Date: Fri, 4 Mar 2005 02:01:37 EST
Reply-To: JordanVw@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: JordanVw@AOL.COM
Subject: how to add headrests to a westy rear sofabed seatback.
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
i got this idea from another lister - please forgive me for forgetting who -
they posted up pics and everything... good idea. but i sort of refined
their idea alittle more.
as most of you know, if you have a passenger van, there are already
provisions in the seatbacks for the middle and rear seats for adding headrests..you can
take your thumb and feel the holes in the metal framing of the seatback.
adding headrests to passenger van seats is easy..all you need is headrests and
headrest sockets ..i have both available if anyone wants to add headrests to
their middle/rear vanagon seats.
for westy owners, its another story..
the rear westy sofabed is made of plywood, and the seatback and seatbottom
are simply pieces of plywood with foam glued to them and then the upholstry
covered and stapled to them. there are no provisons for headrests.
but it can be done. i borrowed the "hinge" idea from the other lister.
basically you take one of the headrests off your front seat, and measure the
diameter of the steel headrests posts, or bring the headrest to the hardware
store with you.
find a strap hinge, or a large door hinge..hinges that would normally be used
to hanging gates or shed or other large doors. find one that the hinge pin is
the same diameter as the headrest post. you need to buy 2 hinges.
take the hinges home and tap out the hinge pins. you may need to cut off the
hinge pin head to tap them out. once you have the hinges seperated, these will
be the "brackets" that hold your headrests.
remove the tape that covers the staples on your westy seatback, at the top
back. remove the stapeles, and then peel back the upholstry and foam.
then you can use 1/2" screws and screw the hinge pieces to the inside of the
plywood seatback at the appropriate places so they will recieve both headrest
posts.
replace foam, and re-staple and tape upholstry.
you'll need to poke 2 holes in the upholstry for each headrest, but the
brackets will be concealed in the seatback so it will look stock.
just slide headrests out and throw them under the seat when you want to fold
it down into a bed.
chris
|