Seat Belt Retraction

[midlife]

Gentlemen and Ladies (you too, Don65!):

I'm refurbishing some 1972 underdash and headlight harnesses and found out that in November 1971, Ford changed the design and added seat belt retraction units and changed the wiring accordingly. It appears that the system is triggered by the neutral safety switch via a blue plug in the engine bay for automagic transmissions and a switch for Manuel transmissions. I'm forced to mix/match early and late or figure out a way to trick the system.

Do the seat belts really retract? Do they motor down the doors like in later years (what a terrible design for a three-point seat belt!), or exactly how does it work? What happens when the system is not connected to the NSS? Can I simply jumper the pins together (one hot, the other returning from the switch)? Any one have pictures?

I need a smilie that's scratching its head...

 

[rvrtrash]

I've had '72 and '73 Mustangs and neither had electric retractors. The retractor is spring loaded (lap belt only) and I believe the wire to it just turns the seat belt light and buzzer off when the belt is deployed.

Steve

 

[midlife]

Hmmm...sounds like I just need to jumper the wires and all will be good.

 

[judge]

The seat switch works into that also.

 

[Totalled]

I need a smilie that's scratching its head...

 

[Don C]

I neede a smilie that's scratching its head...

View attachment 24169

 

[midlife]

OK...I'm now beginning to get how this works. Whenever the starter signal is engaged, it triggers a signal to a warning light to buckle up if the belt is retracted and the seat sensor senses a big fat ass sitting in the seat. Leaving the wiring disconnected disables the warning light signal.

Duh...

 

[imusa76]

Midlife,

I have a 72 convertible, built late January.

I have front retractable seatbelts with a purple wire coming out of them, the DRV side goes from the seatbelt to the harness under the dash, the Pass side has a purple wire that goes from the seatbelt to a pressure switch under the Pass seat then under the dash.

and all of this is used to trigger the seatbelt warning light if the car is in drive.

if the car is in drive, the DRV side belt must be pulled out about 7-8" for it to be recognized and it turns the light off, if a passenger is on the pass seat, then that belt also has to be bulled out 7-8" for the light to go out.

I hope this helps

 

[midlife]

Midlife,

I have a 72 convertible, built late January.

I have front retractable seatbelts with a purple wire coming out of them, the DRV side goes from the seatbelt to the harness under the dash, the Pass side has a purple wire that goes from the seatbelt to a pressure switch under the Pass seat then under the dash.

and all of this is used to trigger the seatbelt warning light if the car is in drive.

if the car is in drive, the DRV side belt must be pulled out about 7-8" for it to be recognized and it turns the light off, if a passenger is on the pass seat, then that belt also has to be bulled out 7-8" for the light to go out.

I hope this helps

Can you do me a favor? Disconnect the purple wire and tell me what the light does when someone sits in the seat and the car is in drive.

Much appreciated.

 

[imusa76]

I will try it tonight and get back to you.

 

[bkdunha]

I currently have mine connected, but back in the 80's I did disconnect the plugs on the retractor and the seat sensor and that would allow me to go into drive without the buzzer or light.

 

[eddyw]

I currently have mine connected, but back in the 80's I did disconnect the plugs on the retractor and the seat sensor and that would allow me to go into drive without the buzzer or light.

That's right.

+1

 

[imusa76]

yup same here.