How to install a drivers seat on the passenger side in a Citroen Relay / Ducato / Boxer / Promaster

[@paulsmithy99]

Nice job and creativity. Even though MOT passed it, I would probably replace that bar with a high tensile one. Standard threaded rod does not have shear strength in that direction. Even though the standard bolts are 10mm, they are high tensile, and would be stronger than standard steel 12mm.

[@richarddavidjohn6803]

A normal 8.8 tensile strength bolt at 12mm will hold over 3ton in shear whilst a 10mm 10.9 high tensile strength is about 2.5 ton

[@SpeciaIist.]

I've just finished modifying my van seat, and I want to give a shoutout to Wiltshire Custom Camper for their helpful video. I encountered a few hiccups during the process that I'd like to share to make things clearer for others attempting the same project. Firstly, a big mistake I made was forgetting to pass the threaded bolt through both the seat base hole and the seat hole. This oversight caused confusion when the "up and down" mechanism didn't work as expected. Once I corrected this, I still faced issues with the rear "up and down" function. After some troubleshooting, I realised that the seat hole must have the ability to rotate to allow the seat to rise and fall at the back. This meant that the nuts securing the two holes together couldn't be tightened all the way. There needs to be some room for rotation. Also, as mentioned in the video, some black plastic conduit does tidy it up nicely, leaving a professional finish. I hope this tip proves helpful to someone else tackling the same task.

[@jesuscamefromouttaspace9549]

Thanks, that helps

[@Krafty]

I don't have a Relay myself, I have a Trafic which I'm hoping to do a similar fix on. But I have to say, what a great, informative video. Thanks.

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

Glad it was helpful!

[@michellewilliams9743]

so so helpful, you have no idea! thankyou for posting this video, have just purchased all the parts in high tensile steel and will give it a go!

[@peterread7587]

Managed to get a fairly clean drivers seat from a scrap yard in Bristol for £150. Hens Teeth are expensive! Your video very helpful and the whole process completed in very short order.

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

Great to hear!

[@GregVirgoe]

After unpluggin the seat belt temsioners off your original seats that would give you a warning on the dash which looks like an airbag icon because the seat belt tensioners are not plugged in. How did you get around this light being on the dash all the time?

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

I was lucky that on the original double seat, the tensioner cables were not even connected and no dash warnings so I just tucked them out the way and left well alone. If yours are connected, would it be possible to remove the parts from the double needed to retain the connection? good luck with it. cheers greg.

[@sligomat]

Great post thanks. I just picked up a drivers seat for €100. Looking forward to following your instructions and fitting tomorrow.👍

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

good luck with your install. glad the video helped.

[@sligomat]

Quick question, I wonder is it possible to reverse the armrest to make it fit on right side of seat?

[@willtyers3555]

Great work around for using a drivers seat a real money saver! Only slight problem is the two bolts that are removed are shoulder bolts that allow for up and down movement of the seat ( side levers) (not a problem if you are ok with a fixed height). A solution is two machined bushings 12mm bore x 14 mm outside diameter x 4.5mm wide this allows the threaded rod to be tightened, without compromising seat adjustment.

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

Good tip!

[@slowmadders]

Hello where could I get these ‘bushings’ from? Not sure what I’m looking for. Thanks!

[@keithcrompton6913]

The clue is in the wording you are looking for a bush.. like a very thick washer but as per dimensions described. Whilst u don't tilt your seat too often this action will eventually wear the threads on your bar. The bush solution will also avoid this. But hey great conversation and I'll follow suit.

[@bensandwell9641]

Well I’ve just picked up a driver seat on eBay for £180 in good nick, so wish me luck, great video.

[@waynewilkes3360]

A bit of 20mm conduit over the top for the bar you would never know love in the camper van 😊

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

Very true!

[@widget2k4]

this is a great idea but im pretty sure seat belt mountings have to be fitted with high tensile steel bolts, it may pass the mot as they may not notice but how would it hold out in a crash ? dont know if high tensile threaded bar is available to buy

[@George8sn]

Hi tensile bolts are ready available at likes of toolstation

[@anyjimblogs]

Great video. I just discovered your channel and am bing watching all of your videos. This is a great solution for the front passenger seat. I think it would bother me though that the drop down arm rest is on the door side of the seat. You can rest your arm on the door but nothing to rest your arm on in the Centre. Great video non the less 👍

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

I too was worried that might not be comfy, but wifey and the kids who alternate between who rides shotgun on our trips have not mentioned it so seem happy so all good.

[@skeemtb]

Thank you so much for the information! This saved me a lot of $ buying a driver seat from a UK car as they are expensive in Europe mainland 😄

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

Glad it was helpful!

[@cartes5996]

Hi great idea.Did you use stainless steel.

[@anthonyfernwood8093]

Just one question, wouldn’t a longer bolt have worked just as well instead of a threaded bar .

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

very possibly but I just liked the stability of a threaded bar going right through, thanks for watching.

[@thunderpants]

Very tempted to try this in my 2017 Dispatch!

