Seat Belt Pretensioner Repair - Final Update Must Read

Hey guys. I'm so tired of people riding with me and the seat belt not retracting. You know the feeling...someone in the office will ask for a ride, and when they get out the damn seat belt is hanging there like a limp d....
So, this weekend I removed the passenger and drivers seat belts to be shipped tomorrow to myairbags.com.
This will be for the pretensioner repair. Total bill for the repair of two is $179, which includes them shipping it back by FedEx.
I wanted to post the whole procedure from start to finish for those of you who are on the line about replacing or getting them repaired.
Below are some pictures of the passenger side seat belt being removed.

Stay tuned...more to come
https://www.myairbags.com/product-category/repair-return/seat-belt-repair/

Quick Notes from my experience (I have a Double Cab)

• Remove the front and back door sills. This will help in removing the cover or panel to access the seat belt.
• To remove the cover (paneling)....gently pry the sides out and then LIFT UP to remove. If you just try to pull it off you'll break the plastic tabs on the cover. Ask me how I know.
• All bolts that secure the seat belts are 14mm. Total of 4
• Disconnected the Negative battery cable (was worried about disconnecting the yellow airbag connections). Not sure if you have to do this or not, but I didn't want to take a chance.

SHIPPED 02/03
Boxed them up this morning and they have been shipped. The seat belts should arrive to their location Wednesday.
I'll update the site as soon as I receive communication from myairbags.com



SEAT BELTS ARRIVED TO MYAIRBAGS 02/05
Update - Received notification by text on my phone that the seat belt assemblies have arrived.
I'll update again, once they are shipped.




SEAT BELTS BEING SHIPPED BACK TO ME...ESTIMATED ARRIVAL 02.10

 

its something i need to get done, its been limp for super long while

the only issue is how the heck do i remove this paneling in the extra cab carefully
i must look into it further if it all needs to come out up to the coat hanger or not to pull that out

 

yours may be not so complicated ??? with the different headliner and all
i have only briefly looked into what all needs to be removed to access

 

I'll take a picture tomorrow of the "panel" to show you why you have to lift up to remove once you have the top popped out a little bit.
You're right though, I'm not sure how the extra cab differs than the double cab.

 

i also have a vinyl headliner, not a cushiony type, its not soft or anything

if that does not have to be taken out at any point then that would be best

 

Boxed them up this morning and they have been shipped. The seat belts should arrive to their location Wednesday.
I'll update the site as soon as I receive communication from myairbags.com

 

did i read before they will fix any fraying that may be going on?

 

Looks like they do.....

 

I'm not sure where is the problem you are asking about. You don't need to remove headliner or side panel in ex cab to replace front seat belts (I have not done the back seat belts as I hardly ever used them so they are still like new). Here is what I did https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...k-or-rysium-build.457350/page-4#post-15406401 - maybe it will help. Or I missed the question completely, then my whole response is irrelevant

 

thanks,
i was not in need of doing the rear belts

 

Then it is very, very easy job . Does your truck have pretensioner? I am not sure if 1997 models already got them or not. Easy to see that yellow-plug wire. If not, you don't even need to disconnect the battery.

The only panels you need to touch is:
- unscrew the door scuff plate (4 screws)
- working from the bottom push the side panel inward - there are white clips that will pop. I think you will need to pup just 3 or 4 bottom clips to make enough room to get access to seat belt assembly - you need about 4 inch gap between the panel and the wall.

 

this is your pic... yours does not go behind the bluegray paneling at all?
i think mine does and pops out of an opening behind my head, i need to get a pic
and you did not need to remove the xtracab swing out window latch?

 

This is the bottom anchor. The top anchor is also under the plastic cover. You need to push the panel to get access to 3rd anchor which is the roll mechanizm. This is the picture showing the third anchor, white clip and the gap needed:

 

Update - Received notification by text on my phone that the seat belt assemblies have arrived.
I'll update again, once they are shipped.

 

Also wanted to share the following. I know some of you may think this is ghetto, but it works!
I was brainstorming on how to clean the threads where the bottom 14mm bolts secure the seat belt housing. At first I used my wife's toothbrush...I mean I used an old toothbrush, but the bristles were to soft.
So, I used a brass 12 gauge bore brush and it works pretty good.
I'll be applying just a dap of anti-seize to the bolts when I reassemble.

 

Yep, this is the same clip design on the double cab.

 

$178? Seems kind of steep, for a refurb, even for 2 of them.

I'd at least try cleaning them, re tentioning the spring, and throwing some lube in first.

A brand new OEM one is $158 from Camelback.

 

the brand new ones OEM are reported to have slackish issues

wating for jammer to see how they come back to him