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Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Renovations => Topic started by: George Stoltz on June 24, 2010, 11:45:46 am

Title: New Cockpit Seating -- Part 1
Post by: George Stoltz on June 24, 2010, 11:45:46 am
We are at Xtreme Paint & Gaphics as I type this.  Rance and others are in the process of installing our new seats.  The old ones came out fairly easily.  One of the many things I like about the crew at Xtreme is that they are smart.  They figure out what to do ahead of time and then do it. Rance saw that the bolt pattern on the base of the new chairs was different from the old base. He asked me if it was okay to drill the new base so that the bolt holes would match those on the old base -- therby not having to drill new holes in the floor. 

Later I will bring you up-to-date on the sorry lack of good customer support from the place we bought the chairs. 

In the photos below Rance is tightening one of the bolts holding the base of the driver's chair to the floor.  In the other he is drilling bolt holes in the base of the buddy chair.

Title: Re: New Cockpit Seating -- Part 2
Post by: D.H. Spoor on June 24, 2010, 01:45:57 pm
Did you get Villa or Flexsteel (or other?)?  And who did you deal with?  Years I dealt with Brad and Hall (IIRC!) and maybe there are other choices.

We have a 2003 U-270 with Flexsteel seats but the PAX seat does not have the leg/footrest.  I want to replace it.

PM to me = x dh spoor @ g mail dot com.
Title: Re: New Cockpit Seating -- Part 2
Post by: PatC on June 24, 2010, 05:50:06 pm
New Cockpit Seating!!!  I envy you. 

But what happened to Part 1?
Title: Re: New Cockpit Seating -- Part 2
Post by: Dave Head on June 24, 2010, 06:24:12 pm
Part one was the discussion of how the passenger seat didn't fit his bride and what could be done...

Quote
PatC wrote:
New Cockpit Seating!!! I envy you.

But what happened to Part 1?
Title: Re: New Cockpit Seating -- Part 1
Post by: George Stoltz on June 24, 2010, 08:30:41 pm
Oops.  I meant to type Part 1.

