swaps seats, seat belts not compatible.

[rkneeshaw]

So my seats were old and sucked and stunk, so I found a deal at a local junkyard. Nice 60-40 grey cloth seats out of a 2000. Loaded them up, drove them home, installed them, admired how good they look, hopped in to go for a drive, seats feel REAL good (and its damn nice to have the center armrest again!), go to click my seat belt...... damn. My seat belt does not fit into the newer plastic receivers.

So I'm trying to figure out the easiest way to fix this. Is there anyway to change the "tongue" on my stock seat belt to the newer, more narrow "tongue" that will fit into the newer receiver? Or is that not an option and I have to tear apart my trip panel and replace the entire seat belt assembly with a newer one? Maybe the latter is easier anyway.....

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

Why can't you reuse your original female end?

 

[rkneeshaw]

Why can't you reuse your original female end?

I'll measure to be sure, but I think its longer than the newer one, and I'm not sure it will just unbolt like the passenger seat will. Plus the old ones are ugly so I want to use the new receivers

I'm thinking I may have to just pull the seat belt mechanisms out of a newer ranger and bolt them in.... still think it would be easier if there was a way to change the buckle/tongue without removing the whole belt....

 

[Jay'94]

Just had the same thing

Change the female receptacel to your old one. I just installed some '02 buckets in my '94 ranger! Hopped in wanted to see how they rode and had the same thing happen. If you carefully peel back the upholstery on the receptacle side, you'll find a bolt that holds them in! Would think that 60/40 would be similar? Take a peek and see what ya find. I thought I was going to have to sit on the seat blet to make the coppers think I had it on. Yeah I know not the safest thing. Then I investigated and found it was easier than I thought. By the way be careful with them seat belt reclining levers! Them dogs ain't cheap, the pass one was cracked and wouldn't let me tilt the seat. Scoured a couple JYs around here, no luck! Checked LMC, no luck, went to Ford Stealership, even the parts guy said "they seen you coming, $58 and change to order a new one"! I wanted it so I orderd it.
Or if you got a sewing machine, I'm sure there's a way to cut it off at the end and resew it. I have one because I been in army 20 yrs and getting all them patches sewn ain't cheap. Got tire one day of hearing one of my Soldiers say "Sergeant, I don't have the money to get that done". Went a bought a cheap one, read the book, been stitching up a storm ever since. I ain't pretty with but found a gorilla stitch like a gorilla weld will work!

 

[rkneeshaw]

ok I gave in, went the path of least resistance which was to take my old female ends off my old seats and install them on the new seats. It was easy, the bolts were all easily accessible. I dont get to use the newer nicer receivers but it was easier than tearing apart the interior again and paying for newer seat belts that would work with the newer receivers.

 

[Jay'94]

And it was a heck of a lot cheaper and easier than changin out them seatbelts. Who looks at dang seat belt receivers anyway! They'll hold ya in!