Drivers seat on Kingham

Hi All.  The drivers seat on our Kingham does not swivel round very far. The lever hits the woodwork at the end of the bench seat.  Do others have this problem and has anyone done anything about it. Thanks

I’m not sure if the Kingham is anything like my Symbol but I’ve long since given up and now just swivel the passenger seat.
Many on here have come up with best methods but for me it was just too much faffing around, especially if up on ramps!

On my Kingham, which might be different since it is rather older, I can turn the seat to point directly aft fairly easily. I do this quite often because the combination of the seat backs and a towel over the headrests gives the same privacy effect as closing the front blinds, and is easier than tidying all the bits & pieces off the dash to close the blinds!

There is a technique which I can’t remember offhand precisely since I just do it automatically, but I think it includes sliding the steering wheel forward, sliding the seat forward, tipping the back rest forward, and rotating the seat anti-clockwise, but not necessarily in that order! It’s not difficult, but you have to work out the technique, then practice makes perfect! Good party game!

Much the same on the Nuevo except I don't have to tip the back rest.  This maybe because of the seat position I use when driving.  The steering wheel must be slid forward.  If the front of the seat base touches the end of the bench seat, I slide the front of the seat away from the bench seat.  The critical bit is ensuring the seat when fully rotated clears the fully applied hand brake.  Its difficult at first but easy after that.

I think it was Paul who suggested this but I may be wrong, to help with rotating the drivers seat put a couple of washers on the one side of the handbrake so that it is off sett slightly and the seat can turn without releasing the handbrake.

My van handbrake seemed to come like that and it works ok.

Pete

Quite a few people on the Kingham FB group have altered the end sofa panel so that the drivers seat can swivel fully. I haven’t as I like to put my feet on the passenger seat.

Angleseygirl wrote:Quite a few people on the Kingham FB group have altered the end sofa panel so that the drivers seat can swivel fully. I haven’t as I like to put my feet on the passenger seat.

Drivers seat in my 2014 WXL doesn't swivel, but passenger one does, I often turn passenger seat 90 degrees and sit with feet on drivers seat while management prefers stretching out on rear seats

I had the same problem on my 72 plate kingham and replaced the drivers seat swivel plate for one where the handle is at the front rather than at the side so that it doesn't hit the wooden side of the sofa. I think it was about £100 or so for the plate.

The swivel handle on both my passenger and driver seat are at the front as in the picture above.
Are they not like that anymore? Another A/S “improvement” 

Same in my 2019 van. Identical to photo.

Our old van (2011 Sussex EB) had this type of swivel mechanism and it worked brilliantly.  We have been told by the dealer we purchased from that the new system is down to Fiat. But they are happy to change to the old style for us but to expect the seat to be a little higher. So this is where we are going.  

Thanks all for your responses and suggestions.

Hi Bonniegirl. Just seen your message but I can't reply as I've only made one post and you have to have made at least 3 posts to use the message option. I'll get a pic tomorrow and post it if I get time.

StuartD wrote:Hi Bonniegirl. Just seen your message but I can't reply as I've only made one post and you have to have made at least 3 posts to use the message option. I'll get a pic tomorrow and post it if I get time.

Why not post a hello in the new members' introduction section? Two birds with one stone - it’s a polite thing to do plus it’s another post.

Tinwheeler wrote:

StuartD wrote:Hi Bonniegirl. Just seen your message but I can't reply as I've only made one post and you have to have made at least 3 posts to use the message option. I'll get a pic tomorrow and post it if I get time.

Why not post a hello in the new members' introduction section? Two birds with one stone - it’s a polite thing to do plus it’s another post.

Didn't realise there was one, just posted an intro.

Thanks

Bonniegirl, here's a pic. Couldn't work out how to send by pm. Edit: Just realised I have to host a pic, nevermind, here it is anyway  [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

For future reference, Stuart, sending pics by PM is just the same as on the forum.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

The Bargee wrote:On my Kingham, which might be different since it is rather older, I can turn the seat to point directly aft fairly easily. I do this quite often because the combination of the seat backs and a towel over the headrests gives the same privacy effect as closing the front blinds, and is easier than tidying all the bits & pieces off the dash to close the blinds!

There is a technique which I can’t remember offhand precisely since I just do it automatically, but I think it includes sliding the steering wheel forward, sliding the seat forward, tipping the back rest forward, and rotating the seat anti-clockwise, but not necessarily in that order! It’s not difficult, but you have to work out the technique, then practice makes perfect! Good party game!

I quite agree and I think you have to also wind the armrests right down as if you leave them vertical they collide with something?

On a certain year of Kingham, mine which is a 22/23, they have fitted this kind of swivel plate with the lever on the side (pic below of our one on passenger seat) which then hits the wood on the end of the sofa meaning you can't turn more than 90 degrees. It doesn't matter how you move the seat as it's fitted to the base that doesn't move, unfortunately[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

StuartD wrote:Bonniegirl, here's a pic. Couldn't work out how to send by pm. Edit: Just realised I have to host a pic, nevermind, here it is anyway  [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Thank you.  Just what i needed to see.  Will get on and order the bits.