Bolt-on Swivel Seat for Vanagons

[dubbified]

ah, the eurocampers swivel which there were no instruction for..

I snagged two, and cut out the rails from the other seat..

I thought I was being crafty.. and that the seat would sit a tad lower.

DO NOT DO THAT. These swivels mount just as in this thread.

clean install, nice detail on the cover!

[brab]

How does it fit if you are shorter? Say 5' 3" or so? I would like to put one on the drivers side but don't want my (shorter then me) wife's legs not to touch the peddles.

Brian
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Trotro - 87 Syncro Vanagon 40K original miles and starting to count.

[dubbified]

effectively you can move the plate, bolt it where you like..

I moved ours back about an inch or so, as the lady and I are both tall.

[Jedi]

I have put these in a few of my Vanagons over the years and love the clean install as well. I do not recommend cutting off the cover plate like he did as that is a fire hazard. I like the mount in the rail technique as it can be removed and moved to the next Vanagon if you buy different one. I have noticed that once every year or so the big nut that holds it all together gets loose and needs to be tightened up other than that you can't beat these. I am surprised at how many people here are just now paying attention to this great product
http://www.busdepot.com/details.jsp?partnumber=59500
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1961 Westfalia SO23 Mango Green/Seagull grey
1961 Westfalia SO34 T/BW
1961 Westfalia SO34 SWR
1964 Westfalia SO33 pearl white
1965 Westfalia SO42 Velvet green
1986 Syncro Wolfram grey with black int GL
1986 Syncro Doka
1987 Syncro Sevana beige Adventurewagen
1987 syncro Sevana beige GL
1973 Pumpkin orange Thing
2 1963 Rag top bug's
1965 Manx
1970 Single cab
1971 combi
1990 Vanagon GL
2007 Audi A4 3.2L quattro

[73thingsale]

An excellent write-up!

That part about turning the seat around and re-installing facing the rear...BRILLIANT!

I just did it in my garage, took under 2 minutes, and WOW, how much space it seems to open up. Our van is a GL, came with the middle 2-person bench. We have removed it since my clan is only 2 adults and 2 kids presently, and holy smoke, how much room is in this bad boy!

Possibly could work out a method to re-install the driver backward, but you'd have to slide it onto the rails from the rear due to the steering wheel and that would require some carpet mods looks like. Hmmm.

Bravo for the post.
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Dave
86 GL Hardtop Blue

[lemonspeed]

Just finished this mod 👍. Took me an hour as I had a time cutting the battery cover and the worst is fiddling with the nuts on the front 2 bolts - trick is to get a skinny flat head under them and hold me up for the bolt to grab .
Also note that this kit from eurocampers has changed from the OG post here and the bolts are all correct length now . All in all pretty happy with it as I missed this feature coming from a Westy ! Happy Easter
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Instagram : @overland_van
90 Vanagon Carat "domino"
81 Westfalia (sold) "clemintine"
73 Transporter (sold) "chloe"
80 Vanagon (sold) "brownie"

[katzenjammer]

I just installed the swivel base from Eurocamper in my multivan. It was tricky getting the two new holes in the rear to line up perfectly with the "two nuts on a plate". I had to drill over-sized holes, but I think that's fine.

As for the battery cover, I just took it off (drilled out the rivets) and let the carpet be the "cover", with the excess tucked under the seat base. I think the positive terminal is well-shielded with the plastic cover.

I like the product, and it's worth it to me not to wrestle with getting the damn seat off the rails and back on every time we arrive at camp (which can be multiple times/camp if we leave for a day trip).

Dan

[Steve O.]

Does anyone have issues turning the driver swivel seat to the rear-facing position? I have an '82 and a previous owner welded the swivel plates. (By the way I do not recommend welding the seats in unless you can do so without closing off the valuable accessory space under the seat.)

The steering wheel prevents full rotation, which renders the upgrade useless. I mean, it's not even close. I have tried every position (lower/raising back rest, forward and back, etc.).
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'82 hardtop, factory power with weekend camp regimen.

[j_dirge]

[kamzcab86]

[alohah3]

has anyone tried out the cheaper K&M swivel seat? Its available at Northern Tool for under $100 including shipping (mainland)
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200487875_200487875
, and a little more expensive on Amazon. Swivel lever is on the side vice centered. Good pix including bolt hole specs at
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005JIZS64/ref=nav_timeline_asin?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1. Its snowing out in VA and I don't want to fool around with the seat.

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1988 DOKA Transporter
1989 Twin Slider Syncro
1984 Green Machine 4x4

[dhaavers]

Sorry to say, I wouldn't want that big lever sticking out into the aisle between the front seats.
Haven't installed my camper swivel into my Weekender yet, but looking forward to having
the option...plan to get to it this spring...

- Dave
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86 White Wolfsburg Westy Weekender
"The WonderVan"
<EDITED TO PROTECT INNOCENT PIXELS>

[mugford]

I just installed the bolt-on swivel adapter on the passenger side and I'm not happy with it impeding access to the battery. I've even installed it 'forward' by one bolt position
using four bolts instead of the supplied eight.

Currently looking for a semi-removable solution that allows the front to be secured with a hinge or tab-in-slot thing so that I can tip the rear of the seat mount up.
The challenge is securing the rear edge without too much chopping & welding. Using wingnuts or the equivalent at the rear would then allow me to retain the original
battery cover tucked under the swivel mount.

I'll definitely post some pics when I come up with a viable approach.

[Slimvest]

RE: http://www.eurocampers.com/Vanagon-Swivel-Adapter-_p_605.html

Anybody have this and it squeaks loudly whenever a passenger is seated and driving over bumps? When my wife is sitting shotgun, the creaking is driving me nuts.

Saw someone noting the main bold needs tightening every so often, but I'm wondering if there is a hack to put in the plastic slides similar to GoWesty's to keep things more stable.
http://www.gowesty.com/product-details.php?id=23883
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'87 GL w/ Reimo top

[laroche.chris]

I just got my swivel seat adapter plate and thought I’d read up before putting it on.
I am concerned about accessing the battery. Someone out there must have done it in a way the battery can be accessed? (Then again, how often do I access that battery...).
I’m also a little confused about the parts to attach it, specifically the two pieces that are about 2” long and have the holes in them. Where do these go and how do you get them there?
Otherwise it seems pretty straight forward...

[Aryana]

Swivel seat installed in my tintop with access to the battery via a remote quick connector out the front of the pedestal. It’s very easy to reach in under the seat and plug it in. If you wanted to, you could cut out the front wall of the pedestal to give you even more access to the connector from the front (like the OP of this thread showed).

If you don't like that setup, you can always cut a hole and mount the plug on top of the pedestal just outboard of the battery cover. You'd have to cut a hole in the cover to allow the cables to pass through outside of the pedestal. I have a young child and preferred having the connector hidden away.

[Aryana]

[pinetreeporsche]

[takeiteasy]

Just want to confirm - you cannot remove the battery when this installed ?
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'85 Weekender 1.9L

"With your past and your future precisely divided.
Am I at that moment? I haven't decided."

[dabaron]