Seatbelt Flapping Fix (Non-intrusive)

[Sunburst-Kid]

With the warm weather returning my Flapping Seatbelts returned. I read many of the other "fixes" by other members including using tie-wraps, or other straps and even placing the seatbelt behind the pillar's plastic. But I wanted a Non-Intrusive solution because these are, after all, our seatbelts for use in an emergency. The last thing I would want is to get into an accident and the seatbelt not do its job because I had modified its flow or path. :naw:

So I first figured out, as many of you have too, what is actually causing the noise. I found that the seatbelt is simply hitting against the plastic pillar. So instead of trying to prevent the seatbelt from flapping, instead I found this way to keep it from hitting the hollow plastic pillar. In summary, I glued a "bumper" to the pillar and now my seatbelts don't flap, even going down the interstate @ 70mph with the windows down. :clap:

I found some simple plastic cups (ones used for furniture legs) at HomeDepot that were close in color to my interior. They aren't perfect matches but, once installed, they are behind the seatbelt anyway.
http://my.project-jk.com/data/500/medium/Cup_package.jpg
http://my.project-jk.com/data/500/medium/Cups_empty.jpg

First, scratch the inside of the cups so the glue will adhere to them.
http://my.project-jk.com/data/500/medium/Cup-scratched-up.jpg

Next I filled them up almost "flush" with glue from a Hot Glue Gun. Then let this glue dry/harden. This is because they are concave and I needed them to be filled. Make darn sure you only fill them NEAR to the top and not above the top of the lip as you will need room for fresh HOT glue for the next step.
http://my.project-jk.com/data/500/medium/Cup_filled_with_glue.jpg
http://my.project-jk.com/data/500/medium/Cup_filled_with_glue_near_to_top.jpg

Find a spot between where the seatbelt comes out of the slot, about 5" or 6" up from the slot. Visually locate this so you will be ready to stick the bumper there. The bumper will go behind the seatbelt.

Last (and you will need to do this fairly quickly) fill the remaining area of the cup with fresh Hot Glue. The new hot glue will stick nicely to the old hot glue. Now place the Hot Glue filled cup (now called the Seatbelt Bumper) against the pillar, again about 5" or 6" above the slot where the seatbelt comes out and make sure it is centered behind the seatbelt.
http://my.project-jk.com/data/500/medium/Seatbelt_bumper_-_close_view.jpg

It should look like this.
http://my.project-jk.com/data/500/medium/Seatbelt_bumper_-_wide_view.jpg
http://my.project-jk.com/data/500/medium/Bumper-Position.jpg

Now you have a seatbelt bumper that does not restrict, in any way, the seatbelt and in fact, the fuzzy side ensures the seatbelt travels without catching. :thumbsup:

[Fermin]

Very nice and simple. I like it! :thumbsup:

[jeeperjkjeeper]

havn't had the experience of flapping yet because i have not been able to take the top off yet ( damn Canadian winters ) but if/when i do this looks like the ultimate ( safe ) :thumbsup:solution

[doc307]

I like the mod.
Have you run no doors yet to see if it helps then as well?
Mine are driving me crazy this week since I have been going naked.

[katsumotology]

I am curious if this would work without doors, too. I remember last summer that seat belt was flapping like crazy, so my guess is this may not work.

Anyway, I can't wait to take doors off and top down. It's still cold here!

[Sunburst-Kid]

I have not tested it with the doors off yet as I still need a side mirror solution. In North Carolina I must have a side mirror to have my doors off.

But I'm fairly sure my seatbelt bumpers will still work with the doors off. Why? Because to begin with both of my seatbelts (driver's and passenger's side) flapped like crazy when my front tops were off and all four windows were down. Then I only glued the driver's side bumper on and drove it like that for a few days. During that time, the driver's side seatbelt was quiet, but the passenger's side was flapping loudly. So then I did the passenger's side and waited two days worth of driving with "no flapping" before I posted this solution. Now that said, it still isn't the amount of wind that "no doors" will produce, but the concept remains the same; the seatbelt no longer makes contact with the pillar but instead hits to soft fuzzy bumper.

I can't wait to test with "no doors", but I'm working on my own door-tree soluiton and mirror solution. :D

[robin]

good idea!!

[katsumotology]

Hey Sunburst-Kid,

I read my post again and it sounded negative to your post. That's not what I meant and I really think your idea was awesome and I would like to do this if it works when I take doors off.

