Recaro Seat Install
My Tristar front seats are okay but the foam is soft and pretty worn out. Plus when you are 6'4" and weigh 240 lbs good seats are critical. I love Recaros and have had them before but the can be pricey! My solution came in the form of the VW Factory MKII Jetta Recaros. I found this decent set on Ebay for $250. You need the power version because the funky VW brackets will unbolt. I believe in the manual version the brackets are welded to the seat base.
Installing them in the Vanagon was not fun. You can get real Recaro adapters from Germany but they are $$. Wedge engineering in So Cal makes adapters. I called them and asked if they will raise me up higher than stock. Their response. "it will feel just like a bar stool" hmm that's not going to work for me!
Soo this was my solution...
Expect to spend 6 to 8 hours on this project.
Required Things
- Purchase T6061 Aluminum bar stock. 2" by 17" by 1/4" thick. Have them chop it in the shear for you. Local welding supply shop is a good source.
- Go to Pick and Pull and acquire 12 flush mount bolts. You can find these in most German cars for the seat latch striker plate in the door jam. Audi 5000 and some BMW have the right thread pitch. Bring your Torx sockets.
- A good angle grinder with a fresh cutting wheel
- A countersink drill bit 5/8 diameter I think.
- Drill press helps!
With this model of Recaro and most, the spacing is 16 inches. The Vanagon is slightly narrower.
Remove your stock Vanagon seats
Unbolt the sliders and remove the seat for-aft adjuster rod, you will need this. This will require some major disassembly of the seats. You will need to cut the entire back rest hinge brackets from the Vanagon sliders on the right hand side slider. Its angle grinder and cutting wheel time. Use eye protection, gloves, ear protection and a vise if you have one. Don't hurt yourself. On the left hand side you will want to perform the same cut but leave the stop that prevents the seat from sliding to far forward. Hopefully the pix will help but it will be pretty apparent when you delve into it.
Special flush mount bolts from Euro car door latch striker plates.
You can see how the Vanagon slider have had the ears that hold the seat back
cut off.
A view of the counter sunk bolts allowing the Vanagon slider to sit flush in
the correct position
You will put the slider bolts head toward seat. Slide a small screwdriver in
in between them and the large mount bolts to lock these bolts while you
tighten the nuts. Then grind down any remaining exposed thread to clear
sliders on the Van side.
Not happy about this solution but it works. Keeps the seats locked on place.
Thinking of a better way to do this.
Bottom view of the install.
Some pix of the installed seats.
