Lowering driver's seat - LHD

[DaNish]

I am too tall for the seat, so I hit the roof with my head. It is a Ocean 2018 with swivel seat. I intend to get an upholstery (is that correct english?) to take out some cushioning to lower the seat approx. 3-4 cm (1,5 inch).
Consequences is that the side of the seat will be abit higher, resultning in a more "bucket" like seat.
I will also get less support for my legs and sit more directly on my bottom.
But will not bang the head and will get a slightly better view of the scenery.

According to the shop, I can by a replacement seat coushion as a spare part if I want to reverse it, so I do not need to by a completely new seat, if I regret.

Any thoughts or experience with such a change. I cannot find any thread that discusses this solution to get more height, but since there is so much experience in this forum, someone might know anyway.

 

[Ricotansky]

Open the roof

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[DaNish]

Open the roof

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I did but suddenly I got a convertible


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[B J G]

If you don't use the seat rotation facility take that mechanism out.

 

[DaNish]

If you don't use the seat rotation facility take that mechanism out.

I did see that option in another thread but I would like to keep that possibility. If you are 4 in the car it is nice to turn the seat.


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[sidepod]

The seat base, underneath the trim is likely just a large tubular pedestal with the rotation base welded on top.

It’s entirely feasible to remove the unit, cut a section out of the tube the re weld it.

Any decent fabby could do it

 

[Hotel California]

If you don't use the seat rotation facility take that mechanism out.

Was thingking thesame .
Buy a 2nd hand seat from a Caravel or so , buy a Brandrup seat cover that matches your Cali seat fabric , no one will notice...

 

[DaNish]

The seat base, underneath the trim is likely just a large tubular pedestal with the rotation base welded on top.

It’s entirely feasible to remove the unit, cut a section out of the tube the re weld it.

Any decent fabby could do it

I will look into that. Thanks for the idea.

 

[DaNish]

I will look into that. Thanks for the idea.

I found some exploded drawings. It is more or less a combination of plates and framework. No single part that can be shortened. So apart from removing the swivel mechanism, which I do not want to do, this is not a feasible solution.

 

[sidepod]

YeS I found some images It’s a box base basically. Even easier. Just get a new base made but smaller.

 

[AlanC]

Just been beaten to the draw!

The seat base is a square steel structure which does not have any tubes in it. it is just bolted to the floor and the seat bolted to the top of it. So it should be feasible to take the seat out and replace the steel box with a cut down version.

If you go on-line or to a breakers yard, you should be able to find another seat base to have modified and just swap that for the original one. Come the time you sell this van, you can simply swap the basses back again, back to original spec.

Alan

 

[DaNish]

You guys must have found some other images than me. I am looking at this https://nemigaparts.com/cat_spares/etka/volkswagen/tr/480/881000/.
It is correct that the base is a box, but since it holds a battery, there is no room tho change this. Remember it is a LHD. It might be possible in the right side, but not in the left.

 

[AlanC]

You guys must have found some other images than me. I am looking at this https://nemigaparts.com/cat_spares/etka/volkswagen/tr/480/881000/.
It is correct that the base is a box, but since it holds a battery, there is no room tho change this. Remember it is a LHD. It might be possible in the right side, but not in the left.

Ahh! of course.
That won't work for you, sorry.

On the RHD van the leisure battery remains under the left seat. So reducing the height of the drivers seat box is a possibility for us.

My only thought about reducing the upholstery of the seat is the comfort for you on long drives. Do you have heated seats? If so, that may well be an issue too.

Alan

 

[DaNish]

Ahh! of course.
That won't work for you, sorry.

On the RHD van the leisure battery remains under the left seat. So reducing the height of the drivers seat box is a possibility for us.

My only thought about reducing the upholstery of the seat is the comfort for you on long drives. Do you have heated seats? If so, that may well be an issue too.

Alan

The upholsterer expect to be able to keep the seat heating and maybe put in another foam quality to maintain the comfort for the longer drives. But, yes, the comfort on the longer drives is definitely a worry. I will get it done on Tuesday, if I still dare. Will let you know the result.

 

[DaNish]

I got 4 cm of padding removed from the seat. A little less on the sides. When you look there is no difference, but you clearly sit lower. Due to the center of the seat being a little lower than the side, I feel a slight pressure on the thighs. It might go away when everything gets worn in.
It has solved the height problem, but I am not quite sure if it will be just as comfortable for longer trips. Time will show. The total height of the padding should be 12 cm for those who are interested.

 

[DaNish]

Just to update on my final solution. @sidepod and @AlanC pointed at the only possible solution, cutting away the height in the base. I got the battery moved over under the passenger (right hand) seat. It is enough to move the battery, all fuses and other stuff can remain, so it was fairly easy. Turned out I lost the swivel seat anyway, sine it now is to low to pass the brake lever, but I can live with that.
It works fine, seat is good, no problem banging my head in the roof and better visibility. And the legs are not unreasonable bent, so all in all, I am satisfied.

 

[TripleBee]

You must be well over 2 meters high then?
I still fit with 1,95 meters. Only when sitting very straight up and good to the back, I hit the roof, but I don't drive like that.

 

[DaNish]

You must be well over 2 meters high then?
I still fit with 1,95 meters. Only when sitting very straight up and good to the back, I hit the roof, but I don't drive like that.

I am only 1,93 meters but with a long upper body and I do sit straight since it is much better for my back.


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[McMeefia]

There is company who modify the RHS seat base and the handbrake lever. Can’t remember if it was on here but I’m not quite tall enough to have properly considered it. I think most of the interest was in having a handbrake clear of the swivel.

 

[DaNish]

There is company who modify the RHS seat base and the handbrake lever. Can’t remember if it was on here but I’m not quite tall enough to have properly considered it. I think most of the interest was in having a handbrake clear of the swivel.

The company that made the changes for me also had the option of changing the handbrake to an electric one and thus removing the lever. But this is a more substantial change in the vehicle than just move a battery and I was afraid this could give me warranty problems. And since we normally do not swivel the drivers seat (LHS) I decided not to do anything. But it is possible.

 

[pjm-84]

I am only 1,93 meters but with a long upper body and I do sit straight since it is much better for my back.

Snap at 1.93 / long torso. I probably have more of lean back but still can just skim the cover but not enough to concern me.

I use to row with a guy that was 6ft 9in but when we sat on a bench I was "taller".