dave renton
Member
Just fitted a offset swivel (RIB) to the driver's seat, despite the shims it is still catching on the handbrake (when the handbrake is lowered) what are my options?
Kiravan Swivel Catching On Handbrake.
- Thread starter dave renton
- Start date
-
- Tags
- kiravans swivel seat
I've not got a swivel drivers seat and don't know much about them but I do recall reading something elsewhere about a replacement bracket that lowers the handbrake thus allowing the swivel. I searched snd this came up: Handbrake Lowering Brackets
There seem to be a few different lowering brackets around if you google. That said, I'm not sure that I would fancy my T6 handbrake being any lower as I find it a bit of a reach anyway (I guess I'm just too used to cars). On that basis, I'm quite happy to put the van into gear before releasing the handbrake to swivel my double seat as it just about goes past with a bit of jiggling. Hope this helps but sorry if I have misunderstood your original.
There seem to be a few different lowering brackets around if you google. That said, I'm not sure that I would fancy my T6 handbrake being any lower as I find it a bit of a reach anyway (I guess I'm just too used to cars). On that basis, I'm quite happy to put the van into gear before releasing the handbrake to swivel my double seat as it just about goes past with a bit of jiggling. Hope this helps but sorry if I have misunderstood your original.
dave renton
Member
Thanks for that, very kind of you to do some research on my behalf. I knew that I'd need to lower the handbrake before turning the seat, this was the case in my T4. The frustration is that the swivel plate is catching on the handbrake even when it is released. To be fair, Kiravans mention this on their website along with the swivel release catching on the seat trim. Apparently you can buy a fabric cover to avoid the plate problem you have to carve away seat trim to avoid the release problem. I just find it unsatisfactory that the metal shims aren't a little higher say 4mm and the problem would be solved and that the swivel release isn't positioned so it doen't foul the seat trim.On my T4 the release was at the back of the seat. The handbrake kits involve a fair amount of metal work and cutting of the handbrake covers but thanks again!
I have fitted the same swivel recently and mine just touches the handbrake cover as it turns but I can live with it. It’s important to make sure the seat is jacked up as high as it will go before trying to swivel.
I am also going to trim the base with a dremmel where the handle is just so that the seat will go fully down for driving.
I am also going to trim the base with a dremmel where the handle is just so that the seat will go fully down for driving.
dave renton
Member
Thanks for that, it is the swivel plate that is touching the top of the handbrake cover. Sadly lifting the seat doesn't help with that problem, but I can see that it helps with other issues. Just found out Kiravans don't sell fabric handbrake covers! Anyone know where you can buy them?
Handbrake Bracket Lowering
I have recently fitted the same seat swivel to my van. I didn’t want to use the shims which raise the seat quite a bit in addition to the swivel itself.
For me the best option was to modify the seat base. Sounds hard but it’s actually pretty easy.
There are some photos in my build thread. And I did buy a spare seat base on eBay for £80 so that I could change them out and keep the van on the road. I plan to sell the spare one when I am done and can get it modified if that’s what’s wanted.
Remove the seat and base from the van. Get a drill and about a 6mm bit. Carefully drill out all of the spot welds that you see holding the handbrake bracket on the seat base. Carefully grind or hacksaw through the small weld on the rear of the box.
The handbrake box should now come off in one piece.
Cut 20mm off the bit hat sticks out of the bottom rear.
Weld the bracket back on 20mm lower than it was and in the same alignment that it was before.
20mm lower makes the lower edge of the handbrake bracket line almost line up with the bottom of the seat base.
(Any competent welder can do this for you and it’s out of the van so you can drop it off and collect it)
Bolt it back in and refit the handbrake. Adjust the cable to tighten it up properly, best done at the rear but you might get away with doing it at the front.
Mark 20mm and cut off the bottom of the lower plastic housing and pop it back on.
Refit seat and it should clear fine and look OEM.
