Date: Wed, 12 Apr 2006 10:31:48 +1000
Reply-To: hunnam <rayjen@PNC.COM.AU>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: hunnam <rayjen@PNC.COM.AU>
Subject: Re: how to fix floppy armrests (was Re: Looking for Grab handle
packing ??
In-Reply-To: <2df.5909916.316bd703@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Thanks Ben Chris & Brett
I will answer you all three in the one post
Ben I already have the armrests off the seat frame. I already knew how to
get the armrests off, courtesy of the archives. What I needed to know is
how to take the armrests apart.
Chris and Brett thanks for your input you both have came up with the same
info, which I knew already, courtesy of the archives. Unfortunately I need
to go the next step. Just how do they come apart. Any ideas.
Brett Back home I see, I feel like a jilted lover, why didn't you ring.
( ok all other listees this is a private joke and has no sexual connotations
or innuendo whatsoever, so no second guessing what it means )
Any one have any of those packing pieces for the grab handle.
Ray.
-----Original Message-----
From: JordanVw@aol.com [mailto:JordanVw@aol.com]
Sent: Tuesday, 11 April 2006 1:43 AM
To: rayjen@PNC.COM.AU; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: how to fix floppy armrests (was Re: Looking for Grab handle
packing ??
In a message dated 4/10/06 4:51:37 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
rayjen@PNC.COM.AU writes:
Second question. Drivers inboard seat armrest. The winding mechanism
doesn't work. The armrest hangs like a limp you know what, could be the
long
bolt has parted from the seat frame. I have removed the screw under the
winding knob but cannot remove the plastic surround on the underside of
the
rest. Does the winding knob pull off?? Any ideas on a fix would be
gratefully appreciated.
Please no flames about looking in the archives I have already tried but
have
not had much luck with the information required.
Ray Hunnam
Penrith Australia
fwd from the archives:
In a message dated 3/2/05 10:06:19 PM Eastern Standard Time,
Taobythesea@AOL.COM writes:
> My armrest on my Capt chair is loose as a goose on my 87 Westy. Do you
> know
> if you can tighten them up? I can't see how, and I am afraid that the
> thing
> is going to
>
How to tighten vanagon armrests:
82-86 capt chair armrests:
remove plastic plug in armrest and remove allen bolt. slide armrest off
shaft.
tighten smaller allen bolts that hold shaft to the seatback. if a bolt
head
has sheared off, leaving the threaded shaft in the hold, you need to use a
needlenose pliers and carefully move back the vinyl so you can get to the
back
side of the sheared off bolt. continue to TIGHTEN the bolt - all the way,
and
the whole bolt will eventually come out thru the backside. then you just
repl
ace with a new allen bolt, or slotted bolt (metric) avaialbe at your local
hardware store or i have some.
***Note: before installing armrest back on shaft, place a few drops of oil
on
the shaft to ease installation and to prevent rust which could make the
armrest sieze up on the shaft..
'87 -'91 adjustable armrests:
the '87 up capt. chair armrests are put on with a set pin.
use your fingers and compress foam on the armrest between armrest and
seatback, so you can see the set pin. you might need a small flashlight
you can hold
in your mouth while you do this. you will need a centerpunch just under
the
diameter of the set pin, or a large framing nail just under the diameter
of the
set pin with the tip flattened to use as a centerpunch.
the setpin will be sticking out more on one side of the shaft. use your
centepunch and tap the set pin out on the side opposite to the side its
sticking
out the most.
****NOTE: you must put a credit card or putty knife between the set pin
and
vinyl armrest to guide it out so it doesnt get hung up on the vinyl, or
the
set pin will gouge/tear the armrest vinyl when you are punching it out.
once setpin is out, slide the armrest off the shaft. tighten or replace
the
little allen bolts that hold the shaft to the seatback as per the
instructions for the '82-'86 armrests.
apply drop of oil to shaft, then lightly tap setpin in place in the
armrest
socket, and line it up with the corresponding hole in the armrest shaft.
this
is a pain in the ass. so have patience. i usually put another framing
nail
of the same diameter in the bottom hole opposite of the hole your'e
tapping
the setpin into, to line them up.
once you got the setpin started in the whole, do not tap it in all the
way,
only as much as it was originally tapped in.
chris
