Seat recliner dis-assembly?

[ChuxBus]

This is the most informative thread I've found on this subject. Does anyone have a compendium of parts variations?

I have a 69 bug of questionable heritage. It was put back together and sold to me by a regionally known air-cooled specialist, so I know he had access to a sizable parts stash.

My driver's seat back won't lock back. The catch hooks are rotated too far forward to engage the studs on the seat back legs. Even if I manually pull the hooks back and pull the seat back, the hooks won't rotate far enough back to catch the studs.

I'm thinking I have hooks and adjustment knobs installed on a seat bottom from a different year. My passenger seat works fine, but the hooks appear to be of a slightly different design.

My driver's seat hooks are 113 881 227F (left) and 228E (right). The passenger seat has not been disassembled, as it works as designed.
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-Chuck
1978 Bus & 1969 Bug
"Don't make a fuss, just get on the bus" -Frank Zappa

[kd69bug]

I'm looking for two front seat parts:
113.881.277, 113.881.278
Right and left parts of the recline mechanism.
Both of mine on the driver seat have the metal tabs broken off...
Thanks

[kd69bug]

Does anyone know where to get the spring cap?
...or what would work as a substitute?

I tried the clicker from a couple old ball point pens but none fit...

Thanks

[hulk72]

PDxEuro and Type241, thank you for the info and pics. I need to find the plastic spacer/component for the adjustment group. The black plastic piece that gets sandwiched in between the metal parts...Does anyone know this part name/number? Where to source?

[buggyrider]

[jmr1234]

Took the non functioning recliners apart by removing the spiral nail. wiped and greased each part and they work great now.

[grandpa red]

Mine were sticky so I just oiled them.
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'72 Beetle

[jmr1234]

[Mr.Duncan]

easy to take apart.

I took mine apart to re-weld the grooves that were dug into the seat reclining cam.
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(Owner) www.vintagecarleds.com

Red 1971 Squareback Thread
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1966 Ghia (sold)
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1966 Red Beetle

[Matt1972]

Thanks as well - my seat did not have the spiral nail at all - now I know why it keeps falling apart!
Something to work on this weekend - in addition to the 1K other things.

[vamram]

Thanks for doing this thread, it's very helpful to me. I plan on re-upholstering the seats on my '72 Super in about a month and will need to take apart the driver side mechanism because it does not work properly. I have to manually reach over to one of the hinges to align it while pulling up on the backrest button. I'm not sure if a link is missing or one of the sprockets is bent, pin is broken, or any combo of the above, etc.
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[type241]

[type241]

I am in the process of tearing my seat frames totally apart so I can powdercoat them. I will get pics soon. As far as removing just RE-read this thread.

There are two tubes inside the seat frame tube.

- One tube has the adjuster knobs held on by the 2 inch long spiraled nail. Once you remove the nail it takes some beating to get them off. On the inside face of the knobs is the spring with plastic cap the indexes the four positions of adjustment in the side of the seat frame(4 dimples).

- The other tube has the plates press fit on the end.

[Matt1972]

I too am now dealing with this......my whole assembly has fallen apart and cannot get it to stay together......both ends just keep falling off.
What holds all of it together on the seat?
Was thinking of just welding (jb or otherwise) it together but then would lose the function of moving seat forward to access rear seat.....
sorry to hijack as well but this actually just came up today.

[joemama]

Not to hijack this thread, but, just how does this work? I try turning the knob and it wont turn. Maybe its because I have the seat back off, but I cant budge the knob.

[type241]

Is there a source for the grey cap(mine is white plastic) that goes on the spring? If it gets worn the adjuster dimples dont work well.

[pdxeuro]

So, I finally broke down and took apart a set of these seats. The hardware is pretty straight forward if you look at it before taking it apart. The hole just opposite of the nail head is for a punch (or in my case I sawed off the point on a thin long nail). Just insert and hammer that screw-pin out. I left the spring in it's normal spot. Notice the grey cap in the middle - it goes on top of the spring.

FYI in case anyone tackles this in the future

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Portland, Oregon
1991 Westy MV
1959 Bug
1977 Westy Bus - sold
1968 Bug - sold
2002 Eurovan - sold

[Greezy Joe]

Just went thru that with my Ghia Vert build. Someone had beat the heck out of the back of the seats and bent in the seat tube and binding up the rod for the seat back release. It is not hard to do, just have to study how it works and reassemble. There are 2 rods or tubes that go thru there one is for the seat back release attached to the pieces you asked about and 1 for the seat back angle adjuster. The pins that hald the angle adjust is really a screw nail and will come out easily enough.
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Current:74 Ghia Coupe w/ 2276
71 Ghia Vert w/ 1835
07 GMC Truck
12 Jeep Wrangler
73 Harley FLH 93 cid
89 Harley 883 Sportster (1200)


Owned before: 58, 69 Ghia Coupes, 64 Canvas Sunroof, 68, 72, 73, & 74 Bugs, 63 Single Cab, 65 Bus, 66 & 70 Camper
" Duct tape can't fix stupid, but it'll muffle the sound".

[pdxeuro]

Thanks! Does anyone know what the flat disk with the tab sticking up (the tab has the middle hollow) is used for? I can't figure out the purpose.
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Portland, Oregon
1991 Westy MV
1959 Bug
1977 Westy Bus - sold
1968 Bug - sold
2002 Eurovan - sold

[glutamodo]

The 61-65 Bentley talks about it briefly, but it only just shows them using a punch to drive that pin out, and not really anything else. I'm not sure if the later seats are much different from the older ones, I can't recall ever taking the later ones apart before.