[T3] Sliding seat tracks...

[Jim Adney]

On 27 Mar 2014 at 9:16, SAW DUST wrote:

> I have experienced with the plastic seat glides is that they will also
> get brittle and start to brake and splinter causing the seat to freeze
> up and not want to easily adjust. I remember this being very labor
> intensive to clear out the splintered plastic. I replaced the plastic
> seat glides and my seats adjust perfectly! Totally worth the effort . 

I have NOS OG seat slides, but they are not cheap. Probably the very 
last of the OG stock left in the world. I often reinstall broken 
pieces as long as the pieces are large enough to hold themselves in 
position.

The main thing to keep in mind when dealing with these, is that the 
steel rails, the parts welded to the pan, are fairly soft and are 
often bent when removing or installing the seat. If you install new 
slides on bent rails, they will break instantly. If you bend the 
rails while you're installing the seat, you'll break the new slides. 
If you bend the rail while removing the seat, you'll break the slide, 
if it's not already broken.

You have to use a straightedge to make sure the rails are straight 
(both horizontally and vertically) before installing the slides, and 
then be very careful not to twist the inside rail when you're first 
starting the seat back on. Having a second person to help is 
important if you haven't done this many times before. The seats are a 
little bit heavy, but immensely awkward; so they can slip out of hand 
and do their damage very easily.

Once you get the seat out, you have to clean out the groove in the 
seat bottom. Clean out as much rust as you can, then apply a good 
layer of grease to keep it from rusting again. You'll be amazed at 
how well they work when they're working properly.

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