Hi All
I was removing the seat belts from the 1970 Delta 88 but the passenger side bolt under the retractor cover isn't budging. Since the bolt head is so short, the wrench keeps slipping off it. None of my sockets will fit as the retractor is too close to the bolt head. Has anybody found a trick to removing these bolts? John

 

Grind down the end of the socket to get past the chamfer, so that the contours are square with the end (and, of course, use a six-pointed socket).

Also, pull the seat belt out of the retractor and block it, so that the reel is as thin as possible, and you can grind the outside circumference of the socket a bit if necessary for clearance.

If you've tried all of these already, then, sorry, that's all I've got.

- Eric

 

X2, Always worked for me.

Johnny

 

If you are replacing the belts you can simply butcher them off until you can get a good six point wrench squarely on the bolt head.
If you want to keep the belt then you need a thin walled socket wrench as Eric and Johnny said. It might help if you give the head of the bolt a smart blow with a hammer before you try loosening it, and try moving the wrench clockwise a fraction which sometimes can help break a stubborn thread grip.

Roger.

 

It may sound funny to some, but as Roger suggested, break them loose
by giving them a tight to the right. I always do this and it works 90% of the time
IF you do it 1st. Did you try a little heat to the bottom?

 

John,
Take a large flat blade screwdriver & put it between the most forward part of the bolt head & the most rearward part of the retractor & gently pry it(retractor) forward a tiny bit. Then you can get a socket on it. When I do this at home I use my 1/2" impact & a 6 point socket & it works well. Just don't pry to hard on the retractor or it will no longer "retract". Ask me how I know.

 

If it bent one way, it will bend back

Because sockets usually have a chamfer or radius before the hex starts, and that bolt has very little shoulder, you MUST grind down the socket to remove its chamfer. Might as well shorten it as much as you can and still fit the bolt head in. That way you get more clearance for the retractor. 4" cutoff and finish with disk sander.

All the usual tricks after that. lube, heat, oil, time, CW first... impact tool with power.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. I shortened a socket, then bent the retractor just slightly. That gave me access to the bolt. But... the slight bend did something and the retractor isn't working now. I guess the key is doing what Octania commented, gently try bending it back until it starts working again. John