A safety belt tensioning and rewinding retractor has a safety belt storage reel rotatably mounted to a retractor frame, emergency locking means for locking the reel against belt protraction, a member rotatably mounted in the retractor frame and means for limiting rotation of such member in a first rotative direction, a first biasing means connected between such member and reel for biasing the member toward the limiting means and the reel in an opposite belt rewinding direction, means for releaseably connecting the member to the reel to block the bias of the first biasing means when the belt is placed in a position of use and second biasing means for biasing the member in a belt rewind direction such that when the bias of the first biasing means is blocked through the connection of the member and reel, a reduced lower tension is applied to the seat belt in use due to the bias of the second biasing means applied to the reel in a rewind direction. The first and second biasing means include coil springs positioned laterally of one another in a narrow housing positioned against one side wall of the retractor frame with means for interconnecting the second laterally disposed coil spring to the aforementioned member through a serpentine spring connection in a preferred embodiment or a gear drive connection in a second embodiment for driving the member and reel when the bias of the main rewind spring is blocked.