Thread: Removing/loosening part of Defender seat-belt arrangement

In my Defender 110 CSW – as in everyone else’s, I believe, and no doubt in all Defenders – the front seat belts coil up into a kind of “box” which is mounted with one large nut on the bottom panelling behind the seat and near the rear door.

I want to loosen off this nut in order to release carpet which is retained by it, but am slightly concerned about getting the “box” properly back in position. The thing is that the bolt just disappears somewhere, above my under-body fuel tank, and if it’s retained by a conventional nut and that nut comes off the bolt, I won’t be able to get it back on.

On the other hand, if the bolt screws into a fixed screw-in, as the seat runners do, there’s no problem. Sorry about not using the right terms for these things. Hope my meaning is clear.

Please advise.

It's a captive nut with a 17mm bolt in the piller,the reel is mounted on two studs with 13 mm nuts,there should be no problems, but don't let the belt reel in fully because it will jam and be useless,keep at least 30 cm of the belt out of the reel.