Date:         Sat, 17 Feb 2007 18:13:14 -0800
Reply-To:     Philip Zimmerman <philzimm1@OBERON.ARK.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Philip Zimmerman <philzimm1@OBERON.ARK.COM>
Subject:      89 vanagon swivel seats - how do you make them swivel ?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed

Date:         Sat, 17 Feb 2007 15:46:35 -0500
From:         Larry Hinshaw <LHinshaw@EARTHLINK.NET>

Larry wrote:
OK... I have screwed around now for about an hour total and still have
not figured out how to swivel the seats ! I know that you depress the
latch in the from of each seat which should release the seat from the
forward position.

I have pushed and prodded and neither seat will budge.  I don't have
the owners manual ...but this isn't rocket science is it? Neither seat
is damaged.

I need some advice before I take the seats out so that I can get a
better look.


From: Jake de Villiers <crescentbeachguitar@GMAIL.COM>

Then Jake wrote:

Lift the lever and push hard.

> Hi Larry from North Carolina,
>
> Hmmmm, not like Jake to confuse things. Perhaps he switched the "Lift
> & Push"?
> Anyway, "push down" and "HOLD" that black wire-loop lever, then try
> swiveling/turning/rotating the Seat hard! The seats can be real hard
> to turn from either gunk in the tracks or being tightened-down
> too-much by the 4 attachment nuts.

> Sounds like, time to take off both seats and see whatcha got under
> there? Seat removal (at least the driver's is covered in the Bentley
> Rocket-Science bible). Invoking the Bentley always helps in these seat
> matters. But I read, you don't have an Owner's Manual so we are gonna
> have to wing-it here. There is a spring-loaded catch that keeps the
> seat from inadvertently flying off the seat-tracks at a far-forward
> seat-position. Locate this catch on the seat base. Slide seat forward
> while lifting this catch to clear the stop on the seat-track-base. I
> know, this takes three hands! Wing-it Larry, I know you can so this. I
> have many times and I am the self-proclaimed owner of the 'stupid-guy'
> moniker of this list.

> Assume both seats are now off and getting spiffiered-up by your SO, if
> you have one?
> Take a look at all that real-estate on that seat-swivel-base. Notice
> four (4) self-locking nuts looking up at you. Remove them and the
> washers under, if they're still there. Now comes the Rocket-Science.
> Lift the inner circular plate from the rear, with that wire-loop-lever
> seat-locking-rod running forward and down into the "fixed" part of the
> seat-base. Rotate and pull, the inner circular plate into a vertical
> position and fish-out the wire-loop-lever-rod from the groove in the
> fixed and rotating parts of the seat-base. Got this? Mess with it, it
> does come out without having to bend or break anything. Take a
> break... drink a beer if you like, cuz you will need a strong stomach
> for what comes next.

> Lift off the rotating part of the seat-base. Icky-poopoo, that groove
> in the seat-base has probably collected stuff that even CSI cannot
> identify? Locate the four(4) small plastic "friction reducing"
> thingies that are located on the perimeter (male-part) of the groove.
> Each plastic thing is held onto the perimeter-groove by two(2) small
> teat-like things. Pull off and save these. Clean the messy parts with
> your favourite de-greaser. Inspect the plastic friction reducers for
> wear. If all chewed-up and malformed... replace. Pretty cheap, even at
> the VW Dealer-stealer-Parts Counter. Special Order usually or the
> List-Vendors carry them too.

> Re-Installation is the opposite of removal. I have to say this Larry,
> it's list protocol!
> On the subject of Lubrication of the various friction surfaces on the
> Seat-Tracts and Swivel Groove. I prefer the "dry" types as these
> usually attract less dust-dirt-whatever. Rub with candle wax, beeswax
> preferred as this is an organic Westie type of vehicle. Re-install the
> parts. Do not over-tighten the 4 self-locking nuts. If they are not
> self-locking (nylocks). A PO has sabotaged you. Replace with 8mm
> Nylock nuts with washers under. How tight is tight you ask? Just tight
> enough to keep the seat from rocking while sitting on it. Maybe a 1/8
> turn more but too-much and the Seat will be difficult to Swivel.

> Good luck Larry and hope this goes well for you.

> Phil Z.
> Campbell River, BC
> -------------------------