Passenger Swivel Bases for Sale

[WinnieVan]

Prototype is in hand -- everything looks great... now onto building the lock.

Of course my real J.O.B. just picked up too -- so stay patient -- prototyping will commence soon!

[AstroWill]

Looking good man!

[Lowcountry]

Looks like a very nice product is coming to life.

[WinnieVan]

Spent a day in the shop at the mill and the lathe yesterday to fabricate the lock mechanism. Still some tiny details to iron out -- but it's all housekeeping from here.

[pmou]

Hey Winnie,

I originally reached out to you on facebook (and provided some photo measurements of my current plates) -- Do you think this base would work with captains seats/rails? the main difference i see is that the slide rail is flat.. as in the two mounting surfaces are parallel, different heights, but at a non-level angle. Does that make sense?

The stock seats are also parralell, and at different heights.. but i believe the mounting points would be level (as it looks like your base has)

Glad to see this project coming to fruition!! nice work!

[WinnieVan]

I don't think this will work with captains chairs -- but you could simply just use this seat base in the rear with a front seat.

[pmou]

I don't think this will work with captains chairs -- but you could simply just use this seat base in the rear with a front seat.

I am going to have the opposite issue, unfortunately.. I need to use this on a front seat position that has a captain's seat chair in it. Understand if it's just not possible but figured i'd ask.

[WinnieVan]

Ah I see -- honestly -- as long as your existing base uses the curve seat rails -- I think you can make it work. Otherwise -- if your rails are flat -- some spacers could make this mount work.

[pmou]

Yeah, i'd be in the spacers/wedge/perhaps a little bit of bending camp. I think I'd be willing to give it a try for the passenger seat anyhow, it would be nice to have the rails on top of the swivel and also maintain the lean of the seat as it turns.. right now things are always leaned towards the back no matter the angle.. not ideal.

[ferox]

Super Cool! I am 100% interested and also live in Portland. Ready when you are.

[sixsix]

And the black Gloves are just Wonderful.


Nice keen work, Winnie.

[AstroWill]

Fantastic!

[AstroOafAdventurer]

Super fantastic!
Well done all around, design, execution, and end product!

[sonnystile13]

These will bolt in to a 2002 AWD LT passenger seat while maintaining the same height and ability to slide on the track?

Sign me up for one.

Will it work with the under seat drawer? I haven’t really looked at how that all goes together yet...


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[WinnieVan]

You're correct -- it will be exact same height and slide on the track just as the OEM seat.

It will not work with the drawer -- no way around it with a swivel in the middle of the two pieces.

[albrow100]

Looks great! Way cleaner than mine make out of the original seat bases

Does yours flex when someone is in the seat and your rock back and forth?

[pmou]

Hey @WinnieVan -- Do you know the angle relative to horizontal of the plane between the top bolt holes?

does that make sense? trying to get an understanding of what sort of angle i would be dealing with if i tried to put a level rail middle row seat on there.

Like if you put a straight edge between the top 2 flanges, what angle is that relative to the flat surface that the mounting holes are drilled into?

[WinnieVan]

Hey @WinnieVan -- Do you know the angle relative to horizontal of the plane between the top bolt holes?

does that make sense? trying to get an understanding of what sort of angle i would be dealing with if i tried to put a level rail middle row seat on there.

Like if you put a straight edge between the top 2 flanges, what angle is that relative to the flat surface that the mounting holes are drilled into?

I'd guess about 12* -- I could measure it CAD but not near that computer right now.

[WinnieVan]

Update on Progress:

I absolutely loved the simplicity of the spring loaded pin lock I designed - but even with .002 tolerance -- the TINY amount of play in the swivel is detectable by the "seat-of-the-pants" sensor (aka your butt). This isn't a safety issue -- but I will not put my name on seat swivel has detectable play right out of the box. Getting the tolerance tighter *could* do it -- but it would probably just make the pin not want to slide into the lock very easily.

In fact -- I sat in a $1000 swivel in my friend's Sprinter -- and even it has a tiny amount of "slop" -- perhaps this is acceptable for some manufactureres and users -- but I do not see it that way -- so I've spent some time in the R&D lab and I'm stoked to show you my new and improved locking device!

I've added two laser cut/formed parts to the assembly -- one is a "lock ring" and another is the "lock lever" -- the ring is purple in the pictures below and the lever is the silver thing going into the purple ring:

The purple ring will attach to the base of the seat (via bolts) and the lock lever to the top of the base (via bolts). The lock lever will be spring loaded and automatically lock at 0*, 90* and 180* (counter-clockwise). I've also included two additional locking positions 18.5* offset of rearward facing -- as this will allow you to face out the slider - or more into the interior. Look for all the "V"-shaped reliefs in the lock ring if you'd prefer a visual!

I've also added provisions for an "auxiliary" threaded lock -- which will consist of a threaded attachment between the lever & the the base (using a bolt and two rivnuts) -- you can see the holes for the rivnuts in the picture below:

This will allow you to "squeeze" everything together with the bolt to make sure there is a fully-firm, no-slop solution. This option will be available in the 0* and 180* positions! Score. The lever is still the "latch" & the bolt/threaded mechanism is just there to hold it in firmly -- it won't require much threaded force to keep it all tight.

I'm thinking this will get the job done nicely and provide a life-long service of wiggle free operation -- although I may do away with the purple ring and just have these parts cut into the base.

Stay tuned as prototyping continues...

[DriveDog]

My only experience with swivels was in a conversion van. There was no noticeable wiggle when locked, but there was also a LOT of friction, as in you really had to muscle it to rotate. At the time I thought it was a combination of poor design and many years of disuse—I think I was the first to rotate them after the van was 18 years old. But upon reading your work I now think it was likely intended to be high-friction to make the wiggle less noticeable. And yeah, disuse, still.