Date: Wed, 16 Sep 1998 21:58:24 -0400
Reply-To: David Bogle / Architecture <bogle@BWAY.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: David Bogle / Architecture <bogle@BWAY.NET>
Subject: Re: Interior Stuff
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Michael Townsend wrote:
> Do any of y'all have any ideas on the best place to find:
>
> !: Adjustable armrest for driver and front passenger, the right side on
> each seat, grey.
I just repaired an adjustable armrest in my newly acquired '87.
If you still have the parts it may be possible. As purchased it was dangling
on one bolt and the adjusting rod was unscrewed from the innards. Two bolts
are required to hold the bracket in place on the seatback, and I found it
impossible to remove the split pin with it only attached at one bolt. The
split pin holds together the bracket mounted to the seatback and the rotating
hub on the arm. I cut off an allen wrench such that it would fit between the
arm and the bolt to remove the whole assembly from the seatback. Don't waste
time peeling back the upholstery looking for a nut on the outside of the arm,
it's not there.
Once the arm is removed, however, take off the black plastic piece above the
adjusting knob and the fabric covering. You will find a single moulded piece
of closed cell foam encasing the wooden arm and a plastic housing for the
adjuster mechanism. I carefully cut the foam along one side at the juncture of
the plastic and wood. With a scalpel I skinned the foam away from the plastic
box, one side and the bottom. I chose not to remove the plastic box from the
wooden arm since it is studded or nailed in in six recessed points. Prying the
box would only have broken it, I feared. Instead, by drilling a hole in the
side of the box toward the rear and just below the holding slot for the nut, I
was able to place the big nut that the adjusting rod screws through back into
it's slip, tape it there and reupholster the arm before screwing the adjusting
rod back into place.
A wire spring was not able to be replaced over the adjusting rod unless I could
have removed the box from the wooden arm, so I kept it as a souvenir.
I hope this helps someone. I have some extra bolts since I only could find a
box of 25. They are not the countersunk, original type. The VW dealer could
only find one with different threads in his bin. In fact, the _adjustable_
armrest was not on his microfilm or CDROM. Is this a Westfalia part?
--
David Bogle
'72 Campmobile 2.0L
'87 Vanagon GL Syncro Westfalia
