Sunday 6 May 2012

Double front seat swivel




This is a clever bit of kit from Kiravans, not cheap but well made. It allows my double front seat to turn round allowing for seating for five in the rear of the van, it really opens up the space. Importantly you also get to keep all that valuable storage under the seat.

Here's how I fitted it: The electric terminals under the seat have to be tucked under the floor, you have to take about 5mm off the top of the floor studs, I took the studs out of the floor and did this in a vice in the garage. The swivel plate goes over the modded studs and the seat bolts easily onto the swivel.

To turn the seat you have to unscrew the four substantial knurled bolts and lift and secure the bolts clear of the swivel. It is a bit hit and miss getting the bolts re-threaded, two were very stiff and I noticed some paint being pushed out the threads. I oiled each one and have used them half a dozen times now and it's getting much easier. 

The seat sits an inch higher and I have had to move my kitchen unit over a bit, it's all a tight squeeze with the bed down but means if my daughter wants to sleep we can sit in the van in the warm and read if the weather is bad.

Today we had a day out in the van, after we had walked the dog we had soup and played cards comfortably in the van while the May weather impersonated January.