Driver's seatbelt is not keen to retract into its holder these days - I remember somebody posting something about giving it a light spray with silicone spray - I think.
Is this correct? If so where can I get this?
If not, what's recommended?
thanks
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Is this correct? If so where can I get this?
Yes, and Halfords, IIRC.
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I remember from that thread that someone recommended to make sure to spray the whole length of the seatbelt, not just the part that normally comes out.
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Ok, so I never got round to this and the seatbelts are worse then ever :-(
I couldn't find this in Halfords at the time - what exactly will it be called and, if not Halfords, where can I get it?
Also - do I unreel the whole belt and spray both sides or just one side? Will the silicone leave a mess on clothes or will it quickly dry in?
thanks in advance
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Silicone spray is *very* widely available from motor factors etc. Halfords will almost certainly sell it.
It is pretty-much non-staining.
Bear in mind that if the seat belt is getting very stiff then a new retractor is only around £25-35 (see www.securon.co.uk)
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It's the stuff that the unwise car valet put on the footmats in my Capri, making getting in and out more hazardous than it should be. One brand is Back to Black tyre blackener, which comes with a warning to avoid spraying it on pedals and the like because it is so slippery; there are sure to be non-coloured equivalents on the Halfords shelf.
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Yes, don't get it on pedals or steering wheel, door handle etc.; it will stay slippy for weeks.
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Will it be slippy or sticky? What is it usually used for anyway - e.g. why would they spray this on mats - seems crazy!
thanks
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i used to use this BACK TO BLACK on the black plastic trim and bumpers on my old senator,that had gone grey, works a treat and lasts ages, but when i took it to the body-shop for some paintwork tidying,before i sold it, the sprayer threatened to hang me!! cos i'd also got some overspray on the paintwork. apparently it's bad to get off.:-(
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I would advise not using Back To Black on your seat belts. Unless you use gloves whilst aplying it to your bumpers, tyres, door handles, ect take a look at your hands afterwards. And subsequently you try getting it off your hands as well. Now imagine if that were your shirts....
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Ok - I went out today and bought a product rejoicing in the name of 'Halfords Rubber and Nylon Lubricant' which I'm going to try out one one of the seat belts in the next day or so - unless somebody thinks this is the wrong product....!
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Tried it on the front passenger belt last night - seems to have made a 'reel' difference (if you'll pardon the pun!) Dried in quickly and belt seems to whizz back into its holder now. Recommended!
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Any silicone based product will play havoc with paint, adhesive including sticky pads, possibly electrics, sealents etc etc.
Having worked in the defence industry there is a real and justified fear of silicone sprays or sealents near areas where any adhesive or paint products are used.
Silicone products that cure, such as RTVs (Room Temperature Vulcanisers) are not deemed a hazard when they are cured, but they are in their uncured state. Even so, how many have ever tried painting onto a silicone seal or those silicone based water sealing products used for DIY etc?
The real offenders are those products that do not cure, such as silicone oil (used in instrument applications), and even release agent similar to what Halfords sell, used in moulding and vacuum moulding appications.
We had terrible problems even when the cleaners used to use their silicone based cleaning agents with the best of intentions, in areas where precision instruments had to be assembled under clean room conditions.
Production processes were often re written to replace silicone based products with silicone free equivilents or simply remove the need for that process altogether.
IMO avoid silicone based products if at all possible. If you can't then bear in mind the above when you use them!
Hugo
"Forever indebted to experience of others"
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Martin, I'm really interested in this thread and your fix. The two rear seat belts on my Cavalier now need some encouragement (alignment and gentle pushing) to retract up the last foot or so to sit hard against the back seat. Eventually the kids will trap them in the rear doors! If pulled right out the webbing wizzes back into place except the for the last foot or so and the locking mechanisms works fine. I've always assumed the return springs were getting weak with old age as when they were new the belts always snapped back into place. Is this basically the same as your problem with the front seat belt? Also did the Halfords Nylon & Rubber spray cause any staining to the seat belt or your clothing?
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The front belts in my car just seemed to not always retract very well - it wasn't just the last foot or so - they seemed to either retract fully or not at all without some encouragement.
All I've done so far is pull out the passenger belt to its full length and sprayed the last two or three feet on one side only. Does seem to make a difference. It didn't seem to stain the belt and it wouldn't stain clothing as I only sprayed the length of belt that wouldn't be seen normally - unless I have an enormous front passenger!
I'm going to do the driver-side belt at the weekend when I get a chance to see what I'm doing so if you can wait until Monday I'll let you know the result. If it is going to stain then I'll be the first to find out!
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Martin, I await your further experimentation with interest. I wonder if, as you are spraying the section of belt nearest the reel mechanism, you are not actually lubricating or unsticking the return mechanism itself which is why the belt now works. Either way it seems to work which is what matters.
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Martin, Just wondering whether you had sprayed the driver's side seat belt with the Halfords spray and if so what was the result?
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Forgot to post results!
Yes - did drivers belt in the same way - just sprayed the bit that wouldn't normally be seen - same results: belt doesn't stick, no residue on belt, no stains on clothes.
Try it - it works.
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Martin,
Thanks - I'll give it a go. What I like about your response is that you are using a specific named product I know I can easily purchase. I've seen it on the shelf before in Halfords and have wondered if it was any good.
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This was what I postsed last year on the Trade Secrets thread:
Sluggish Seatbelts
To cure inertia seatbelts not retracting quickly enough, a light spray with silicone spray will restore them to as new.
Does not mark clothing or, more importantly, harm the webbing.
This done each service stops belts hanging out of doors or buckles being slammed against door shuts.
Charles
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Charles - I didn't spot that you posted this last year. Thanks.
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Thanks to the BR. I have just bought some of Halfords lubricant as mentioned above and it works a treat with both of my lethargic seatbelts. £3.99 fix - great!
Thanks again.
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Great thread - I'll rush out and buy some!
All I need now is something to stop children and careless adults creasing the belt over as it retracts. I seem to be forever untwisting belts and coaxing them back in without folds.
Also they manage to get the snap-on bit the wrong way round, presumably by pulling it when creased so that the belt crosses over back to front.
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I am sure that a good deal of the common trouble with tired belts is because in normal use they are only half extended. The 'inner' half becomes a bit damp and sometimes mildewed. Simply ventilating the fully-extended belts for a couple of hours would probably help, then use the magic spray, whatever it is.
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I found the silicon sprey helped the belts glide back but the rear belts were still stiff after years of being around child seats. I pulled out the belts and pegged them into buckets of hot water with washing powder in. I didn't let the belts retract until fully dry; by looping them around the front seat headrests (I thought they might not dry out properly and go mouldy if I let them retract whilst wet). When dry (the next day) I applied the silicon spray as mentioned in this thread. They glide in and out perfectly well now. It was an easy job.
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