On Tue, 6 Jun 2006 22:15:39 -0400, Tabe Johnson <greentabe-vanagon@YAHOO.COM> wrote:

>One of my front seats is very, very stiff.  I've taken
>it apart but now it comes time to lubricate it before
>reassembling.  Any opinions on what lubricant to use?
>The obvious choice so far is grease, since that was
>what was there originally.
>
>Anyone have better ideas?
>
>tabe johnson/87 westy

Tabe,

A couple of things you might try to get and keep the seats spinning easily.  For lube, some form of
"dry" lube has worked in not attracting more gunk over the years.

The 4 nylon/polyethylene rubbing-bumpers in the seat grove must be in good shape. Suggest
replacing if they are worn or chewed-up.

The torque on the four nuts that secure the swivel is real critical. Overly tight and the force
required to turn the seat gets real high. Too loose and the seat clunks, rattles and puts the most
annoying motion into your backside while driving on rough roads (at least in this drivers sensitive
backside).

So, how much torque to put on those self-locking nuts?  Just enough and no more! As the nuts are
self-locking, error on the loose side of tight. Personally, with self-locking nuts, I tend to over
tighten them..... Bad thing here.... so go easy... perhaps 3-5 ft/lbs.  Trial and error or if you have
real small hands and a long wrench, you can reach in under the seat an "tweak" the nuts.  When
you get it right, the seats will turn with one hand and with only modest effort. Makes rotating the
seat into the Camping-napping-relaxing-Position a real joy instead of an annoying struggle.

good luck

Phil Z.