A D-loop web belt gripper to releasably grip a web belt is disclosed. The D-loop web belt gripper includes a frame, a web belt gripping component, and a web belt actuating component. The web belt gripping component is a wedge having a plurality of web belt gripping teeth spatially biased away from a base member of the frame. The web belt actuating components is a bail having a lever arm, a pair of guide walls pivotally adjoined to a pair of guide walls of the frame, and a pair of drivers abutting the wedge. A first portion of a web belt is disposable between the web belt gripping teeth and the base member of the frame, and a second portion of the web belt is arcuately disposable upon the lever arm to form an arcuation in the second portion of the web belt. A forcible unbending of the arcuation in the second portion of the web belt can pivot the bail via the lever arm causing the drivers of the bail to displace the web belt gripping teeth of the wedge in the direction of the base member of the frame.