Seat belts loose

[ULcards99]

Has anyone fixed the old seat belts so they don't get loose after sitting in the seat for a while?

[MikeFleming]

The front lap belt portion? There should be a white or black plastic rubbing thin on the metal bar in the slider thingie. Ford used to provide those separately as replacement parts decades back. Don't know if they still do.

I have a set of those parts around somewhere - I can take/post pics later. You may need to remind me.

[ULcards99]

Actually the whole seat belt. You have to pull the shoulder strap to get it to tighten after sitting there for a few minutes.

[MikeFleming]

Actually the whole seat belt. You have to pull the shoulder strap to get it to tighten after sitting there for a few minutes. That's a feature. If you move around after positioning the seat belt/shoulder strap (like leaning forward to look behind you), it will rachet out until you pull/release the strap or open the door. It's designed to do that. All Fords (and most other cars) of that era do this.

[svono50]

Yep, our belts ratchet out and you just have to snap them out and back to re-tension. I remember my buddy's 89 LX had the constant tension belts and he absolutely hated them and always wanted to swap for mine. I never did, but it may be an option to swap out for a set from an 87-93 model?? I would stay away from salvage yard picks, as you have no idea what they have been through. I am not sure if you can still get them from Ford, but maybe?

[MikeFleming]

You can also take the door mechanical switch out (and plug the hole in the door jamb). That will remove the rachet function.

[ChrisCurtin]

You can also take the door mechanical switch out (and plug the hole in the door jamb). That will remove the rachet function.

Hi Mike,

Can you give some more details on this? I've been looking for the grommet around the plunger and it looks to be impossible to find. What is involved in removing the switch? My interior is still out so I can easily get to the seat belt units.

Thanks,

Chris

[MikeFleming]

It's been a while since I took one out but if you remove the inner rear plastic panel near the rear window, you will be able to access the inside of the cable assembly that goes to the door jamb thingie. It's the black push-in thing that points straight outwards inside the door jamb, below the striker/latch thingie. I suspect it's retained just like the door lock with a spring plate pushed in from the side, but I've slept since then.

Iirc a 1.25" body rubber plug will fill the now exposed hole.

Alternately you can cut the cable. I don't recommend doing that as it's a one way step - where recovery back to original requires installing new or replacement parts.