Real time help getting Z seat back in van?

[IdahoDoug]

How should z seat be configured to get it back into the van? I cannot for the life of me get it in there without ripping into the side panels in the "seat" position. Should it be laid out flat? In between?

Also, in the mechanism, each side has a longish arm that protrudes rearward (most easily seen with the seat flat for sleeping) that has a heavy steel pin on its tip about an inch long. On my seat, these arms are both curved inward and the pins are therefore not at a nice crisp 90 degree angle from the walls. They seem to have been bent but I've never messed with it before noticing now. Should those arms be perfectly straight? I won't be able to straighten them once the seat is installed, so I kinda need answers to both my questions before I can install it.

And of course time pressure - wife's car in driveway while I flip out and invent new cuss words.

Thanks,

DougM
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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

[RufusRockwell]

Hello,
I once took the rear seat out to try and install some speakers in the panels(they didn't fit). Anyhow, getting the seat back in was a major pain in the butt almost resulting in bodily injury! I managed to get it back in with much grunting and sweating and some tearing of the inside panels. Looking back I think i would have removed the panels and kind of moved them and the seat into position together. Maybe have someone hold the panels while you position the seat. Don't know if it would work but I remember thinking it might have prevented the torn panels at the time. Good Luck!

[stevey88]

Remove the back first. Its only four screws.
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Steve

87 Westfalia full camper 4 speed

[RufusRockwell]

Oh yeah, I believe I had the seat in the bench position when I put it back in. As for the possibly bent part...I did not have that problem but the bolts were a pain to get started in the threads.

[IdahoDoug]

The back of what? The panels?

Doug
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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

[dubbified]

I have a 7 seater I picked up, I had a real pain putting that in.

It helped having it in the bed shape, and my girlfriend and I were able to shimmy it in. Its not easy.

I actually crossthreaded one of the bolts.. I'm not exactly looking toward taking it out for when we do the interior.

I'd definitely say one bolt at a time, ensure you prethread all of them prior to torquing them.

[IdahoDoug]

Holy crap. Great suggestion taking the seat back off (finally figured out what you meant). Should be much easier to deal with later when my wife is home to help maneuver just the bottom half and frame. Thanks.

But holy crap. Those screws were in there like no others I've come across on this vehicle. They defeated my brand new impact screw extracter. Didn't even budge. FInally took my largest screwdriver and largest vice grips clamped on it for turning torque and most of my body weight on the tools to keep from having them slip out of the Phillips head. Trashed two of them nonetheless. I'll be buying new ones before reassembling. Seriously, well over 70lbs-feet of torque. The neck of one head is nearly twisted off.

DougM
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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

[D Clymer]

If you take the seat bottom off too then it is really easy to maneuver the frame into position and line up to all the holes.

Don't worry. It took me a few times of putting them in the hard way before it occured to me to take the cushions off.

D

[IdahoDoug]

So any more help or thoughts on that long bar pointing rearward with the solid welded pin in it on each side? Should it be curved, or a perfectly straight part? Methinks straight, but would hate to straighten it and find it makes operation poor. All someone has to do to check is raise the front edge of their bed/seat and you can see the flat-stock bar with the large welded pin.

Thanks
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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

[D Clymer]

I just went out and looked at mine. If you're referring to the rearmost linkage arms that have the outboard seatbelts sharing the same bolt, they should be straight. The pins should be perpendicular to the walls of the van.

Hope this helps.

David

[IdahoDoug]

David - exactly the info I was looking for and stated clearly! Thank you. Looks like the pins take force in the direction the arms they are welded to are gently arced. So, a previous owner must have had trouble folding the bed and placed force on it before it was correctly seated. I'll properly straighten it before install.

DougM
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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