5 th seat removal help

[davetherave]

Can any one help please trying to remove the fifth seat of California oceon took plastic ends of the rails and slid it along front brackets are clear can't get it off the rear ones now won't move stuck behind drivers seat any pointers please regards david

 

[Lewis]

I had exactly these issues.

The seat should roll back fine, don't be shy about being firm with the handle. Pull it firmly upwards and it should click and allow you to roll the seat back. I realised I wasn't being firm enough.

With the silver covers, tilt the seat forwards to loosen the rear silver covers. It does take a lot of work the first time but once the weight of the seat if off (by tilting forwards) then it does help.

As I've posted elsewhere, first time is the worst but then it's easier every time.

 

[Hotel California]

There 's a existing tread on this....

 

[davetherave]

We're please

 

[davetherave]

I had exactly these issues.

The seat should roll back fine, don't be shy about being firm with the handle. Pull it firmly upwards and it should click and allow you to roll the seat back. I realised I wasn't being firm enough.

With the silver covers, tilt the seat forwards to loosen the rear silver covers. It does take a lot of work the first time but once the weight of the seat if off (by tilting forwards) then it does help.

As I've posted elsewhere, first time is the worst but then it's easier every time.

H

I had exactly these issues.

The seat should roll back fine, don't be shy about being firm with the handle. Pull it firmly upwards and it should click and allow you to roll the seat back. I realised I wasn't being firm enough.

With the silver covers, tilt the seat forwards to loosen the rear silver covers. It does take a lot of work the first time but once the weight of the seat if off (by tilting forwards) then it does help.

As I've posted elsewhere, first time is the worst but then it's easier every time.

 

[davetherave]

Hi thanks for that I removed plastic covers and now seat is as far foward as it will go with the front mounts out of the rails now I can't get them to go
Back in I don't want force the seat back any ideas please

 

[Hotel California]

We're please

If you did a search on existing treads instead of making a new tread you could come accros these....

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/help-removing-middle-seats-problem-with-rails.9533/#post-88202

https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/moving-5th-seat.7685/#post-90602


https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/help-removing-the-5th-seat.2568/#post-22754

 

[davetherave]

Thanks for the info ! but I had all ready done that seeing if any body else had the same problem that I had encountered

 

[Hotel California]

Thanks for the info ! but I had all ready done that seeing if any body else had the same problem that I had encountered

So none of those treads can help you ?
Seeing your foto above.
Could be you did a wrong move and it needs a firm slam back in .

Personal i got no 5th seat or the xtra rail so can only help giving info others have posted before....

 

[andyinluton]

You've overshot the front of the rails. You need to pull the handle up at the front of the seat & somehow force the seat back so that the front "feet" are back on the rails - you need to go back about 100mm.

What you probably haven't appreciated is that the seat is lifted vertically off the rails, the sliding business is just to get in line with the holes in the rails.

Just looking at your photo - have you removed the grey plastic trim at the end of the rails?

 

[andyinluton]

Just read your first post - its the removable bits of aluminium you need to remove as well as the plastic trim.

 

[Lewis]

Just read your first post - you shouldn't have removed the plastic trim! its the removable bits of aluminium you need to remove.

I dont think the metal covers would come out if you didn't remove the plastic covers first? The manual instructs you to do this. I agree with what you're saying re: overshooting. I did the same thing and thought it was stuck but it just needed a firm pull upwards to then be able to slide it back.

I see the first set of metal covers are off, its the next ones that are the trickiest. I got proper stressed trying to get them out, wedging anything I could in the gap to push them apart and wiggling it like mad. It took forever but it comes eventually. Managed to scratch the covers to death but dont worry - it'll be a constant reminder of your victory.

 

[larrylamb]

H


View attachment 18421

Think those sections of aluminium need to slide out first, move rear seat to the back, 5th seat back as far as can go, minding your knuckles etc. grab the aluminium strip . I think a shove to the right should free it to lift out. Complete this with all 4 pieces of ally then move seat forward to remove.

 

[andyinluton]

You need to get the seat back onto the rails, & then move it backwards past the joint in the aluminium trim - may involve removing rear shelf & sliding bench backwards - then remove trim, then slide seat forward into position then lift to remove. The important thing is that the seat remains level all the time you don't lift the front up at an angle.

 

[Jimmylondon07]

Got this delightful task to sort on the weekend, does anyone know if there’s a video showing how to do it with the latest rails (aka the silver bits that don’t pop out)? Petrified of damaging something.

 

[OooOooTheMonkey]

Got this delightful task to sort on the weekend, does anyone know if there’s a video showing how to do it with the latest rails (aka the silver bits that don’t pop out)? Petrified of damaging something.

It looks difficult to start with but it’s actually straight forward to do without damaging anything. No need to force metal covers out - they come out easily.

1. Remove the rear shelf
2. Slide back rear seat
3. Slide back 5th seat as far as you can
4. Remove plastic covers levering from the front
5. Slide each metal cover forwards along the rail and simply lift them out (very easy)
6. Slide 5th seat forwards and lift out where the gaps in the rail are
7. Reassemble in reverse order

See this:

 

[yossarian]

aka the silver bits that don’t pop out

First I've heard of this?

 

[Jimmylondon07]

It looks difficult to start with but it’s actually straight forward to do without damaging anything. No need to force metal covers out - they come out easily.

1. Remove the rear shelf
2. Slide back rear seat
3. Slide back 5th seat as far as you can
4. Remove plastic covers levering from the front
5. Slide each metal cover forwards along the rail and simply lift them out (very easy)
6. Slide 5th seat forwards and lift out where the gaps in the rail are
7. Reassemble in reverse order

See this:

Top work, thank you. I assume it’s not possible without taking out the rear shelf?

 

[OooOooTheMonkey]

Top work, thank you. I assume it’s not possible without taking out the rear shelf?

No can’t be done without rear shelf removal. The 5th seat won’t go back far enough otherwise. California Chris does a good video on this. Easy to do but follow his instructions carefully. Whatever you do don’t removal it in a reclined position - it must be completely flat.

 

[andyinluton]

Top work, thank you. I assume it’s not possible without taking out the rear shelf?

Its worth putting something on your van floor to rest the chair on once its off the rails, the runners at the bottom do a pretty good job of scratching the van floor if you are not careful.

We always found it easiest to remove the head rest, fold the seat forward so it makes a compact cube, rotate it 90 degrees so the top of the seat back is pointing at the sink.

Once you've got the seat off the rails, If you then stand outside the van & lift the seat by near the rear end of the arm rests its a good balance point.

Once you've done it a few hundred times you will get the knack & hate the thing with a passion....

You will also be trawling the classifieds for a T6.1 2 seater beach multiflex board which has a flip up flap to let you slide the rear seat back enough to remove the 5th seat without taking it out.

We did 2 years in our first Ocean with two 5th seats in the van making it a 6 seater.

 

[aeicalifornia]

Top work, thank you. I assume it’s not possible without taking out the rear shelf?

you have to take it out, as you need to slide back the rear seat as far as you get enough space to make you able to also slide back the fifth seat as long as to surpass the joint of the aluminium parts to set them free.
I was there!

 

[Jimmylondon07]

Got it done this morning, thanks for the help and advice everyone. The seat is now installed in its permanent new garage dwelling, never again to see the light of day.