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

Sure, why not! Only thing I would add now is that one comment mentioned using 'high tensile' rod or bolts so I would investigate that as part of the process.

[@jabberwokky8]

Did you try this? Passenger seats are around £800 at the moment. I was also thinking of giving it a go.

[@Life_In_The_Old_Goat]

Thank you for making this video. It's very helpful. Could I ask though, why the bar between the two bolts? Could you not just replace the one right-hand bolt with a longer high-tensile bolt for the seatbelt attachment?

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

I guess I could have, just seemed a good idea at the time to put a threaded bar all the way through. either works i guess.

[@gazzaclarke42]

Just done mine all I done was pull longer bolt on side where new seatbelt goes. Don't need threaded bar

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

Works equally well for sure. thanks for the comment and glad your seat worked out for you.

[@Adam-ym9ix]

I don't suppose you remember/know the size of torq required for the rear bolts on the seats. The ones with the collar that the seat slides under.

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

I don't I'm afraid but it is a fairly 'regular' size, if you have a 'mechanics' set that goes up to around T50 or 55 I think you'll be fine. a DIY store special that goes to around T40 wont do it.

[@susanwoods174]

Hi great vids, love them all, very informative. Question... Do you know what the square compartment with a cover on is to the right the passenger seat on the floor please?

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

I do indeed! it is the access hatch to the fuel pump in the top of the fuel tank. ideal if you are fitting a diesel heater and need to access the pump.... regards.

[@michaelcharlton2708]

Hi great video and work around. Now that the seat is unplugged, do you get a warning light on the dashboard? Thanks again 👍🏻

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

Great question. luckily the plug was already disconnected from the original double so I just left well alone.

[@chiefgilray]

After doing this, does your seat go down fully with the right side leavers which lower and raise the front and rear of the seat? I don't this and now my seat won't go all the way down at the rear.

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

No. I should have added to the video that this method will firmly clamp the back of the seat so any adjustments need to be made before the full tighten up. you can make these adjustments of course by just loosening off the nuts a bit and then re-tighten once you're happy.

[@chiefgilray]

@@wiltshirecustomcamper7203 yeah, I'll need to take my seat out again anyway, it's too high up for my pint sized missus. Thanks for getting back to me.

[@summerjunk929]

Great video! is the armrest able to go on other side?

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

sadly not. only downside of this conversion.

[@summerjunk929]

@@wiltshirecustomcamper7203 some of the prices of the second hand single seats are pure madness!

[@colourmafia]

Thanks so much for this. A couple of questions: does this mean that the armrest is now against the door and is there a way to switch this? And would a long bolt work fine too or does the threaded rod add some vital strength?

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

Hi, thanks for watching the video and your questions. yes the armrest is on the wrong side (door side) when in driving rotation and I could not see anyway to swap this but is small price to pay for the huge savings to be had. I too thought about long bolts but in the end decided on a threaded rod that went all the way across just for 'belt and braces' on it. I guess long bolts may be fine if a greater or same diameter as the ones taken out but your call on that one! good luck with your build.

[@dylantucker7951]

@@wiltshirecustomcamper7203 thanks so much for the reply. Out of curiosity how much were you able to pick up the chair for and where from?

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

@@dylantucker7951 Found it in Facebook Marketplace and was around £100 mark and 30 miles away. Probably will have better luck on Facebook or GUmtree than eBay.

[@user-zy4wo8ib8g]

Hi, that's a really helpful video. Can I ask a question though? How long are the seatbelt stalks that you fitted? When I've measured the ones on the double seat (one of which I would use) they look to be around 23 / 24 cm in length (end to end). I think this would mean they'll stick out too far through the seat. Hope you can help.

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

Uh! The stalk is from the double seat that was in the van. if anything I fancy it is a bit low and could be an inch higher in an ideal world. if you use the stalk from the double and do the same thing you should be fine. Oh, disclaimer! you should not copy what I did and it is not a 'how to' or 'tutorial' and is NOT SAFE! the video is for entertainment purposes only. now that's out of the way, good luck with it.

[@kirstybull8452]

Absolute legend. Great video, great explanation. Thank you.

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

thank you

[@serenity_xplorer5176]

Hi I'm goin to do this thanks for the video what size m size and what m size nuts do you use Meany thanks dave

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

I used a 12mm threaded bar and went to my local independent motor spares shop for the nylock nuts and flange nuts and washers where I could buy these individually rather than 100 at a time from Screwfix. same local shop is great for all sorts of other things like cable lugs and crimps etc. Just needed 2 more 35mm cable lugs for my inverter, forget eBay, 20p each from same said shop...

[@Ellie-bm5sh]

Omg the video I was looking for!!! Thanks a lot 🥹🥹

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

No problem!!

[@bob84409]

Pretty neat! Isn't the airbag now on the wrong side of the seat?

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

on the original double seat the airbag electrics are not connected anyway, so it in reality, is no different now to how it comes from the factory. if that makes sense, hopefully?

