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Seatbelt replacement

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IowaTom

Seatbelt replacement

Gentlemen - My '85 F150's seatbelts are unravelling in spots and rusty where they shouldn't be.
I took the passenger side plastic cover off the shoulder belt and notice the ratchet is at the top of the cab, whereas this pic, from an Ebarf vendor, shows it at the bottom for my truck year.
What say you? Thanks!

'85 F150 XLT 4X4 with 300 c.i. six & NP435 four speed.
'63 Studebaker Avanti - 350/TH350
'59 Rambler Super - OHV 6 with 3-speed OD
'58 Studebaker Scotsman sedan - 289 with 3-speed OD

Gary Lewis

Re: Seatbelt replacement

Administrator

They moved the reel in '87 IIRC.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

Dad's: '81 F150 Ranger XLT 4x4: Down for restomod: Full-roller "stroked 351M" w/Trick Flow heads & intake, EEC-V SEFI/E4OD/3.50 gears w/Kevlar clutches
Blue: 2015 F150 Platinum 4x4 SuperCrew wearing Blue Jeans & sporting a 3.5L EB & Max Tow
Big Blue: 1985 F250HD 4x4: 460/ZF5/3.55's, D60 w/Ox locker & 10.25 Sterling/Trutrac, Blue Top & Borgeson, & EEC-V MAF/SEFI

IowaTom

Re: Seatbelt replacement

Gary, Doews that mean the one above won't work in my truck?

'85 F150 XLT 4X4 with 300 c.i. six & NP435 four speed.
'63 Studebaker Avanti - 350/TH350
'59 Rambler Super - OHV 6 with 3-speed OD
'58 Studebaker Scotsman sedan - 289 with 3-speed OD

Gary Lewis

Re: Seatbelt replacement

Administrator

Yes, I think that is what it means.

However, there are others with more experience in this area than I. Jim has an '87 and Bill has put a much later interior in his truck. So hopefully one of them, or someone else that knows will chime in.

Gary, AKA "Gary fellow": Profile

mat in tn

Re: Seatbelt replacement

yes, this most definitely means they will not work. I think you have an 85 "bullnose". 80-86 had the belt motor mounted high on the back corner and anchor at the bottom with the buckle section mounting inboard to the floor and running through the seat bottom. at this time, the best supplier that I have found for these is lmc. if someone knows of a better supplier I would like to know also.

ArdWrknTrk

Re: Seatbelt replacement

Administrator

In reply to this post by Gary Lewis

Gary & Tom, I know that my seatbelt ratchet attaches to the floor but my B pillar seems to still have the stamped out area for the tensioner to attach higher up.
What I don't know is if the '86 corner trim has room for the belt and mechanism to fit behind it.
Nor do I know if there is a 7/16-20 nut welded into the floor.

I do know that there is no provision for the belt retract button in the '86 door jamb, and this is one of the differences when you're trying to fit later doors to a Bullnose cab.

It would be interesting to investigate.

Jim,
Lil'Red is a '87 F250 HD, 4.10's, 1356 4x4, Zf-5, 3G, PMGR, Saginaw PS, desmogged with a Holley 80508 and Performer intake.
Too much other stuff to mention.

ryan beck

Re: Seatbelt replacement

hi

no there s not enough room to put the retractor there, been there, done that..

the only good replacement is the LMC one with the retractor position in the upper b pillar as the original one.

cost me a return from France to USA 😅

the only small issue is that the retractor is very sensitive, you have to pull the belt very slowly but it is very effective on the other side to protect the driver.
the complete kit is about 200 dollars if I remember correctly.

mat in tn

Re: Seatbelt replacement

I will second that. they work very well but VERY sensitive! i consider them "fast acting". the odd thing is that the further you pull it out the slower you need to pull. i know why but it's still annoying to us impatient folks.

Rusty_S85

Re: Seatbelt replacement

In reply to this post by ryan beck

ryan beck wrote

hi

no there s not enough room to put the retractor there, been there, done that..

the only good replacement is the LMC one with the retractor position in the upper b pillar as the original one.

cost me a return from France to USA 😅

the only small issue is that the retractor is very sensitive, you have to pull the belt very slowly but it is very effective on the other side to protect the driver.
the complete kit is about 200 dollars if I remember correctly.

It is very sensitive. Had a customer at work complain about how he cant pull it out cause its constantly latching I told him nothing I can do with it cause he had the original belts thrown out when he had us restore the truck and bought the LMC ones to replace them.

That is why I have personally been on the hunt for NOS belts for my truck, I got a driver side set still hunting for the passenger side and center.

"Old Blue" - '56 Fairlane Town Sedan - 292-4V, Ford-O-Matic transmission, 3.22:1
'63 Belair 2dr sdn - 283-4V, Powerglide transmission, 4.56:1
'78 Cougar XR7 - 351-2V, FMX transmission, 2.75:1 9inch
"Bruno" - '82 F150 Flareside - 302-2V, C6 transmission, 2.75:1 9inch, 31x10.50-15 BFG KO2

IowaTom

Re: Seatbelt replacement

Thanks for the heads-up on the new correct replacements!
I sent the wrong ones back and have opted for lap belts. They're certainly better than nothing. :-)

'85 F150 XLT 4X4 with 300 c.i. six & NP435 four speed.
'63 Studebaker Avanti - 350/TH350
'59 Rambler Super - OHV 6 with 3-speed OD
'58 Studebaker Scotsman sedan - 289 with 3-speed OD