Repair Broken Seat Release Cables

Have you done so much to the car today that it just doesn't fit into one section, or are you too damn lazy to split it all up? Either way, this is the section for you.

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Briano1234
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Repair Broken Seat Release Cables

Post by Briano1234 »

well Snap, the cable that releases the seat back just broke.


First Remove the seat from the rail.
Remove the inner rail cover.
Remove the 10mm acorn nut from in front of the seat center rail.
Slide the Seat all the way to the back and remove it from the rail.

Now make sure that the fingers are able to move half of the broken ones
I have had to deal with are because the fingers won't pivot.
Shoot PB-Blaster on it and work it with a pair pf pliers until
It moves freely.

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Now manually fold the seat in half.

Pry up the fingers that are holding the material on.

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Remove all the material off the fingers.

Cut the hog rings loose that are holding the side bolsters on.

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Pull the seat back up to get to the release mechanism.

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Look for the broken wire and remove it.

Go to the hardware store and get Stainless Steel cable 5 foot (1/16th) and 2 ferrules.

For the Longer run you need 3 foot, for the shorter side you need 2 foot.


Loop the cable through the open hole.

Now slide the ferrule on the longer side of the cable and insert the short side
that is through the release mechanism.

Pull it so that you have made a eyelet, and that the shorter end is almost at the ferrule.
Pull the Long end and Crimp the ferrule closed.

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Run it over to the release holder slot.

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Use a small piece of vinyl tube to act as a rub guard.

Insert the cable through the seat pivot hole, and slide the ferrule onto the cable.

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Insert the cable in to the hole of the finger release, and feed it back into the ferrule.

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Pull Tight on it so that the release finger on the right matches the one on the left
(a tad tighter won't be that bad as it will stretch.).

Crimp the ferrule closed Cut off the extra length of cable that you have on the outside of the ferrule.

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Replace the Seat material.

Where you cut the hog rings, you can use a hole punch and punch a hole in the material.

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Then instead of using hog ties, use wire-ties.

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Stretch all the material back over the fingers, and tap closed with a hammer.

Reinstall the seat and enjoy.
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
Hoppy
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Location: Kansas

Re: Repair Broken Seat Release Cables

Post by Hoppy »

WOW, thanks I've needed to do this repair since I bought the car, THANKS.
John

1950 Beetle
1955 Beetle
1982 Westy
1986 Cabriolet (Best Seller)
cabrio2k
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Re: Repair Broken Seat Release Cables

Post by cabrio2k »

Just started doing this today to my Cab...My latches were completely frozen and it took quite a bit of time and PB Blaster to get them loose...Found out the problem with my seats is that and the cable is too stretched so it does not function...when you pull...

My seats are all messed up though as nothing functions! I messed around with the front lever soaked it as well so the height adjustment will hopefully work...Now I just need to fix my back adjuster so that it functions...It works if I have the folded...I will look into it some more...After I get all my levers functioning, I will clean the rails real nice and replace the plastic tabs, re-grease, and will hopefully have like new seats as the cleaning will be final...

Never thought when I bought this thing that I would take so much time and effort just to get the seats to function normally...Guess that's what happens when a cabby has been sitting topless for more than a year
shanybu1
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Joined: Sat Oct 02, 2010 2:56 pm
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Re: Repair Broken Seat Release Cables

Post by shanybu1 »

Question: I am not clear if the seat fingers are supposed to pivot back and forth, or the rail that they are attached to?
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Briano1234
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Re: Repair Broken Seat Release Cables

Post by Briano1234 »

The fingers both pivot. They are attached to the bar, but pivot. Move one with your fingers or pliers, you will see.
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
shanybu1
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Joined: Sat Oct 02, 2010 2:56 pm
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Re: Repair Broken Seat Release Cables

Post by shanybu1 »

Yes, once I got into it I could see what you meant. Thanks for this how-to. Now my dog no longer has to squeeze between the front seats to get to "her" seat- and I no longer have dirty paw marks on my front seats!
shanybu1
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Joined: Sat Oct 02, 2010 2:56 pm
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Re: Repair Broken Seat Release Cables

Post by shanybu1 »

Any tips on keeping the steel cable ends from fraying? On the second seat I did, the ends got so frayed that I couldn't feed them through the ferrule- and I own nothing heavy-duty enough to cut that cable!
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Briano1234
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Re: Repair Broken Seat Release Cables

Post by Briano1234 »

No i don't, unless you heat the cable up prior to cutting and lay in a bit of solder.
This is where a good pair of sharp diagonal pliers comes in handy.
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
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