Installing a Swivel Base for the Double Seat! | Van Build Ep.24

Not the best but not the worst, it swivels and that's what matters.
After a long 5 week wait our swivel base had finally arrived! It was really dusty so I don't know why it took so long as it's clearly been in a box for ages. It's arrived though so that's all that matters and I going to spend the afternoon bolting it in.
The cab in these vans is a bit odd because they slope upwards, I think it's something to do with the lower load space in the back because they're front wheel drive. This means that the seats are designed in such a way that when spun round they lean forward quite a bit. I have managed to prop the front of the seat up a bit with an extra nut acting as a washer but I don't think the double seat is really designed to be spun around.
It was relatively straight forward though, I just took the seat out, cut some of the floor, put the swivel base down and bolted the seat back on. I am looking forward to testing it out in real life though so bring on the next trip!
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[@Jaybird88866]

OMG I have missed so many video only because I have been studying, assignment and teaching. This QTS is no joke. Anyway the van has come so far, wow! U have done an amazing job. 👏

[@LivingTheTinyLife]

Thanks, I can’t wait until it’s finished though, shower tray in arriving Tuesday then it’s just the bathroom, kitchen sink and flooring I think.

[@DIYwithBatteries]

Nice video man 🙂👍

[@LivingTheTinyLife]

Thanks 👍

[@Jack-ot6dr]

Great video have great weekend hope joss is well enjoyed his half term me my son Jacob had good half term in our van vw t6 camper van had week in Yorkshire just got back today

[@LivingTheTinyLife]

Awesome, where in Yorkshire did you go?

[@Jack-ot6dr]

West Yorkshire Holmfirth

[@suzymacleod3145]

Hi ! the van looks great. Can you please tell us whare to buy the double swivel seat gear. Many thanks Angus and Suzie

[@LivingTheTinyLife]

Hey! We bought the swivel base from Customshop Designs, just do a google search and they'll come up. The trouble with the bench seat though is that because theres a slant in the cab the bench seat doesn't sit flat and when you spin it around it leans forward slightly and it's not that comfortable. I think if you replace the bench seat with a single it's not a problem but if you keep the bench seat it's a bit of a pain. The swivel base is £350 as well so only keep the bench seat if you really want or need to otherwise id recommend getting a single swivel base for about £120 and then buying a single seat so go with it. If you do want to keep the bench seat though I have found that if you put some small blocks between the seat and the base where the front mounting bolts go it raises up the front of the seat making it lean back slightly so when you spin it around its no longer leaning forward if that makes sense.

[@AlexanderSabate]

Hello, Thanks for sharing this video. I woul like to fit the bathroom just rear the driver seat and I would like to know how much space needs the double seat for swivel, or maybe say it different, how much space is it left? My idea is to fit a 70cm width shower cabine, so I was thinking if it maybe it won't have enough space to swivel... Thanks you again

[@LivingTheTinyLife]

@AlexanderSabate I did actually think of having the bathroom behind the drivers seat too but I decided not to in the end as i felt it restricted the space by the sliding door too much for getting in and out etc. I’m not sure if it would fit with the swivel it might be too wide, I’d have to check. What you could do if you wanted the bathroom there and the swivel is perhaps using a shower curtain instead of a solid wall? Or come up with some part-wall / part-curtain creation. The shower tray itself won’t interfere with the swivel seat as it’s too low so it’s only the wall that would be the problem. I can measure it if you’d like me to though.

[@tomperry1967]

Hi does this swivel base allow any space to feed the cable through for the seat belt tensioner as I didn't see you plug it back into the seat? Thanks

[@LivingTheTinyLife]

I'm not sure I understand. As far as I'm aware the seat is independent, everything to do with the seatbelts are built into the seat apart from the window side belt which is in the van wall. There's just 2 bolts at the front that you remove and the whole seat comes free in one piece and there isn't any tensioners or anything to remove. It is literally a case of undoing 2 bolts and removing the seat, then the swivel base just bolts into the van with the same holes that the seat originally used and then the seat bolts back onto the swivel base in the same way. Apart from cutting away the floor to fit the base it was really quite quick and easy but as far as I'm aware everything to do with the seatbelts are just fitted into the seat.