I just wanted to make sure that I didn't mean to be negative and I hope I didn't make you feel bad because of my post.

[tony two clips]

i just buckle mine in. works like a charm :D

[Sunburst-Kid]

Hey Katsumotology,

No offense was taken, none. And likewise, I hope you didn't think my response was offensive either. Your question was perfectly valid as to; does it work with the doors off. Again, I don't know for sure, but I do think it will since my seatbelt bumper keeps the seatbelt from hitting the plastic pillar, which is what is actually making the sound that we all know and love. :crazyeyes:

Take care......

[jd8100]

amen sunburst!!!!!!!! good idea

[ZoSo-Green]

Good Idea, nice and simple. :clap:

[Sunburst-Kid]

Ok, so the other day I'm driving down the road and I hear a weird cur-plunk sound by my driver seat. Well, my Seatbelt Anti-Flapping Bumper fell off, leaving behind the glue on the B-pillar. :naw: Then a day later, the passenger side fell off too. It must be the weather.

The problem is that I never scratched up the inside of the cup that I used, so when I filled it with Hot Glue, it simply had nothing to adhere to. I have now corrected this by scratching up the inside and re-gluing it: see below (and I'm editing the original post to put this step in too).

Now the funny part is that when I went looking for the two plastic cups, they were nowhere to be found. Then it dawned on me. Humm, I wonder if they fell down into the slot where the seatbelt comes out. Well, in fact, they did.:crazyeyes: Perfect slot-machine. :D

http://my.project-jk.com/data/500/medium/Cup-scratched-up.jpg

Final Bumper Position:
http://my.project-jk.com/data/500/medium/Bumper-Position.jpg

[swanni06]

I got the square ones,not the round...thanks for the good idea!!:thumbsup:

[Laughingstok]

Just buckle them even if no ones sitting there. :yup:

Neat idea though!

[DPJK]

Good idea. This has been a problem I haven't found a solution to yet. I will check this out.

[vans]

I did much the same thing as that but using a rectangular piece of foam about 3/4" thick and stuck it using double sided tape.

[Sunburst-Kid]

This weekend, I finally had the top off and all four doors off too. I took it out for several test runs and the front seatbelts only have the Flapping noise when I get up around 60 mph or higher and even then it is occasional and minimal if at all.

In fact, it was hard to detect it, if at all, over the noise of my rear, center seatbelt flapping so much. :naw:

So, overall, I'm very pleased with these results. Now to fix the rear one.

[db99wj]

Nice cheap modification!:thumbsup:

Doors off, hard top on, freedom panels off, 70-80mph, 15-25 mph wind with 30-35 mph gusts with high on the interstate.

1 less hat:naw: It was my favorite hat, I ordered a Jeep hat this morning.
Front seatbelt flapping
Loud buzzing sound from the back, it was the seatbelts...Thought a bee had gotten in my ear.
I also had my seatbelts fastened in the rear, mainly to keep the 2 booster seats and the full car seat from blowing out or sliding out around corners!:rotflmao2:

[heepenjim]

Very nice, looks easy to do!:thumbsup:

[BBirish]

im used to the sound, i just pretend its machine gun fire :D

[db99wj]

im used to the sound, i just pretend its machine gun fire :D


Problem with that here in Memphis is that it quite possibly be machine gun fire! We are #2 most violent city in the country, 1 murder behind Detroit!:rotflmao1:

[Soopurman0]

I wonder how that would hold up in the middle of the desert out here in vegas, with 120+ degree weather

[Jiblet]

1 less hat:naw: It was my favorite hat, I ordered a Jeep hat this morning.


sorry to hijack the thread but to avoid losing hats pick up a 2 dollar whistle lanyard from any sporting goods store. I wear one around my neck and clip it to the back of the hat. Learned that one sailing....

[ToTaLlYcOnFuSeD]

db99wj, I just noticed you are from Mphs. I'm from Atoka (Tipton County). You are absolutely correct, it really might be a real machine gun. I wonder if they make soft tops in Kevlar???

[db99wj]

db99wj, I just noticed you are from Mphs. I'm from Atoka (Tipton County). You are absolutely correct, it really might be a real machine gun. I wonder if they make soft tops in Kevlar???