[@barleydave]

I just scrapped an double seat and had to take all the material / foam off for recycling - there is NO airbag in the double seat, so you are not losing anything with this mod

[@keano-eh2lw]

Do you have any issus with Airbag and passenger light being on dash mine have come on

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

no, none with mine. guess ive just been lucky. hope you sort it out.

[@blockchainsociety5146]

Excellent video my friend. Thank you.

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

Many thanks!

[@rafalb.5417]

1. The drivers' seat are generally more worn out. 2. The armrest and lumbar adjustment are on the wrong side. Especially the armrest by the door is completely useless. 3. Standard single seat bolt should have been used for passenger's safety reasons. In case of an accident, the seat should remain in place and not fly out with the passenger through the windshield. The bolts should still be available at the dealership. 4. When playing with the seats, not being sure if the van is equipped with airbags and tensionners, the battery should be disconnected to avoid shortcuts causing potential problems with the airbag ECU and expensive repair. There is a special procedure on battery disconnection described it the owners' manual. 5. The seatbelts are different if the seat is equipped with a tensionner. So, as all drivers seat are equipped with it, the seatbelt clamp (?) won't fit if the van was not equipped with a passenger airbag and tensionner. Having those in mind (especially points 3, 4 and 5), I'd say the video is potentially dangerous and should not be considered as a tutorial.

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

1. who said it was a tutorial? 2. dont copy it then, simple. Do your own thing! 3. have you too much time on your hands for such a long comment (sorry, i meant moan?) best wishes...

[@rafalb.5417]

@@wiltshirecustomcamper7203 Don't you understand that using a threaded rod instead of a specially designed bolt for fixing the seat can lead to severe injury or even death? Have you even thought of forces that those bolts need to cope with in case of a crash? Let's say 80 kg passenger + 30 kg seat at 100 kmh / 60 mph? If no, please do :P

[@summerjunk929]

That mod is stronger than the original, simple.

[@rafalb.5417]

@@summerjunk929 Compare the tensile strenght of a threaded rod to a hardened special screw. And think again about what you wrote.

[@lyndondevereaux4904]

Will this work on 2017 Citroen Relay?

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

Dont see why not. mine is a 68 plate so early 2019.

[@youtubemonitorsyoutubemoni3444]

You could of used two longer bolts with out having to buy that long threaded bar my friend.

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

I did think about that and it is an option for sure. thanks for watching.

[@thunderpants]

Thanks for the video :)

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

My pleasure!

[@martenpettersson7903]

Im getting a warning regarding the airbag when doing this mod. Its on my citroen relay 2009. Do you have any idea why? Shouldnt I plug in any cables to the seat? Thanks.

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

Hi, On my 2018 Relay the passenger side airbag cables were not connected to the factory fitted double seat, so although the replacement 'drivers' seat had connectors on it, I never connected them up so have not had this issue. i am not going to connect my passenger seat to the airbag system, if the factory fitted double was not then for me, it is OK for the new single seat to be the same. all the best and good luck with it.

[@craster_van_kippers]

Likewise I have not had an issue with warning lights. 2014 relay. You can however fit resistors to put the lights out. They are sold on eBay but of course if you know the resistance then just buy from anywhere. (I don’t know as I thankfully don’t need to)

[@wanderingsofalanandcaz]

Do you have a link for those resistors Craster?

[@thenoworriesnomad]

Great job...👍👍

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@alexdubois6585]

Great idea, I'll buy one from mainland Europe.

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

I'm glad you enjoyed the video.

[@sineadmulvaney]

Looks great. What did the MOT people say?

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

Passed without comment so either did not notice or were quite happy. either way, all is fine.

[@lawrencereeves5798]

Amazing idea

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@claireros8684]

Great idea. Before I go and do the same, did you have to do anything to not affect the MOT and keep the DVLA happy? I looked on the Govt site but only found info on adding seats, nothing on single seat conversion. Grateful for any advice before I start, thanks

[@craster_van_kippers]

I posted an identical but less detailed vid last year. My van has since had two MOT tests and nothing has been said. I’d say go ahead and do it.

[@claireros8684]

Many thanks for your reply. Puts my mind at rest. To save my pennies I'm planning to cut away the middle section of the bench seat, to create a walk way. Looked last night and saw that the yellow multi plug (seatbelt pre tensioner?) is not connected on the passenger side, one less thing to worry about. Thanks again

[@craster_van_kippers]

In mels van world, he cut a sprinter seat in half. To be fair though an unsuspecting scrappy will sell a seat and base for under £100. Mine was pretty ropey but the cheap seat covers did the trick. In fact as time has passed they seem to have shrunk to fit the seats better.

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

Mine came from Facebook Marketplace if I remember, they are about for £100 or less, just have to be patient and keep looking but be ready to pounce when one comes up as they aren't around for long..

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

I approached this from the 'What's the worst that can happen' standpoint, at that is that the MOT tester fails it for some reason, to which you can appeal or take it elsewhere or 'worst case' buy a proper passenger seat and at least you've had a go to save some wonga..

[@dexstewart2450]

Excellent

[@wiltshirecustomcamper7203]

Thanks