armrest removal

[mbulriss]

Art -

Yes, I have removed the front seat arms on an early 80s model. I had read the
same story that Fred posted. However, when we re-did the interior in our 83
PT40, that did not work. I believe the seating was by Flexsteel in the 80s.
Since I disassembled the seats down to the frame, I can tell you what I had to
do. Although the arm covers have a zipper on them, the arm has to come off to
get the cover off over the arm pivot shaft.

In order to get the arm off, you have to go up through the seat back with a long
flat screw driver and pop off a small semi-circle wire c-clip lock on the end of
the pivot shaft. This will probably require removing the hog rings that secure
the seat back fabric covering to the seat frame, in order to see up into the
interior of the seat back. The wire c-clip sits in a groove on the end of the
arm pivot shaft quite close to the round piece of tubing that it comes through.
Do not loose that c-clip as they appear to be made of "unobtainium". I had to
search for the 'lost' one for days, since I could not find a replacement c-clip
anywhere. After you pop the c-clip off and put it somewhere safe, the arm slides
right out of the seat back pivot tube. As soon as you get the arm off, you can
re-secure the hog rings as you will not be going back in the seat back.

To reassemble after you repair the arm or covering, you put the c-clip back in
the groove on the pivot shaft while it is off. Note that the tube shaft end is
internally chamfered to compress the c-clip into the groove when the arm is
inserted. You might want to put a little silicone grease on the pivot arm
before inserting. Then you gently slide the end of the pivot shaft into tube,
with the arm at about a 45 degree angle to position it between the arm rest
up/down stops, until the c-clip goes into the chamfered area. Then put a clean
2x4 board against the outer edge of the seat arm behind the pivot shaft, get a
good hammer and drive the pivot shaft in by pounding on the 2x4.

When it is all the way back in, you are done. And NO, you can pop the arm off
by using a big pry bar, because the internal end of the shaft tube is not
chamfered to compress the c-clip.


Have fun.

Mike Bulriss
1991 WB40 "Texas Minivan"
San Antonio, TX - where another balmy 102-105 day is coming on






--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Fred Bellows" wrote:
>
> > Has anyone removed the armrest. ...
> > Art Weatherly
> > Riverside Ca.
> > '85 PT36
> >
>
> if it's a Villa brand seat, I've been told you put the armrest straight
> up, push in, and tilt back even further, and it comes off.
>
>
> \/\/\ Fred
> __________________
> Fred & Wendy Bellows
> Queen Creek, AZ (so.east Phx)
> '90 SP36
> "Maunder Maximum"
> photos of coach and upgrades
> <http://picasaweb.google.com/Bluebirdzoom/MaunderMaximum>
> current location <http://www.bbirdmaps.com/user1.cfm?user=125%20>
>