There are a few things you need to have working right for inertia reels to operate correctly.
For the awkward locking up, you need to park the vehicle on a dead flat area, then undo any covers hiding the reel. Once this is done, check that the reel is perfectly level, that is, that it is straight in the pillar and the belt is not running out of it at an angle towards the upper mounting. If in doubt, release the reel mounting bolt, adjust it to dead level, then re-tighten. Check the operation on a slope (of the hill, not Asian variety) to see if it works correctly.
The second problem, with reels not retracting properly, is often due to a build up of dirt, oil, sweat and other junk that accumulates after a few years. The solution is to pull the entire belt out as far as possible, then place an obstacle in the top mounting to prevent the belt retracting. Then, scrub the belt thoroughly with a laundry detergent and water mix. You will be absolutely astounded at the dirt you will get off the belt. If you really want to do the job properly, remove the belt assembly from the car, pull it right out and place the blocker in to prevent retraction, then immerse the belt in a bucket of laundry detergent/water mix. Plunge the belt into the mix, squeeze and scrunch the belt to remove the dirt. Watch the water go absolutely black. Continue with fresh water mixes until all dirt has been removed. Do not immerse the inertia reel. Also, clean the buckle and top mountings as dirt and grease accumulates on them as well as the belt material. This is guaranteed to work and the belt will feel cleaner when you use it as well.
Regards
pj
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