Seat belt molding/frame/bezel repairs

[jgiotto 3]

Has any one tried to repair these? Both of mine are snapped on the bottom, seems like a common issue.

Edited December 26, 2018 by jgiotto (see edit history)

[Barney Eaton 1,022]

I have not done that part but here is a suggestion I have used on other plastic parts.

 

Use something like instant glue to hold the parts together in alignment.

From the backside.... take a short piece of wire,  bend the ends down so they can go into the plastic.....care must be taken on a flimsy piece like this because you do not have much thickness to work with.

A metal staple will work fine.....cut off the legs to the needed length.

Lay the wire part over the crack ...centered....mark the location of the ends......with a drill...smaller than the wire,  make a start hole (be careful on a thin piece not to go thru the plastic.)

position the wire part so the legs are started in the holes you made.   

Holding one end to stabilize the part,  use your solder iron/gun to heat the metal and melt it into the plastic part.   Repeat on the other end.

If you want....apply epoxy over the finished patch. 

[jgiotto 3]

Brilliant!

[SCOTT's 90's 35]

Be very careful when removing those - The little plastic alignment pegs (in each corner on back side) break easily. If more than one breaks the whole thing will not stay in place and you will be worse off than before with just the bottom piece broken.

[NCReatta 194]

That part is supposed to be like that. If you seal that gap shut you will never be able to replace your seat belt without breaking that bezel. All Reattas are designed that way so you can replace the bezel or the belt independently. 

[63viking 99]

I thought no one would tell him.

[jgiotto 3]

11 hours ago, 63viking said:

I thought no one would tell him.

Yes, of course, what was I thinking! Sure looked like a break, though.

[SCOTT's 90's 35]

Actually there is a little plastic tab that extends over the gap to keep the two pieces flush with each other, which yours appears to have been broken off. But it is no big deal since it is not that visible anyways.

[NCReatta 194]

Just now, SCOTT's 90's said:

Actually there is a little plastic tab that extends over the gap to keep the two pieces flush with each other, which yours appears to have been broken off. But it is no big deal since it is not that visible anyways.

That tab was only added for 1990 and 1991. Probably to combat the issue of them not laying flat on the 88 and 89 models 

[SCOTT's 90's 35]

 Oh okay, Thanks for that I guess we can chalk up another difference between the years. 😉

Edited December 27, 2018 by SCOTT's 90's (see edit history)