that has the grippy coating on it made me think of something. Griot's garage has a plastic cleaner that is actually a chemical based cleaner rather than abrasive. I remember them saying that it showed to be particularly effective on like the yellowed back windows of convertibles, the non-glass ones. I know you use griot's stuff to detail your truck and I thought I might mention it. I don't think leaving them as is takes anything away from the work you're doing, but it might be able to remove a little bit of that yellowing if you wanted to try it. I don't want to sound like I'm nitpicking your work, that's not the case at all. But you offer many of us helpful hints and ideas and thought I would try to return the favor.

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by LT7A

Great work TKCR. The male part of the buckle that has the grippy coating on it made me think of something. Griot's garage has a plastic cleaner that is actually a chemical based cleaner rather than abrasive. I remember them saying that it showed to be particularly effective on like the yellowed back windows of convertibles, the non-glass ones. I know you use griot's stuff to detail your truck and I thought I might mention it. I don't think leaving them as is takes anything away from the work you're doing, but it might be able to remove a little bit of that yellowing if you wanted to try it. I don't want to sound like I'm nitpicking your work, that's not the case at all. But you offer many of us helpful hints and ideas and thought I would try to return the favor.

I didn’t take it like that at all. I know what your talking about. I have been able to get a lot of them clean with an SOS pad, when in using it on the Chrome. But some haven’t come clean. But it seems like the ones I can’t seem to get all that yellowing off, it’s actually on the underside of the rubbery material. But I have some of that stuff from Griots, so I will certainly give it a shot. Thank you!

[TKCR]

Here is a set of 1977, 1st Style 3pt belts, Saddle. These were restored for someone, and boy did they need some work. Very dirty!
Throughly cleaned, rust removed from the mounts & chrome pieces, buckles disassembled for debris removal. The buckles received new emblems also.
Before Pics

[TKCR]

After Pics

[TKCR]

More after pics. I also did a set of Hinge Garnishes for his seat. So many upholstery shops don’t do the little extras, like I do. So on his seat, they just left them off, so I restored a set for him.
This is the truck everything is going in.

[GOPAPA]

These 1980 something seat belts are sure hard to take hold a yanking on them .. I wonder if you have to be going almost straight down hill and hit a rock mountain to get it to work..

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by GOPAPA

These 1980 something seat belts are sure hard to take hold a yanking on them .. I wonder if you have to be going almost straight down hill and hit a rock mountain to get it to work..

You’ll never get them to “take hold” by yanking on them. Doesn’t matter how hard, or how fast. Our belts don’t work that way. They only have ELR, which means they will lock when you brakes are hit hard.
The ALR feature, yanking on the belts and they “take hold”, that didn’t start until much later.
I really hate to think of all the belts that got tossed, because people thought they didn’t work because of the yanking on the belt theory. I know I get a lot of people that think their belts don’t work, when they do.
If you want to test it. Take the truck out some place where you can do this safely. When you are at driving speeds, hit the brakes hard. The belt should lock up. Now there are times that they may not, because the pendulum or counter balance can not swing, because of all the gunk build up in the retractors. I have had a few belts like that. There was so much hair balls and string wrapped around the counter balance it couldn’t even move. Another time, I had mud wasp nest all up inside the retractor casings.

[hatzie]

Originally Posted by TKCR

You’ll never get them to “take hold” by yanking on them. Doesn’t matter how hard, or how fast. Our belts don’t work that way. They only have ELR, which means they will lock when you brakes are hit hard.
The ALR feature, yanking on the belts and they “take hold”, that didn’t start until much later.
I really hate to think of all the belts that got tossed, because people thought they didn’t work because of the yanking on the belt theory. I know I get a lot of people that think their belts don’t work, when they do.
If you want to test it. Take the truck out some place where you can do this safely. When you are at driving speeds, hit the brakes hard. The belt should lock up. Now there are times that they may not, because the pendulum or counter balance can not swing, because of all the gunk build up in the retractors. I have had a few belts like that. There was so much hair balls and string wrapped around the counter balance it couldn’t even move. Another time, I had mud wasp nest all up inside the retractor casings.

That's some very important information about locking seatbelts in this generation GM vehicles.

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by hatzie

That's some very important information about locking seatbelts in this generation GM vehicles.

I did a search on seatbelts on some of the old threads. It is so obvious that a lot of people replaced their seatbelts because they thought they were no good, because of this “yanking on the belts” theory. That’s sad to think of all the perfectly working seatbelts that were thrown away.

[hatzie]

Originally Posted by TKCR

I did a search on seatbelts on some of the old threads. It is so obvious that a lot of people replaced their seatbelts because they thought they were no good, because of this “yanking on the belts” theory. That’s sad to think of all the perfectly working seatbelts that were thrown away.

Kindof the way it goes. Nothing that can be done about those past errors.
On a lighter note. I bet the LH seat belt tensioner in my 2005 is growing a lint & hair ball like the one in your picture.

[HOTFUN]

They all look so awesome but I love the 1973 lap belt set BESTIS!
Great to see these serviced originals go right back in these squarebody trucks.

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by HOTFUN

They all look so awesome but I love the 1973 lap belt set BESTIS!
Great to see these serviced originals go right back in these squarebody trucks.

The 73-75 lap belts are my favorite also. Those buckles are just so cool!

[TKCR]

1977 Buckskin 1st Style 3pt Belts. These were cleaned and restored for someone.
These poor things were in rough shape, pretty dirty. A couple of the buckles had pretty bad sun rot, as with the retractor housings. They received New Emblems and New Upper Anchor covers.
One of the housing was cracked pretty bad and super thin. It’s not the prettiest, but it’s a little more firm, it will hold.
Here’s the Before & After Pics.

[Soundmound]

I just sent my belts to Tina and I can't wait to see them in this thread!

[TKCR]

Originally Posted by Soundmound

I just sent my belts to Tina and I can't wait to see them in this thread!

You must have contacted me via Messenger or my FB Page? I don’t recognize your username.

[TKCR]

Working on a set of Charcoal Black seatbelts for someone. These needed quite a bit of rust removal. One buckle did need replace, it was badly pitted.
Check out the Before Pics.

[TKCR]

After rust removal from the mounts and buckles. The last picture is the badly pitted buckle. It was one that was replaced.

[TKCR]

The housing on one of the retractors had a broken tab, where the rivet goes. It was plastic welder back on.
Center buckles are completed. Just need to rivet the housings back to the retractor mounts.

[rustyfive-seven]

thank you !! they came out great, I know i didnt give you much to work with! mine are in #372