Windsurfing Dream Van
I have recently fitted the same seat swivel to my van. I didn’t want to use the shims which raise the seat quite a bit in addition to the swivel itself.
For me the best option was to modify the seat base. Sounds hard but it’s actually pretty easy.
There are some photos in my build thread. And I did buy a spare seat base on eBay for £80 so that I could change them out and keep the van on the road. I plan to sell the spare one when I am done and can get it modified if that’s what’s wanted.
Remove the seat and base from the van. Get a drill and about a 6mm bit. Carefully drill out all of the spot welds that you see holding the handbrake bracket on the seat base. Carefully grind or hacksaw through the small weld on the rear of the box.
The handbrake box should now come off in one piece.
Cut 20mm off the bit hat sticks out of the bottom rear.
Weld the bracket back on 20mm lower than it was and in the same alignment that it was before.
20mm lower makes the lower edge of the handbrake bracket line almost line up with the bottom of the seat base.
(Any competent welder can do this for you and it’s out of the van so you can drop it off and collect it)
Bolt it back in and refit the handbrake. Adjust the cable to tighten it up properly, best done at the rear but you might get away with doing it at the front.
Mark 20mm and cut off the bottom of the lower plastic housing and pop it back on.
Refit seat and it should clear fine and look OEM.
Windsurfing Dream Van
I also spent a lot of time researching and considering pro’s and con’s before purchasing. I’m happy with the RIB swivels as they vastly improve the use of space when camping.
I am 6ft tall and don’t find the added height with the shims any problem. They are also squeak free so far.
Thanks for the feedback, I’ll have a look at these- do a lot of companies supply them? Do they clear the handbrake? I’m only 5,10 so should be fine
There are a few places that do them including Kiravans. Mine just slightly touches the handbrake but I don’t find it a problem. I don’t however know if all van seats and bases are the same? My seats are a factory Kombi with arm rests.
dave renton
Member
The plate of the swivel is just touching the top of the handbrake trim you could I suppose trying adding washers to raise the plate up. I would be nervous of doing this as the whole assembly is safety critical and is supposed to comply when fitted as per instructions. I'm going to pull the handbrake cover off and see if the swivel clears it then. The van is pretty new and it is nerve racking drilling holes etc, much easier with my old T4. I'll see if a fabric handbrake cover exists. The good news is that the extra height doesn't seem a problem, but we are in lock down so no real driving at the moment.
I have factory fit swivels and still have to take the handbrake off to swivel. We only managed to stay one night in it before lockdown but used ramps to level it perfectly then took the handbrake off to swivel the seat and it rolled off the ramps! PITA!
Any advice on how to avoid this?
Any advice on how to avoid this?
Having the van in gear will stop it moving when you release the handbrake.
Yeah I guess it would, sorry for stating the obvious in my previous post, it’s early!
My levelling ramps have wheel chocks that clip in, drive the van onto the ramp, wheel chock clips in behind wheel, no more rolling off.
We used to pump the foot break before releasing the handbrake and that seemed to stop the slippage or if the slope was very steep hold the footbrake by hand whilst my wife took off the handbrake and swivelled the seat and put handbrake on again. All with the van in gear. Gave up in the end and had VB air suspension fitted.
air suspension is obviously an option and the dream but I’ll see how the £8 solution works first maybe
I’ll try pumping the brakes but I find it difficult enough to turn the seats at the best of times but maybe put a kid down there holding it on, that’s what there are for right?
dave renton
Member
So this is what I came up with, not very elegant, but at least it's cheap! Pretty obvious from the images what I did. Two "skids" made from ice cream container lid stuck to the underside of the swivel plate using 50mm two sided tape. As you rotate the seat the skids prevent damage to the handbrake trim. The swivel was only just catching, so there is no real weight on the handbrake. In the T4 we didn't use the driver's swivel very much so I think this will hold up O.K. You can buy a HDPE tape used for mould release it is low friction I've used it on ski bindings which would be ideal, but I'd run out.
