If one wants to also use the swivel to turn around or have a snack with
the driver snack table the swivel will interfere with the battery posts.
Has anyone solved this problem?

Reply: I never swivel the drivers seat. I have armrests and the seat just
doesn't have enough room to give any comfort.

Stan
On Mon, 19 Nov 2001 15:42:00 -0800 developtrust <developtrust@HOME.COM>
writes:
> After gleaning bits of information from at least 5 or 6 of you NOW I
> can see
> how easy it is to get at that battery box behind the driver seat.
>
> I was educated as a research scientist to focus on what we know as
> "the law
> of parsimony" that is, reduce it all to the most simple.
>
> Here is what I think is the simple details to allow anyone to get to
> the
> battery box alone without help and without 3 or 4 hands.
>
> 1. Slide the driver seat forward then tilt the top back as far as it
> will
> go.
> 2. Slide it all the way forward until the little spring clip on the
> left
> side of the track reaches its limit.
> 3. Put a flat screwdriver or other flat device under the spring
> latch to
> hold it up.
> 4. Slowly and gently slide the seat forward until it is off the
> track and
> put it on the ground and lean it against the van (if you don't lean
> the seat
> on the van it will fall onto its back on the dirty ground.)
> (*Why slowly? If you hit the plastic steering wheel cover you will
> break
> it.)
> 5. Rotate the swivel 180 degrees and open the battery compartment.
> Voila!
>
> There is plenty of room in there for an optima battery. More than
> enough
> length.
>
> My recommendations is to place a piece of wood or plywood in the
> space on
> the floor of the battery box between the battery and the box wall to
> keep it
> from shifting and hitting the relay switch, and tie the battery
> down.
>
> One will still need to figure out a creative solution for the top
> posts
> which  extend above the 7 inch height limit. My preference is to cut
> 2 large
> holes in the metal cover above the posts. Do it neatly with one of
> those
> electrician's hole cutters you can get at any hardware store. Then
> under the
> carpet cover ( or under the metal cover) lay a piece of heavy rubber
> or
> other insulating material or make some kind of post cover to fit the
> hole
> nicely.
>
> Or make a custom cover.
>
> I think I might still keep my battery under the sink. Maybe because
> I am
> already invested in that solution but also I don't have to spend
> more time
> cutting holes, or inventing a cover solution for the posts.
>
> I am really amazed that VW did not just cut a notch in the swivel
> base  the
> length of the battery box and deep enough to expose it all. Then one
> would
> not have to take the seat out. I guess the man hours for a new
> swivel base
> which would not be identical to the passenger side is cost
> prohibitive. I
> guess we can do it ourselves. I do not see how cutting a 12 inch by
> 2 inch
> notch will compromise the strength or integrity of the swivel base.
>
> If one wants to also use the swivel to turn around or have a snack
> with the
> driver snack table the swivel will interfere with the battery posts.
> Has
> anyone solved this problem?
>
> My under the sink solution eliminates a lot of problems. I have
> photos of it
> now as my digital camera came back today. Send your email address if
> you
> want to see them.
>
> William
>
________________________________________________________________
GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO!
Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less!
Join Juno today!  For your FREE software, visit:
http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/.