[T3] RUST...

[Jim Adney]

On 22 Nov 2013 at 23:13, J. Jonik wrote:

> I can't get the driver's seat out of the car.   Rusted in. No way,
> yet, to get to the floor under that seat to do repairs.     And no
> way, except using ants with some Liquid Wrench or WD 40 to squirt up
> the seat tracks to loosen them up. 

Rust is the big killer of all our cars. A few winters spent driving 
in snow and salt will seal their fate. It's REALLY hard to stop and 
even harder to repair.

To loosen up the seats, I would first apply some penetrating oil and 
let it sit for a few days. Reapply every day, to try to get it to 
soak all the way in.

I've used a LARGE lead hammer and a wood block to tap on the rear of 
one side at a time. IIRC, only one side has the "lock" to keep it 
from sliding. You can feel under there for the lock teeth and the 
mechanism that moves when you move the release lever.

Start by trying to move the side that doesn't lock. Once that moves, 
hold the release while you beat on the other side. Once you've seen 
both sides move a tiny bit, apply more penetrating oil and repeat the 
oil/wait process.

Do this several times, until you are able to move the seat forward 
and off the tracks. Note that there is a release on the front of the 
inside track to let it move all the way off.

It will come off the outside track before it comes off the inside 
track. It's best to have a friend available to stabilize the seat in 
the final inches, or the seat will tilt and the front end of the 
tracks, expecially the inside track, will get bent. If this happens 
you will need to straighten it before you reinstall the seat, AND you 
will need to be especially careful to avoid bending it again in the 
installation process.

Before you reinstall the seat, clean out the seat rail slots in the 
seat base, then apply grease in that slot to prevent future rust and 
make the sliding work easier.

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Jim Adney, jadney at vwtype3.org
Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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