I can't get my front passenger seat belt removed, it's frustrating as all hell lol!

Problem is the lower bolt at the rocker panel. When I try to break loose the bolt, the entire metal ear the bolts goes into bends! I've already bent it back once. I don't see anyway to brace it with the plastic housing all around it either.

I need to be very careful not to destroy it as I'm simply replacing the carpet, hand washing the seat belt, and reinstalling it.

Any ideas guys? I don't have an impact gun, only a breaker bar :/ There is ZERO corrosion, they are just in there HELLA tight with this type of grey goop around the threads which was on all of the other seat belt bolts I've removed.

 

Have you tried tightening it slightly first? Seems counter-intuitive, but often works on rusted or really tight fasteners.

 

Ha, nope but I will. If anything that should bend the ear so it's back where it was lol.

 

The only thing I can think of is to use a pry bar up and under on the left side to keep it from bending while you try and loosen the bolt

 

My first thought exactly, but with the carpet out, the metal floor is too smooth with no where to brace it. Maybe if I can enlist a friend to come over and help by bracing it with his foot lol.

 

The goop on the threads should loosen with a little heat. A quick pass with a torch should be all it needs. I don't recall the tab you're talking about though.

 

The tab that the bottom seat belt portion on the rocker panel is bolted to. It's only attached at one bottom corner so it is easily bent.

(and yes that upwards dent in the floor pan is gone now thanks to a towel and a rubber mallet lol)

 

Ok, thanks for the pic. Any luck with it yet?

 

Nope but I haven't borrowed a heat gun yet. I tried sitting on the tranny tunnel and bracing it with my foot but that didn't work. I tried going tighter and that didn't work but worked well for bending it back into place lol.

If the heat gun this weekend doesn't work, I'll leave it installed and just get a bucket and wash the seat belt in the car haha!

 

With the trouble that bolt has been, the latter sounds like a good idea.

 

I realize you stated you don't have an impact gun, but it seems to be the best fix. Soak it with some PB Blaster and hit it with an impact gun. Buy, rent, borrow or take it in...should come out with no issue. The man handling seems to only be destroying the mounting bracket.

 

apply some "PB blaster" wait about a hour. and it will come loose. works everytime.

 

Try to use a plumbers torch on the bracket (don't heat the bolt - heat around the bolt.) A heat gun would not be as effective........


Isn't that bracket simply bolted to the inner rocker ?? If so you could simply unbolt it and leave the bracket connected to the belt when the belt is pulled for cleaning.