Rear Seat Bench installation problem

[Dermechaniker50]

I have 1976 Standard Beetle. I am having great difficulty pushing the rear bench seat cushion back far enough to engage the bottom divider cross rail when trying to push the seat down into place. I have come close to pinching fingers when trying to do it. Is there a trick to it?
I am also wondering about the metal tang on the bottom back edge on the drivers side of the seat that looks like it should engage a corresponding locating slot on the body. Perhaps misalignment with this slot is preventing pushing the seat back far enough to get into place? I can't get into a position to see if it is engaged.
I don't recall my '62 or '66 Beetles having this piece. What is it's purpose? Is it necessary?

Frustrated

[Tim Donahoe]

I have a 1974 Super Beetle, and I removed that tang entirely, and the rear seat is still a bitch to get in. I suspect that something changed in the fit of the ‘70s models, as opposed to the ‘60s, because I never had any trouble fitting the back seat when I owned earlier Bugs.

I use a thin wooden wedge sort of tool, as well as a metal scraper, to wedge the seat into the metal front piece.

Tip: don’t try to put the seat in on a hot day. You’ll have a heart attack.

Tim
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Richard O'Brien

[Ian]

Angle the seat bottom so the front sits in the metal rail first. Then hit the back corners of the seat bottom and it will pop down into place.
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[Dan the workingstiff]

[Igpoe]

[Profcucchi]

Has anyone ever thought about cutting their seat frame to fit better?

I use the slip and hit method, too, but better/faster is appreciated.

[Lingwendil]

[PuddleRainbow]

I have a 76 also and I HATE dealing with the back seat.

[whobba]

Seat back goes in and down, engage the tang with the raised slot, push the seat and squish the rear corners down while you shove the front to match with the front seat rail. You can unlatch the seat back to make more room for the seat bottom to rest in place.

Oh hey look: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/76beetle_canada/50.jpg
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[Dermechaniker50]

Thanks for all the feedback! Does anyone know the purpose of the tang and slot? It represents additional manufacturing cost on a mass produced car. VW must have added it for a reason. I would like to know before cutting it off…..

[H2OSB]

[H2OSB]

[IamZardoz]

I see about zero purpose for that retaining hook. I am thinking about cutting the thing off completely, the seat will surely stay in place without that pain in the azz thing.
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2005 Dodge Ram Hemi Quadcab
2020 Chevy Tahoe

[Dermechaniker50]

I tried the suggested method of placing the bottom front edge of the seat into the support rail first and then pushing the back edge down into place. The seat popped right in with no difficulty!!! This method works. Thanks for the tip!

I have studied the tang on the rear bottom edge of the driver side of the seat and the slot it fits into on the body. The upward curve on the end of the tang and the shape of the slot allows the tang to engage the slot when the seat is pushed down into place. I believe it is a safety device that prevents the seat from rotating out of place during sudden deceleration or a crash. Now that I am familiar with the proper way to install the seat, I am leaving the tang and receiving bracket in place.

[KTPhil]

George Carlin:
Tell me to “put my seatback forward...” Well I don’t bend that way! If I could put my seatback forward, I’d be in porno movies!!!