[@leblancexplores]

Could you combine this and a driver swivel or would they interfere?

[@LivingTheTinyLife]

@Chris-bo2pe I have literally been discussing this with Becky this morning, it’s so weird that you asked that today 😂 We are thinking of trying to use the drivers seat as a kind of office chair that can spin around and then creating a table of some sort to work/eat at. I don’t see any reason why you can’t do it but you’d probably need to have the bench seat half spun first so that the drivers seat will spin without bashing into it if that makes sense.

[@user-bo8dy2ji3m]

Sorry maybe i havent seen it. Whats the swivel brand / type you used?? Thanks

[@LivingTheTinyLife]

Hey! We bought the swivel base from Customshop Designs, just do a google search and they'll come up. The trouble with the bench seat though is that because theres a slant in the cab the bench seat doesn't sit flat and when you spin it around it leans forward slightly and it's not that comfortable. I think if you replace the bench seat with a single it's not a problem but if you keep the bench seat it's a bit of a pain. The swivel base is £350 as well so only keep the bench seat if you really want or need to otherwise id recommend getting a single swivel base for about £120 and then buying a single seat to go with it. If you do want to keep the bench seat though I have found that if you put some small blocks between the seat and the base where the front mounting bolts go it raises up the front of the seat making it lean back slightly so when you spin it around its no longer leaning forward if that makes sense.

[@GeorgiIvanovRandle]

Hey, great video. Please share some experience with the swivel base. How is it going so far?

[@LivingTheTinyLife]

Haha the swivel base. Okay so it’s fine in the sense of it works, it swivels the seat to face the other way. It’s not very well engineered though because it doesn’t lock in place particularly well when it’s reversed, it’s just one bolt holding it in place so it’s a bit wobbly, not really too much of an issue but it’s just not that great to be honest. I’ve also had to 3D print some 30mm aluminium blocks to go on the front of the base where the main bolts are between the base and chair to essentially make the seat lean back more because it’s bolt upright when you’re driving which is really uncomfortable and when you reverse the seat you are actually leaning forwards so it just doesn’t work and quite poorly designed. It’s hard to explain without showing but basically the base works and its sturdy but it’s just not designed very well. If you want a swivel base though I think it’s the only one you can get.

[@ilank.2608]

@@LivingTheTinyLife Thanks a lot for your video ! could you share some details on the parts you 3D printed ? I don't have access to a 3D printer an I'm wondering if I could make it myself in a different way...

[@ilank.2608]

Also I imagine they raise the seat further. Doesn't become uncomfortable in driving position ?

[@goldcoastcampervansptyltd3589]

Hey there, what website did you get this product from?

[@LivingTheTinyLife]

I think it was a company called customshop designs. I have since had some 34mm aluminium blocks 3D printed which I used on the front seat bolts to raise up the front of seat if that makes sense. Out of the box, once fitted the seat is bolt upright and spun around you’re actually leaning forward so it just doesn’t work very well and not comfortable. I think the engineering could’ve been better but it does swivel the seat around.

[@TeddyPlayzThis]

Hi good morning

[@Frankyarchonroblox]

You to

[@LivingTheTinyLife]

Hey 👋🏻

[@chunkyboyize]

What base is this please

[@LivingTheTinyLife]

We got it from custom shop designs. If you Google them you’ll find it :)

[@Moonboy589]

how much does your camper wiegh? Are you still under 3500 Kilo ?

[@LivingTheTinyLife]

There isn’t a public weigh bridge that I know of anywhere near us so I have never had it weighed. I think when it’s fully loaded it is probably on the limit though and you can really feel the weight when you go around corners on country roads. It’s a L3 H2 though so it has 1.5 tonne payload which is quite a lot so I don’t think it’s overweight even with a stone shower tray and 200kg of water on board. The wheel arches have plenty of clearance on the back wheels and it also drives fine, on the motorway it will happily cruise at 80. I have driven overloaded vehicles before and it feels fine so I’ve never worried about it. I don’t often fill the water to the top though, it depends what we’re doing because it does add a lot of weight. One day I’ll get round to it but I think it’s fine.

[@waderobinson2416]

I think you may be suprised if you were to weigh it..I was.! Just don't bother 👍

[@Frankyarchonroblox]

First