Subject: R-27/OB's Nav seat's backrest not folding down completely
Since I had our R-27/OB I've been mystified as to why the Nav seat's backrest does not fold over onto its seat. The factory photos for the R-27/OB clearly show that it does and should.
Yesterday I took this issue to task and pondered over this issue. Looking at the hinge mechanism I could not see why the backrest did not flip down onto the seat by simply pulling forward on it. I actually knelt down on the seat and applied some effort to the backrest to fold it down thinking that the paint on the hinge mechanism was somehow glued together stopping it from folding down. This proved to be a useless effort as the backrest simply would not budge.... Hmmmmm..... so I took a more careful look at the hinge mechanism. The isle side facing hinge looked as if there was nothing hindering the backrest from folding. I then took a much closer look at the other port side hinge and the 'light' went on.... there was a bolt running right through the hinge which was the culprit. The bolt was unpainted.... and this was a clue to me.
My guess after removing the bolt is that the factory decided, for good reason, to avoid the backrest from folding down because if it is and then with the whole seat folded forward the port side hinge bracket will be resting on the fiber glass where there's a cup holder.... and thus having the potential from damaging the fiber glass at the cup holder location.
I like having the backrest folded down and have placed a stuck-on pad at the point the metal bracket touches the fiber glass.
So, if you find this bolt on your R-27/OB and remove it be aware of the potential for damaged fiber glass at the cup holder position when folding the seat down to increase counter top space.
Since I had our R-27/OB I've been mystified as to why the Nav seat's backrest does not fold over onto its seat. The factory photos for the R-27/OB clearly show that it does and should.
Yesterday I took this issue to task and pondered over this issue. Looking at the hinge mechanism I could not see why the backrest did not flip down onto the seat by simply pulling forward on it. I actually knelt down on the seat and applied some effort to the backrest to fold it down thinking that the paint on the hinge mechanism was somehow glued together stopping it from folding down. This proved to be a useless effort as the backrest simply would not budge.... Hmmmmm..... so I took a more careful look at the hinge mechanism. The isle side facing hinge looked as if there was nothing hindering the backrest from folding. I then took a much closer look at the other port side hinge and the 'light' went on.... there was a bolt running right through the hinge which was the culprit. The bolt was unpainted.... and this was a clue to me.
My guess after removing the bolt is that the factory decided, for good reason, to avoid the backrest from folding down because if it is and then with the whole seat folded forward the port side hinge bracket will be resting on the fiber glass where there's a cup holder.... and thus having the potential from damaging the fiber glass at the cup holder location.
I like having the backrest folded down and have placed a stuck-on pad at the point the metal bracket touches the fiber glass.
So, if you find this bolt on your R-27/OB and remove it be aware of the potential for damaged fiber glass at the cup holder position when folding the seat down to increase counter top space.