Dyson350

Just replaced a broken seat belt guide on my 98 Trans Am with dark grey interior. The seat belt guide I bought and put in I noticed is darker than the rest of the interior which I just figured was due to sun fading. But what really bothers me in the angle is a lot different. On the drivers side the angle is a lot closer to 90 degrees while the new one I bought for the passenger seat is probably around 45 degree and sticks out in front of the head rest. I'm not sure if this is the correct part even though it fits, and if its not where can I get the correct part? EBay doesn't seem to have the style that's on the driver side. Thanks.

New Seat Belt Guide


Driver side seat belt guide

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

It looks like you installed a drivers side guide backwards on the passenger side. (There are different p/n's for each side.) Where did you get the part?

Dyson350

Pretty sure this is the correct way, its installed the same direction as the drivers side and the part is labeled "R". I got it from ebay from a guy called mdmuscle.

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

Yea, that looks correct. This happened to me once before and I can't remember what it was...

I wonder if the screws are going through the interior nuts crooked. If you look at the head rests from the top, are the mounting flanges straight? It looks like your new one is digging in to the side of the passenger head rest.

Dyson350

I noticed that too, I don't see how the bracket in the head rest would of got bent but its possible I guess. The screws aren't going in crooked

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

I'm thinking the nuts in the headrest that take those screws may be of this type:



If so, the screws can go in crooked if they grab more than one thread at a time.

Dyson350

Hmm, well if the nuts headrest is crooked. How can fix that?

jimmyblue

iTrader: (11)

Seatbelt insert/remove slits go up. Guide should point
square or slightly rearward. Forward like that is just
begging to get snapped off by a careless occupant.

Dyson350

The style of guide for the car does not have slits. And I know it's angled too far forward, but it is also mounted the way it's suppose to be. So it's either not the right part or the bracket inside is bent somehow

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

Right, only the convertibles have slits. (Because their retractors are in a different location.)


Try taking it off and putting the screws in at a different angle. If the bracket inside has flat nuts pressed in to it, (like the picture above) it will take screws at different angles. You might try this with just the screw and the bracket off.

If a flat nut takes a screw straight, it will "bite" only one thread at a time. If that same flat nut takes a screw slightly off kilter, then it will "bite" two threads at a time and it will continue going through at an angle.