Ducato seats, again.

Getting the seat out of the van isn’t a problem. We did that when putting the diesel heater in.
I’d like to know how to swap the seat squabs over. That’s the advice I’m looking for.
I don’t expect the weather to be that good when I finally get home in late October. When I take the whole seat unit in and out again, I’d be happier if I knew what I was doing..
Let’s be honest, it’s a bit of a lump, and again being honest, I will bleed. Getting claret on the upholstery will be a constant reminder of another failed project. 🥲
 
Can’t remember what your seats are like, can you not just swap driver and passenger seats complete or is seat belt built in to the backrest?

Claret is ok on mine as they are red :)
 
nabsim said:
Can’t remember what your seats are like, can you not just swap driver and passenger seats complete or is seat belt built in to the backrest?

Claret is ok on mine as they are red :)
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The seatbelt receiver buckle will be on the wrong sides. Could well be possible to swap over to the other side though?. He will have the same buckles as in the pictures I posted at the bottom of post #10.
 
I reckon the only way swapping the passenger and drivers seat will work is to get receiver buckles on long stalks and bolting them to the base.
It appears that the seats only have the buckle mounting on the original side.
 
wildebus said:
The seatbelt receiver buckle will be on the wrong sides. Could well be possible to swap over to the other side though?. He will have the same buckles as in the pictures I posted at the bottom of post #10.
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Dave’s spot on there Neil. I have to completely dismantle both seats , once out of the van, just to see how they are assembled. Then sort it. Tbh, it can’t be that difficult (🙄) , it’s not as if they are a moulding. Nuts and bolts are going to feature somewhere.
Something, somewhere tells me that this ain’t going to happen anytime soon.
 
Sometimes a bit of lateral thinking can work :)

As an example, when I was doing my VW LT Camper (so seating identical to a Sprinter like Neils), I bought the "wrong" seat base to fit a single passenger seat. "wrong" in that instead of a UK single Passenger seat base, I bought a second UK Drivers seat base (around 1/4 the price).
The base mounting of the seatbelt goes onto the seat base on the LT/Sprinter, and that was on the wrong side with a Drivers base fitted on the left side - but there was a perfect substitute with the handbrake mounting bracket on the now passenger base which was spare and available.
So yes, it was 'wrong' but was not an issue at all :)


One thing I would make sure of if making adjustments is ensure any bolts bought are hi-tensile steel. They are easily obtainable, especially on-line, and will give the required strength.
 
Trotter said:
Dave’s spot on there Neil. I have to completely dismantle both seats , once out of the van, just to see how they are assembled. Then sort it. Tbh, it can’t be that difficult (🙄) , it’s not as if they are a moulding. Nuts and bolts are going to feature somewhere.
Something, somewhere tells me that this ain’t going to happen anytime soon.
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If it’s anything like my Sprinter it’s just unbolt the receiver and bolt it on the other side?
 
Not forgetting the seatbelt tensioners.
 
Nothing like that on receiver end on mine, just the holder. I bolted another two on the passenger seat base for if I ever needed to clip the dogs in.
 
Greengrass said:
I think the seat is held together with hog clips bugger of a job to do for you Del
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Especially when I’ve no idea what a hog clip is.
Bit of a pig are they?
 
There's special pliers to secure them back in place you get new clips on a strip any upholsterer should supply must look and see if I've still got some
thats the clips and a NEW SOFT FIRM BUM CUSHION FUR YER DUKE O ARGYLES if this helps

IMG_3499.png
 
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something I would do if I were doing this kind of work .... Fit heated seat pads :)
When I* reupholstered my RAV4 seats, replacing the Cloth covers with Leather, I* added a Waeco Heated Seat kit. Only cost £50 at the time (time being 2006, so maybe twice that now?) and it really was nice to have and use. If Motorhoming in all seasons, would be a real boon(y)



* "I" should really be a trim company in fact. I did do all the wiring to go to the seat bases, but I gave the actual pads to a trim company to fit when they fitted the covers. I did the rear seats myself, but I chickened out of doing the fronts as those Hog Rings were a real pain to deal with so decided to pass on the pain.


(In case of any doubt ... When I said "* "I" should really be a trim company in fact", I meant I should have typed I USED a trim company, not that I personally should BE a trim company :D )
 
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Think it’s time for me to explain what I’d like to do with the seats.
1, As ‘er indoors refuses to travel with me, and believe me, there’s more of an upside to that. The passenger seat base is hardly ever used.
2, The right seat base, cushion? Well, let’s say it has seen better days.
3, I would like, if possible to swap the seat squabs over. Not recover, not swap the entire seats over.
So it’s only the “SIT UPON” I want to change over
 
wildebus said:
something I would do if I were doing this kind of work .... Fit heated seat pads :)
When I* reupholstered my RAV4 seats, replacing the Cloth covers with Leather, I* added a Waeco Heated Seat kit. Only cost £50 at the time (time being 2006, so maybe twice that now?) and it really was nice to have and use. If Motorhoming in all seasons, would be a real boon(y)



* "I" should really be a trim company in fact. I did do all the wiring to go to the seat bases, but I gave the actual pads to a trim company to fit when they fitted the covers. I did the rear seats myself, but I chickened out of doing the fronts as those Hog Rings were a real pain to deal with so decided to pass on the pain.


(In case of any doubt ... When I said "* "I" should really be a trim company in fact", I meant I should have typed I USED a trim company, not that I personally should BE a trim company :D )
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Heinz beans have a similar effect 🙄
 
I swapped the seat bases on a sprinter van for the same reason as you,
It was a very simple job as once I had the seats out the bases were just held in place with 4 bolts, no need to do anything with the seat belts,
Next time you are passing this way call in and let’s see what we can do with them
 
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