Seat Spring Fix

[RocketSurgeon]

Just thought I'd share. Its only been a week but they are holding strong.

No more crunch!

[DesertBob]

How is this fix holding up 6 months later?
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All it takes is a little imagination, some mechanical ability, and neighbors who mind their own business

74 Super Beetle (German Look Project)
Full Flow 1776 with 36 Dells, 4 wheel drilled and slotted disc brakes, Porsche 7x17 Turbo Twists, Topline Maxx Struts, Camber kit, 7/8" Front Sway bar, Rear Sway bar, Urethane bushings all around.

[fourfignewtons]

Where did you get the hardware? Nice fix but wondering how it's going to hold up as well. I may try that fix too but shoot a little super bonding epoxy in there to give it some extra hold.

It's that or weld it very carefully.
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78 Westy "Oscar"
76 Westy "Sam"

[jmstu76]

I took a very stiff piece of vinyl hose and connected the two ends. I used a clamp over the piece of hose to hold them. My fix is still working but I like the solution of the OP a little better.
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James

'76 Deluxe Sage Green Westy
2258 cc GD case 78mm CW crank, 2.0 H-beam rods 5,325” 22mm pin, JE forged pistons with 15cc dish, JE rings, type 11 clearanced oil pump, CB Eagle 2205 Type-2 “Torque Special” hydraulic cam with matched lifters fed by CB Dual Weber 40 IDF MX with 6” foam air filters, currently 55 idle, 130 main, 200 air correction, 32 mm venturis. 27in General Grabber AT2 All Terrains, Berg Shifter, stock '76 exhaust HPC Ceramic Coated. 11/18/2020

[RocketSurgeon]

It's just as solid as day 1! I lifted the seat to check. Pushed, pulled, and twisted. No movement at all. And it's been about 1500 miles. I'm sure it will last a long time.

I picked up the spacer at home depot.
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69 Westy

[olafwagner]

Since I got my bus, the driver's seat has always been sagging a bit. Also, the rails were quite stuck, so yesterday I decided to remove the seats and clean up the rails. Once I had the seats out, i peered into the driver's seat, and saw that I had 4 (FOUR) broken springs.

Following RocketSurgeon's post I saw that my local Home Depot listed 7 spacers in stock, but when I drove there, I found that the spacer draw was in quite a jumble, and none of the 1" length spacers could be found. So I took a look on Amazon, and saw that you can get a bag of 25 for just $8.55 (way cheaper than Home Depot), so I ordered a bag and they arrived today.

Sliding them into place (even before crimping) you can really tell that they are a good fit. Unfortunately I cannot get my swaging tool in between the springs. Not only are the holes are oriented biggest to smallest on my swaging tool (and I needed the 2nd smallest which translates to 'the 2nd deepest in the jaws') but also the place where the springs snapped are in awkward spots (far more awkward than what I can see in RocketSurgeon's pics)

So I went with a 'lets see how it goes' fix, and crimped them with the 'yellow' section of the usual red/blue/yellow terminal crimping tools. Not nearly as much force as swaging, however, let see how it goes....

Anyway, so far so good, gave it a few 'test sits' and it feels great - better than the seat has ever felt.

I will also report back over time to let you know how my 4 repaired springs hold up. If not, the next steps will be to shell out the ~$70 for the same swaging tool as RocketSurgeons

[mikedjames]

I wrapped the break in soft iron flower arranging wire (NOT galvanised ) to hold it firmly together then ran a MIG welder on low over it . Lasted 60k miles. Then I sold the seats .
. Better than aluminium that will fatigue and crack
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Ancient vehicles and vessels

1974 VW T2 : Devon Eurovette camper with 1641 DP T1 engine, Progressive carb, full flow oil cooler, EDIS crank timed ignition.
Engine 1: 40k miles (rocker shaft clip fell off), Engine 2: 30k miles (rebuild, dropped valve). Engine 3: a JK Preservation Parts "new" engine, aluminium case: 26k miles: new top end.
Gearbox rebuild 2021 by Bears.

1979 Westerly GK24 24 foot racer/cruiser yacht Forethought of Gosport.
1973 wooden Pacer sailing dinghy

[scottyrocks]

As my driver's seat has been a little low on the left side since I've had the car (2016), I decided, after reading this thread, to remove the seat and check for a broken spring.

No broken spring.

Could the springs just be worn out in that particular area due to, say, a left-leaning previous owner of several years/decades? If so, any fixes before resorting to new springs?
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“If you care for a thing long enough, it takes on a life of its own, doesn't it? Mending old things, preserving them, looking after them – on some level there's no rational grounds for it.”
– D. Tartt, 'The Goldfinch'

[alaskadan]

There's another thread about seat springs, might be in the vanagon forum. Anyhow you can buy new coil springs and replace your old ones. Any upholstery supply places should have what you need.

[scottyrocks]

[wrxnofx]

Were you able to find a link to the thread about purchasing spare springs?

I have 2 broken springs in my driver’s seat (along with a broken frame I will weld). The 2 broken springs are cashed. I tried the aluminum coupling listed above and it sort of works in that it holds the broken ends together (and from ripping my jeans). The spring rate above the coupling and below the coupling is totally different, however. I’m not sure welding the springs back together would fix this.
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1977 VW Type 2 Bay Window Westy FI

[alaskadan]

If you google furniture springs you will find what you need. Or if you have a decent local upholsterery shop they should have something. Sorry for not posting a link there's just too many suppliers to pick from.

[wrxnofx]

Not really. I can find sort of a similar spring on the inter webs but nothing the same. Looks like the bus springs are double tied, and I’m not sure the length.
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1977 VW Type 2 Bay Window Westy FI

[napat]

I did it

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love double cab

[Scrumblero]

I've used electrical wire crimps with the plastic cut off. gotta have a good crimper tho..

[otiswesty]

I used a spring from a donor seat that wasn't broken. Still holding up 10 years later
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1978 Sage Green P22 Westfalia
1988 T3 Syncro Single cab

Just a regular guy

[4118thing]

I had exactly the same break on my Single Cab seat. I cut a piece of heavy duty braided fuel line and put it on just like the metal piece was done here. Works great.
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‘73 Thing
‘69 Single cab

[wrxnofx]

[napat]

[jtauxe]

Sawatdee khap!

Have you thought about putting an ad up here on The Samba? I'm sure lots of folks would buy them. Me, for instance.