69 Dart retractable seat belt location issue!

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AZ-Nick

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Is this common with all 69 Darts.
My retractable unit between the bench seat and the doors (both sides) get wedged between the seat and the door and scratch and scrape the paint off the bottom of the door on both doors, it is so tight that I can’t even move it once I close the door.
What can I do to prevent this from happening?
 
I have this issue too, I believe it is because originally the spool was mounted on the roof.

:popcorn:
 
If the Dart is the same as Barracuda there is no spool in the roof. It is a three piece set, the upper belt snaps into the lower inside belt. There are two buckles on the lower belt one for the lap belt and one for the shoulder belt. Hope this helps. Bobby
 
remytherat said:
Sounds like he has an aftermarket retrofit deal
Click to expand...
I’m the person that started this question asking for information and I am 99% sure that my dart has the original equipment in it mounted on the floor, it just seems like a very bad design to begin with.
 
remytherat said:
Post a pic?
Click to expand...

IMG_4783.jpeg

Notice how fat it looks
 
I would think it should be laying on the floor tucked down between seat track and inner rocker. Then you pull the belt out to buckle up but retractable part stays laying against the floor. Thats how it is on my '69 Barracuda with bucket seats its the same retractable seat belt as in the picture above.
 
340sFastback said:
I would think it should be laying on the floor tucked down between seat track and inner rocker. Then you pull the belt out to buckle up but retractable part stays laying against the floor. Thats how it is on my '69 Barracuda with bucket seats its the same retractable seat belt as in the picture above.
Click to expand...
Sounds like it should but it doesn’t fit or should I say squeeze to fit down there.
 
Are you sure that the belts with the retractor aren't swapped side to side (they are mirror images of each other). It seems like the roller should be toward the seat not the door, and it looks like the lip on the outside of the retractor opening is shaped to face toward the seat, not away... this would move the roller closer to the seat and point that sharp edge away from the door
 
Here is how mine look. No carpet car in process of being put together. But you can see how its suppose to lay all the way down on floor.

PXL_20240311_123126742.jpg


PXL_20240311_123053863.jpg
 
str12-340 said:
Are you sure that the belts with the retractor aren't swapped side to side (they are mirror images of each other). It seems like the roller should be toward the seat not the door, and it looks like the lip on the outside of the retractor opening is shaped to face toward the seat, not away... this would move the roller closer to the seat and point that sharp edge away from the door
Click to expand...
Wow I think you are right, they may be swapped side to side by the previous owner.
Thanks for noticing that.
 
You want that pocket or sheath for the retractor to be loose/big enough for the belt to recoil, to tight and it wont. If you think it to loose/big you can heat it to shrink. Looks like you have it installed correctly, you can always move it more vertical then tighten the mounting bold down to prevent it from moving/dropping down.


69 front seat belt bolts.JPG
 
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str12-340 said:
Are you sure that the belts with the retractor aren't swapped side to side (they are mirror images of each other). It seems like the roller should be toward the seat not the door, and it looks like the lip on the outside of the retractor opening is shaped to face toward the seat, not away... this would move the roller closer to the seat and point that sharp edge away from the door
Click to expand...
That is the problem along with the fact that it is a tight fit. If they were switched it will be much better but not perfect. You'll still get some wear and tear.
 
This is still confusing Can someone please post pictures of their 68 or 69 dart bench seat retractable seat belt unit, I can’t find any pictures on the internet showing what they look like.
 
OP - the belt retractors in your picture are not the same as the retractors in the diagrams and pictures that are being posted. The ones in the diagrams look like the retractors in my 70 Darts.
 
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