Precept seat belt safety issue?

[NickM]

Another problem manifested itself during our 900 mile trip to FL that I forgot to mention, seat belts locking up in the wall hanger.

The problem isn't bad in the passenger seat because DW has her seat in the full back position for maximum leg room.

When I drive I have the seat full forward putting the seat belt at a severe angle through the wall hanger where it gets balled up and stuck. The belt is made to reel out and in to maintain comfort but lock up during heavy braking. Once mine gets balled up in the hanger there is no release until DW pulls it to the rear of the hanger.

Many vehicles have the wall hanger on a swivel so that the belt is always perpendicular through the hanger, not so with our Precepts. I assume Jayco uses whatever Ford supplies with the chassis.

There was a period during our trip when I was so frustrated with the balled up seat belt I was ready to report it to NTSA or some other government agency.

Anyone else feel this way?

[Coachhark]

Remove the cap, loosen the bolt and swivel the hanger forward. I did this and it fixed the problem on my 35s. Took about 2 minutes.

[NickM]

I knew someone on this forum would have a solution, thanks a million. How did you get the cap off? Mine is so tight it's compressing the pleather around it.

[Coachhark]

I carefully used a screwdriver and pried upward. Didn't look like I was making progress but suddenly it came apart. It was simple from there.

[Graunke]

I have the same issue with my Alante 31V. Drives me nuts! When I get it out of storage this spring, I'll be trying to swivel forward after reading this. Thanks for the tips!

[Vicr]

Before loosening check the torque setting of the bolt and then when tightening tighten to that torque setting. This way you don't over or under tighten the bolt.

[JacqueTanis]

We removed the cap, John made a bracket to lower the wall hanger to a lower position, loosened the swivel so it would move easily. He put a rubber washer between the bracket and leather on the wall so it would not mar it.

[NickM]

Can you post a picture of how you lowered it?

[JacqueTanis]

Yes but our RV is in the shop getting warranty work done and we're not sure when we'll get it back. Let me call my service writer and see if he'll take a picture and text it too me. If not, we'll make a diagram and I'll post it then when we get the RV back we'll take a pic and send it to you. It's two hours away or we'd do it now LOL. The bracket is a .25" thick x 1.5" wide x 8" long piece of cold rolled metal. Drill a .5" hole 1" in from each end, then bend the metal approximately two inches down from whatever will be the top to a 1" offset (so it will be straight, bend, then straight again - in other words, it will have two bends for the offset) The top of the bracket attaches where the original wall mount was with the seat belt bracket attaching to the bottom. Make sure it pivots (the top bolt is a shouldered bolt - add two washers between the bracket and the wall mount so it can pivot, make sure it's tight). We put a .5" rubber body washer between the wall and the top of our homemade bracket. The cover goes on the seat belt bracket on the bottom of the homemade bracket. That .5" self-locking nut can be tight because the pivot is at the top of the bracket we made. We painted it and the top exposed bolt black for looks. It works great but use at your own risk.

[NickM]

Great info, if I were still working I could get any number of customers to make a pair for me but sadly no longer have free labor and materials available, along with a shop for fabrication.

I've wondered if I could purchase swiveling seat belt guides from Ford, all of the trucks I've owned had them.

At any rate, I've got a picture in my head and will work towards that end. Thanks again.

[JacqueTanis]

John bent the metal using his vice and a hammer. Glad to help.

[Sptgclays]

I just finished fixing mine, removed the bolt and put a standard 3/8 flat washer on the shoulder bolt. Swivels fine now, I may add a rubber washer if they start to rattle.

[NickM]

Now there is an easy fix... thanks.