Kathy,
     
     This just happened to me yesterday in my '87 Westy.
     
     I feel your pain.
     
     You do not need to cut any vinyl.
     
     Bentley explains how to detach and reattach the arm rests.  Do you 
     have a copy of the repair manual?  If you want I can fax you 
     photocopies of the pages that explain the arm rests.  I highly 
     recommend you buying a copy of the manual.  It will easily pay for 
     itself.
     
     I'm a little confused by your explanation of the "screw".  In my 
     armrest the piece is a little metal dowel that is removed by a punch 
     and a little force.  You just need to put the dowel back into it's 
     little hole and use a punch to force it back in.  I haven't fixed mine 
     yet, but it looks pretty straightforward from the pictures in the 
     manual.
     
     I'm sure you can search the archives and find lots of descriptions on 
     exactly how to do this:
     
     http://halfdan.med.umn.edu:8853/misc/archives/vanagon.html
     
     Hope this helps.........

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Captain's Chair Arm, '87 camper
Author:  vanagon@lenti.med.umn.edu at SMTPGATE
Date:    2/25/97 5:20 PM

First of all, thanks to all of you who helped me figure out how to remove 
the battery.  Y'all were right, the chair *does* turn all the way 
around.... d'oh.  But hey, even the PO hadn't figured this out, as 
evidenced by the plier marks on the metal rim, so I don't feel too bad.
     
New problem:  After turning the seat around & back, the arm on the door 
side has come semi-detached.  It hasn't come off, but it just flops 
there & provides no support.  Also, a little flat ended (i.e. not 
pointed) screw has worked its way out.  Is there any way, short of 
cutting into the vinyl on the side of the seat, to fix this?  Or do I 
just need to sacrifice the vinyl....?
     
If it ain't one thing, its another (& I won't even mention the passenger 
side door that now won't latch....).   I think we ignored Olivia too much 
this winter & now she's playing the hypochondriac  ;b
     
Thanks!
Kathy