Ray,
I had the same problem... really difficult to swivel the seats and pretty
stiff to slide fore and aft too. Also had a very squeaky passenger seat (and
I'm not even married :))
Anyway, taking advice from some previous posts to the list I did the
following:
1. Slide seats off tracks (you have to release the safety catch to do this).
Confirm that there is one plastic spacer in one of the slider tracks.
2. Remove the swivel plates by removing the four nylon lock nuts. Confirm
that there are four plastic spacers in the swivel channel. (don't loose
these).
3. Clean the swivel channel and the slider tracks with something that cuts
old grease.. like simple green.
4. Wash with stiff brush and soap and water to get the grease cutter off.
5. Allow to dry completely then use white grease on he swivel channels and
slider tracks. (don't get sloppy or this will end up on your carpet).
6. Reassemble paying particular attention that the four plastic guides are
properly seated in the swivel channel and the plastic spacer is in one of
the slider tracks (mine has only one per seat) and tighten nuts evenly to
just snug.
7. Reinstall seats... they should swivel and slide like new.
8. If the swivel is still stiff... slide the seat forward and back off the
nuts 1/4 turn. If the swivel is too loose or squeaks slide the seat forward
and tighten the nuts 1/4 turn.
Good Luck
Bill
90 Westy Syncro
-----Original Message-----
From: Ray Perry <perryale@FIDALGO.NET>
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Date: Wednesday, April 21, 1999 9:51 PM
Subject: Westy Captain Chairs

>Are the swivel seats designed to be rotated by a body-builder, or can a
>scrawny guy like me turn these seats easier if they were lubricated some
>how?  What is the lubricant I should use and is it best to remove the
>seats to do this?  TIA
>
>Ray
>90 syncro westy
>