Goodyear aught to look into that, they already put it in tires....:rotflmao1:

[SaginawMike]

I wonder how that would hold up in the middle of the desert out here in vegas, with 120+ degree weather

The glue will fall off! No question.

This seems to be a good idea otherwise. I would suggest something more permanent. JB Weld the head of a flat head screw to the back of the bumper. Pop the trim off, drill a hole, add a washer and nut. Use a nylok nut or locktite. If it works why worry about taking it off. Even if you have a leased vehicle they will never see it.

[Sunburst-Kid]

SaginawMike, that's a good idea too for a more permanent fix. I might add that if you were to use the same bumpers (pads) that I used, then I would still fill them with glue so they would no longer be hollow or concave. My concern would be that, if not filled, they would resonate the sound too. Maybe not.

Likewise, maybe you could drill the Pillar, run a short self-tapping screw into it, and then once done then J-B Weld the bumper to the screw head. This might make it easier than taking the Pillar off. Just thinking... Thanks again...:yup:

[OIIIIO]

im used to the sound, i just pretend its machine gun fire :D

Be careful. I have had my top and doors off for a week or so straight and I noticed the passenger side seatbelt is starting to fray a little bit. I will definitely try this fix to see if I can keep my seatbelts good.

[SaginawMike]

I just took a terry cloth towell rolled it up and stuck it between the belt and the plastic pillar. works like a charm. It's been there for months and hasn't fallen out, and if I need a rag in a pinch I know right where one is.....
Great idea.
:thumbsup:

[Hbomb]

with all the turbulence, wind noise, tire noise, exhaust noise and radio noise i haven't even noticed any seat belt flapping!!

is it really that bad??

[wilywillie]

I need better glue.....stole your idea, and mine blew off within 1/2 hour at 70 (no doors):thinking:

[YEM-JK-426]

whats the thickness on those furniture pads??
anybody used a long felt strip made for furniture? they're not super thick (or wide) but it seems like two of them, running vertically behind the belt, would cover more vertical space on the pillar, reducing the chance of flapping.
just a thought... saw some at the store earlier tonight. (they also have adhesive on the back already...)

[fireRescue]

I've been running naked for weeks and I solve this problem by buckling the seatbelt of the empty seat. It costs nothing and works perfectly.

K.I.S.S solution
-Ferg

[surf9]

Nice ingenuity. Very creative indeed.

[mr_steveo]

That flapping made we want to not take my doors off again! I will definitely be trying something like this. I'm wondering if putting a screw through the pad and the trim plus the glue would keep it from falling off?

[Sunburst-Kid]

Mine have not fallen off since I scratched up the inside of the bumper and then re-applied a fresh coat of glue from the hot glue gun.

Now it hasn't gotten "real" hot here yet, but I have had my doors off for a week at a time (in between the very wet season we have had on the East Coast) and my Seatbelt Bumpers are still on.

Yes, as I posted before, I think a screw in combination with the glue would ensure these bumpers stay put. If mine happens to fall of again, then I'm going with a self-tapping screw + hot glue.

[paulp575]

I've been running naked for weeks and I solve this problem by buckling the seatbelt of the empty seat. It costs nothing and works perfectly.

K.I.S.S solution
-Ferg

Glad that worked for you. I does not work for me!
Maybe because I only took out the windows and removed the doors, but did not take down or remove the top (I like my "free" bikini" top!) :thinking::thinking:

[sme]

finally got around to doing this, great fix. I used the 2.5" super sliders. they are self sticking. If they fall off I will super glue them.

[jeeperjkjeeper]

bought two fleece seatbelt pads in grey with little mesh storage pockets as well....wrap around belt where it comes out of the plastic trim and voila!!!....drove around all day with no top and doors and quiet as can be!:thumbsup:

[SUNPRO]

bought two fleece seatbelt pads in grey with little mesh storage pockets as well....wrap around belt where it comes out of the plastic trim and voila!!!....drove around all day with no top and doors and quiet as can be!:thumbsup:


Where'd you find those with mesh pockets?? :dontknow2:

[Ape]

I posted this on another Jeep board, thought you folks may be interested...
I've used a 10" strip of Velcro... use the soft 'plush' side (NOT the wiry 'connector' side). Place the strip vertically on the pillar where the belts normally slap... and silence shall ensue. Well, not 100% effective, but I would say the noise is down considerably. ;)
See attached for pic.