Note to Dave:  You are too funny. ;D
Title: Re: New Cockpit Seating -- Part 1
Post by: lgshoup on November 06, 2012, 06:59:24 pm
Need to replace seats for similar reason...wife doesn't like the large passenger seat. Also need to know if there's a way to make the driver'ss seat turn around to give us a 4th guest seat when parked. I doesn't make it quite 90 degrees. We're driving a '96 U 295
Title: Re: New Cockpit Seating -- Part 1
Post by: Peter & Beth on November 06, 2012, 07:35:06 pm
In order for my driver's seat to make the full 90 degree turn, the seat must be moved to the most forward position, then the seat back clears the window lambrequin.  Also moving the seat back to the straight up position helps to clear the lambrequin.  After the seat is in the isle position, then you can readjust the seat back and the front to back adjustment.
Title: Re: New Cockpit Seating -- Part 1
Post by: lgshoup on November 08, 2012, 01:28:15 pm
Tried to put the seat in every which way and turn it and it hits the wheel. I've turned the seat on the pedistal and that doesn't help. If there another "carriage" for the seat base that adjusts front-rear that might help?
Title: Re: New Cockpit Seating -- Part 1
Post by: Steve & Ginny Hill on November 08, 2012, 02:30:52 pm
I can turn the seat around without any problem on my 96 U295. Must be some difference.
Title: Re: New Cockpit Seating -- Part 1
Post by: John Haygarth on November 08, 2012, 04:46:19 pm
Larry, silly question here. Did you put the wheel in the unlocked forward position to try and rotate chair??
John H
Title: Re: New Cockpit Seating -- Part 1
Post by: lgshoup on November 09, 2012, 10:30:05 am
I've tried everything. It simply won't go past the 90 degree turn so it faces directly to the door. Kinda hard to use it comfortable when talking with people in the other part of the salon.
Title: Re: New Cockpit Seating -- Part 1
Post by: PatC on November 09, 2012, 04:30:57 pm
Arm rest up, steering wheel tilted toward dash and extended up, unhook the shoulder belt? and .....turn chair toward center, not outside.  Or maybe the other way.  Chair also had to be all the way forward or rearward, can't remember which, cause it seems like it should be the opposite in my mind.
Title: Re: New Cockpit Seating -- Part 1
Post by: Don & Tys on November 09, 2012, 05:02:50 pm
I'm with you on this one Larry... In our coach, by availing myself of every adjustment including steering wheel, arms, seatback, and front-to-back, I can get the pilots chair just pass 90ยบ... but not by much. I even removed the armrest on the couch that is just behind the pilot seat to see if that would help. It did help a little, but not enough to make it worth doing without the armrest. we are going to replace pilots and copilots seats with some Flexsteel microfiber covered chairs that are slightly smaller than the stock and a lot smaller than the wide-buddy seat. I am hoping that will help facilitate okay in the chair towards the salon area. I also have in mind to read local junkyard and pick up some sturdy manual seat rails and mounting them sideways on the pedestal to allow adjustment side to side. That's one of the things I love about our coach, so many possible projects... ;D
Don
I've tried everything. It simply won't go past the 90 degree turn so it faces directly to the door. Kinda hard to use it comfortable when talking with people in the other part of the salon.
Title: Re: New Cockpit Seating -- Part 1
Post by: lgshoup on November 09, 2012, 05:13:57 pm
Please keep me informed, Don. We don't have a couch anymore so that's not the problem. I like the idea of the transmounted adjuster. Might not help the full turn but would help in aligning with the steering wheel and pedals.
Title: Re: New Cockpit Seating -- Part 1
Post by: erniee on November 10, 2012, 09:06:57 pm
Folks- to adjust the seat- after all of your trials- you can move the base to the rear. The base has bolts and washers and nuts. You can see these under the wheel well or in the forward compartment. You can drill new holes and then remount the base. It is a time consuming task,, and if you want the captains chair to swivel- worth the effort. Before you take on this challenge- spray the protruding bolts with Kano Kroil or PB Blaster- to help free up the nut. You may also have to use a wire wheel on a drill to get the road debris/ rust from the bolt. FYI- Ernie
Title: Re: New Cockpit Seating -- Part 1
Post by: TheBrays on November 11, 2012, 09:21:41 pm
The holes in the pedastal for the driver's seat on my '96 295 are not directly above the holes in the bottom of the pedastal, rather, they are offset fore and aft. I wanted more leg room so the folks at Extreme just unbolted the pedastal and turned it front to back. No new holes were required. It moved the seat back about 3". (It did make it a little easier to swivel the seat to the right.

An aside: it was probably a year before I laerned that the steering wheel could be raised or lowered. I'm still finding things to tweak  around the coach.
Title: Re: New Cockpit Seating -- Part 1
Post by: Chad and Judy on November 12, 2012, 08:42:25 am
Snip: Extreme just unbolted the pedestal and turned it front to back.

In contemplating removing and reupholstering both Capt and Co-Pilot seats, I've found the pedestal bolts have nuts under the floor that are essentially un-reachable. I can see two of the four, but can't imagine how I'd get a wrench on them. I do recognize disassembling the pedestal should suffice for my purposes, but the above comment made me wonder.......
Title: Re: New Cockpit Seating -- Part 1
Post by: lgshoup on November 12, 2012, 09:43:12 am
Had the pedistal in the rear position but DW couldn't reach the pedals so moved it to front position. If I had it in the rear position then redrilled the floor for another 3-4 inches that would work for me but not for her. We would, however, be able to turn the seat around for conversation. Let's see...conversation seating/new wife...let me think
Title: Re: New Cockpit Seating -- Part 1
Post by: John Haygarth on November 12, 2012, 11:33:05 am
Chad, in reading your comment re- bolts for chair and not able to reach, may I profer a solution (as I have said many times for various problems) just remove the side panel in that area and you can work on them easily. It really is simple to do and with my bad back and not being able to lie underneath to get to awkward things, I do exactly this. It gives you access to other parts etc that can be cleaned/ lubed/ checked at the same time that you otherwise will not see etc.
John H