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Rear seat headrest install z bed
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Rjhdog
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 02, 2014 11:42 pm    Post subject: Rear seat headrest install z bed Reply with quote

So, I've searched thoroughly and just want to assure I am thinking correctly here:). I want to add rear seat headrests on my base 89 syncro stock transporter.

All the threads with pipe bracket mods seem to mostly talk about Westy rear seats. My syncro has the full width Z-bed seat and I can feel holes at the top of the rear bench under the foam and tweed where headrests would go. Could I be lucky enough to have a seat that was made to just install the plastic headrest guides? I am thinking the year 89 was headrests optional and not standard at VW at the time.

Furthermore , Is all the necessary hardware support to hold the headrests securely underneath the foam where all I need is to cut a small hole in the fabric and insert/ snap the plastic headrest retainer post in? No need to retrofit w/ welding on galvanized pipe and other hacks, right?

Lastly, anyone have a spare set of six plastic headrest guides laying around:) before I go on the hunt at the junkyards? Can I pull out the guides from the front seats if I find those at the yard?

Side note: I am sure I will figure it out, but where do you guys store these headrests in the van once removed to make the bed?

Cheers.
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joetiger Premium Member
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 8:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you can feel the holes in the top of the seat then you should be good to go. Test-fit a head rest to make sure that you've lined everything up. With the metal-framed z-bed, the plastic guides should click firmly into the seat after you make a small incision in the fabric.

As far as where to get the guides, you might try Bus Depot. They usually have stuff like that, or SleepyJoe here in the Samba classifieds, he might have some lying around. He has EVERYTHING (but he only takes money orders so it takes a little longer to get your parts.) Otherwise, all '85 and up front seats have the same plastic guides. I got mine from http://www.vwbusshop.de/en_GB as part of a bracket package for adding to my Wolfsburg (wooden seat back.)

I've found that the brand-new plastic guides and retaining pins are nice and tight, and make it nearly impossible to remove the damned headrests when laying down the seat to make the bed. I have to pull the retaining pins each time. The pins go in the ashtray next to the bed, and the headrests get thrown somewhere. It's a bit of a hassle, but it's safer for my kids when we're on the road.
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Rjhdog
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 9:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks Joe!
I will def. measure up my headrests to make sure the holes line up perfect before i make the cuts into the fabric.

From the research I did, i think you can grind the bottom notch of each seat post to make it much easier to pull out the headrests w/o pulling the pin each time you want to make the bed. Could help your issue.
I agree a pain none-the-less, but the Kiddo's safety is the priority.


I will check Busdepot and SLeepyJoe if my local wrecking yard doesn't have them.

Many, Many thanks.
rj
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dobryan
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 10:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rjhdog wrote:

From the research I did, i think you can grind the bottom notch of each seat post to make it much easier to pull out the headrests w/o pulling the pin each time you want to make the bed.


Yep, Take a look at the notches in the metal headrest post and you'll see that the bottom one is different than the others. It has one side at 90 degrees to the post, file that side to look like the others and the pin will slide over it without needing to be removed. It will make sense when you have a headrest in your hand.
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joetiger Premium Member
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 10:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

dobryan wrote:
Rjhdog wrote:

From the research I did, i think you can grind the bottom notch of each seat post to make it much easier to pull out the headrests w/o pulling the pin each time you want to make the bed.


Yep, Take a look at the notches in the metal headrest post and you'll see that the bottom one is different than the others. It has one side at 90 degrees to the post, file that side to look like the others and the pin will slide over it without needing to be removed. It will make sense when you have a headrest in your hand.


Excellent--thanks for the tip!
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Joe T.

'86 NAHT Vanagon GL Syncro/ supercharged ABA 2.0 "Pigpen"
'04 GTI 1.8T
'04 Golf R32

"get metaphysical with it. if it's simply a means to get to and from places, it will let you down. if it becomes your zen, it can't fail you." -dabaron

"Still, it's good to be afield."--VWagabond

Available Now! Vanagon to Louisiana--A Two-Lane Reckoning Through Past and Present

www.josephtrussell.com
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syncromike
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 10:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for posting this thread. This is on my 'to-do' list as well this winter on my '91 base Syncro. My kids have grown this year so their heads are starting to go above the top of the bench seat, but they're too big for a car seat, but the only place I found the inserts is on the German sites. Keep us posted if you find them stateside.
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syncromike
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 10:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Surprised oof! $20 each on Bus Depot.
http://www.busdepot.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=811881939&dir=desc&order=default_sort_order

Looks like just under 8 Euro from Germany.
http://www.vwbusshop.de/epages/GuenzlClassicParts....iewProduct
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Rjhdog
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 10:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah 20 bones seems a bit mucho to me.

8 bucks is a bit more reasonable but how much is shipping from EU?

Has anyone attempted to pull these out of old, used seats? Is it worth the time? I imagine they will be a bit delicate to remove w/o breaking the plastic but is it fairly doable?
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syncromike
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 11:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rjhdog wrote:
8 bucks is a bit more reasonable but how much is shipping from EU?


6 Headrest ... 47.40 €
Worldwide delivery 28.90 €
Total amount 76.30 €

$104.05 - still cheaper than BD. A couple of online dealer inventories have them for $16 or so each. I'm going to see what my local dealer can get them for.
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syncromike
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 11:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

syncromike wrote:
I'm going to see what my local dealer can get them for.
$27 each from my local dealer. OUCH! Guess I'll be hitting the boneyards.
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crazyvwvanman
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PostPosted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 11:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have pulled dozens of them from seats I was trashing. Many times they come out fine and can be reused. Other times they come out damaged. Sometimes it is obvious that they went in wrong when they were last installed and got damaged from that. They can still work fine if only 1 point is broken. To remove them I lever them out with a large flat blade screwdriver or small pry bar. Use the lever rapidly and forcefully.

AFAIK any Vanagon seat that has a metal frame inside the back cushion also has the holes in the frame to add the guides. I have put them in many times.

The little wire clips that keep the head rests from coming out all the wall come in a type with a plastic thumb release to let you more easily take the headrests off to make the bench into a bed. These were used in Carats and hardtop Wolfsburgs 87/88 that came with rear seat headrests.

Mark

Rjhdog wrote:
......
Has anyone attempted to pull these out of old, used seats? Is it worth the time? I imagine they will be a bit delicate to remove w/o breaking the plastic but is it fairly doable?
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Mulcheese
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 5:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have been looking into this for some time. I was trying to design an idea different from the euro order. I came across some seats that were removed from an 82, $20. I figured if the seats already have headrests why not take out compnents already designed for this. Here is what I did.

I ripped into the seats and cut this out of the frame.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


The original seats curve to fit so I had to cut down a bit more and here is what I ended up with.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Drill some holes and some carriage bolts and here is what I have.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Foam and fabric back on and stapled and this is what it look like.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


I might not reccomend this for someone that is, how do I say, of much girth. When you lay down to sleep you may feel the parts but my wife and I do not compress the foam much and we also have an extra layer of foam that we use to sleepon. This design does extend out from the plywood seat more than the euro parts but I do like how I did not cut in to the seat back.

I feel that with all of the seat replacements out there, seats should be easy to come by and some may even be given away for free.

Not bad for $20 though!
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blemon
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 21, 2014 7:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you for this thread.

I have been stressing about what to do when the kid grows out of the high-back booster.
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