Date: Thu, 4 Sep 2003 17:25:18 -0400
Reply-To: Joe Federici <joefederici@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Joe Federici <joefederici@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject: Re: Adjustable armrests...
In-Reply-To: <163.25321199.2c8877d8@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" ; format="flowed"
Frank
I've got one armrest that bends upwards if you pull on tip from the
end where your hand would be. It's solid to the char and downward
force on it is fine. The bolt in it works fine and plastic casing
seems to be in good shape as well. Any idea what would cause this.
JFF
>In a message dated 9/4/2003 12:08:23 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
>LISTSERV@GERRY.VANAGON.COM writes:
>
>> I got this van and it has two armrests without the adjustable bolt in =
>> there. And they are flopping about. I found in the pile the two =
>> adjusting bolts but they won't go back in. =20
>> Anyone did this before? How to fix it?
>>
> Yes, I recently did this repair for a customer. First remove the
>armrest by removing the drift pin. This will be found by
>compressing the armrest
>fabric & foam where the armrest meets the seat back side at the pivot point.
>Once the armrest has been removed then remove the plastic front cover, four
>screws. Remove the upholstery. Slit the foam lengthways and remove the foam
>from the box section of the armrest so that you gain access to the side of the
>box that has a tape cover. Remove the tape and you will find the
>"loose nut"
>that the adjuster is supposed to be threaded into. The problem now is that
>that nut is to be inserted in a slot at the rear of the box and it will fall
>out every time you turn the armrest right side up. You need to
>devise a way to
>keep that nut there while you reassemble the armrest to the point the fabric
>and plastic cover are back in place before inserting the adjuster. I did this
>by using a piece of coat hanger wire from one end through to the other going
>through the nut. Then once the armrest box tape cover, foam, upholstery and
>plastic cover were back in place with the armrest in upside-down position, so
>the nut does not fall out of its slot, remove the wire and insert
>the adjusting
>screw. There is a plastic tab in there that is supposed to allow the adjuster
>to go in but not be unscrewed back out. This plastic tab may have been
>damaged when the adjusters were removed forcefully by whomever in an
>attempt to
>repair the wobbling armrest. The wobble is most often caused by the pivot
>attached to the seat back being broken or its retaining screws have
>come loose. You
>only need to remove the armrest from the pivot by removing the drift pin to
>repair this problem. The adjuster screw retaining tabs can be seen when you
>have the tape cover off the box. This job is tedious and a giant PITA but it
>can be done successfully if you take your time and work
>methodically. The foam
>can be glued back in place, foam to foam and foam to box, using contact
>ciment. Good luck !
>
>Cheers
>
>Frank Condelli
>Almonte, Ontario, Canada
><A HREF="http://members.aol.com/BusFusion/bfhome.htm">BusFusion</A>
>a VW Camper camping event, Almonte, ON, June 10 ~ 13, 2004
>'87 Westy & Lionel Trains
>Member: <A HREF="http://www.vanagon.com/">Vanagon List</A>, <A
>HREF="http://www.bcn.net/~limbo/">LiMBO</A>, <A
>HREF="http://www.westfalia.qc.ca/">IWCCC</A> & <A
>HREF="http://www.ccvwc.ca/">CCVWC</A>
>Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
><A HREF="http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/stebro.htm">STEBRO/Vanagon
>Stainless Steel Mufflers</A>
><A HREF="http://members.aol.com/Fkc43/busindex.html">Frank Condelli
>& Associates</A> or http://frankcondelli.com
>
>
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