Driver's Seat Will Not Go Forward

[Wolfram]

88 Westy.
I need to replace the battery and the seat will not move forward. The lever operates but nothing happens despite vigorous too-ing and fro-ing. Solutions apart from a Sawzall?
Operated Ok a year ago.
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88 Westy, '07 EJ25 Vanaru.
Either van-less on Waiheke Island in New Zealand where we spend the Southern summer, or Wolfram is in Seattle/Olympia in storage.

[dhaavers]

Possible the battery is jammed up under the seat? Slide seat all the way
back, let the battery settle, get some lube spray on the tracks & try again...

<crosses fingers>
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86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS>

[Wolfram]

The battery is not affected. The seat will not budge at all. Lube tried, but it is if the lever is not engaging thoroughly to lift the pawl off the notches on the rails.
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88 Westy, '07 EJ25 Vanaru.
Either van-less on Waiheke Island in New Zealand where we spend the Southern summer, or Wolfram is in Seattle/Olympia in storage.

[fxr]

[nemobuscaptain]

I had the same problem. Ended up being the plastic bit that protects the rails getting loose. It was sort of like a stuck zipper, had to push back on the seat and pull the (mangled) plastic out with pliers.
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Ohio Valley Tribe, Full Moon Bus Club https://www.facebook.com/groups/294422277314227/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/FullMoonBusClub

RIP Bob Hoover https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=427791
Hoover Sermons: https://www.vwsage.com/images/vwsage/Bob%20Hoovers%20Sermons.pdf

[IdahoDoug]

Also, be sure you are moving the right lever. There is one to lift a pawl out to move the seat off the track completely. There is one simply to adjust the seat fore and aft. Seems like this is useless advice but study it carefully and you'll see what I mean.

Also, I had one in my Syncro that was so tough, I had to have my wife hold the lever and I got behind the seat with clean shoes on and literally kicked it forward to the end of travel. Then she switched levers to the little pawl that lets it come off the track and I had to kick it off the track. Turned out the brown plastic thin sliders in the tracks were hooking the sharp edge of the seat and curling up shaved plastic. I bought new plastic sliders, cleaned up the sharp edges and put it all together. It was so hard to move that I finally just ripped the brown things out and let it slide metal on metal. Grease did not help the plastic, either.
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1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader

[dhaavers]

x2

My plastic has been gone for years...
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86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS>

[RainierSyncro]

Had a stuck pass seat in the very forward position. It would not go forward or backward. I hit it with a hammer many times with no movement. Came to find out that one of the 4 bolts holding the bottom cushion to the seat frame had worked its way out and dropped into the seat track thus locking it solid. I don't remember just how I was able to extract the bolt, but it involved inventing new curse words, a couple of hours and needle nose pliers.

[Wolfram]

OK a few places to check.
! did (eventually) read the manual to be sure I ad the correct lever,
but I do.
Thanks
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88 Westy, '07 EJ25 Vanaru.
Either van-less on Waiheke Island in New Zealand where we spend the Southern summer, or Wolfram is in Seattle/Olympia in storage.

[MsTaboo]

Look under the seat, there is a wire connection from the lever to the pall that engages the lock steps. It's a very simple mechanism, but can get bent. Make sure when you lift the lever that the wire is pulling on the pall. I had one that was jammed and had to use a long screwdriver to pry it up.
To get the seat all the way off the track (to make repairs,etc.) there is another little stop at the front of the seat rail that is spring loaded.
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Currently:
'90 Syncro Westy 3 knob w/Zetec

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