Rusty Lee swivels wish I went factory

[Danny1964Boy]

My Rusty Lee swivels are the one thing I am disappointed with in my van and conversion .

I was persuaded to go aftermarket by my converter and really regret changing my order.

The Rusty Lee swivels are wobbly and nauseous and I also think the seat adjustment hits the Rusty Swivel restricting adjustment. Removing the benefit of aftermarket swivels anyway.

On certain seat settings the chair swings, rocks, knocks and bangs. To be comfortable I have to put wedges under the swivels to make the seat stable and comfortable.

Is this normal? Are they fitted properly?

It’s even more complicated passenger side. I have the factory leisure battery and the Rusty Lees have to be lifted at the rear by my converter because there is no room. Does anyone have a solution?

I really regret not going factory swivels.

How are others getting on with their Rusty Lees? I was told they were the best. Is there an alternative?

 

[j4ckal]

Not sure on the Rusty Lee's (I have heard his stuff is regarded to be well fabricated though) but I went from a RIB drivers and kiravans (double) to a pair of cali single seats with factory swivels and they are just brilliant.
No rattles and easy to use. I believe you lose the height adjustment (not something I touch) but I'm sure the drivers is no higher than with the RIB swivel and spacers to clear the handbrake.
Others will disagree but its factory all the way for me, had enough of rattly clunky aftermarket swivels in my old T4

 

[bobbybasic]

+1 for factory. If you are 'average' in height like me then the lack of height adjustment isn't an issue in the slightest.

Sorry to hear the Rusty Lee's are wobbling :/

 

[Ozi]

Can’t comment on Rusty Lee swivels, but factory ones in mine are perfect. Solid, well made, no noise or unintended movement.

 

[NorthernJoy]

I went factory swivels, I'm 6' and they are are spot on and feel solid and easy to turn around (drivers side a bit more of a faff) I recently had a ride in one with aftermarkets, sorry not sure which make, they are were good but had a slight wiggle when 'locked' in place so not as solid as the factory ones.

 

[ThreeBridgeT6]

Poor old @Danny1964Boy is going to be well pleased with how everyone is telling him their factory fit swivels are brilliant! I'm afraid I can't comment on the Rusty Lee ones either though Danny - happy with my factory fitted ones.... - although they're a faff until you get used to the order of adjustments required to actually turn them round!

 

[timrobbo]

I have 2 x Rusty Lee swivels up front and noticed a definite wobble / movement when I fitted them. I have got used to this but wish it didn't have to.

 

[Ruby16]

We went with RIB drivers & passenger from Kiravans. Easy to fit and does the job, do not rattle and are stable.
If I was buying a new van factory swivels would be my choice but be aware there is no height adjustment.

 

[blue_van]

Sorry for my complete ignorance on this but we’re looking at swivel seats too. By factory fitted I assume you literally mean pre-purchase from VW? Can you get them retrofitted by VW?

 

[Skyliner33]

Sorry for my complete ignorance on this but we’re looking at swivel seats too. By factory fitted I assume you literally mean pre-purchase from VW? Can you get them retrofitted by VW?

Only by buying some seats with them and selling your own. They are very rare on the market though.

 

[blue_van]

Only by buying some seats with them and selling your own. They are very rare on the market though.

ok thanks. So you can’t ring them up and ask them to put a new set in. Good to know.

 

[bobbybasic]

You can pick them up online and swap them over yourself. 4 bolts for each seat and they use the same seat base as the non swivels. The 6.1 has a different belt buckle so you’ll need to swap that if dropping into a 6.

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[Jay586]

We had a Kiravans double swivel fitted & it was rock solid. Pita to turn but no rattles or wobbles when the bolts were done up. I'd be getting them checked.

 

[j4ckal]

We had a Kiravans double swivel fitted & it was rock solid. Pita to turn but no rattles or wobbles when the bolts were done up. I'd be getting them checked.

The op is talking about single swivels hence why he is regretting not getting factory swivels.

The double seats are bound to be rock solid due to the way the bolts lock it all together, totally different design to a single swivel....

 

[Mike23864]

We had a Kiravans double swivel fitted & it was rock solid. Pita to turn but no rattles or wobbles when the bolts were done up. I'd be getting them checked.

Same here with Kiravans passenger double. Solid as a rock. Mines a PITA to swivel too.

 

[pasonjayne]

Have the same problem with the rusty Lee single swivel. Fitted it and was like why is this wobbling so much. Only way to stop it is to toughen up the centre bolts which then makes it too tight to swivel. I’m going to keep these tight until I do a road trip.
A possible fix would be to drill another hole in each inner corner between the two plates and then put in four wing nuts, this would stop the plates rocking and then quickly remove when you need to rotate. Bit of a pain but better than having a rocking chair.

 

[Ayjay]

Same here with Kiravans passenger double. Solid as a rock. Mines a PITA to swivel too.

My Kiravans double passenger swivel is rock solid as well and maybe it's just me but I would be worried trusting myself to a seat that had any movement in it when it was supposed to be in the fixed position. I would also be surprised if it wasn't at least mentioned at MOT time (but I'm a long, long way from being a mechanic or MOT tester!). On the Kiravans swivel base, I really don’t understand why people have so much trouble turning them. I just make sure the drivers seat is right back and it goes with a little bit of pushing and after a bit of practise (and the handbrake can also be left on but the might only be an issue with the single base). It might help that I give the swivel plate a spray of silicone and grease the threads of the locking bolts every now and then.

 

[lookseehear]

We just picked up a T6 with a passenger swivel which looks to be factory from what I can see. We want the driver to swivel too but ideally want them to match. Also our seat had been retrimmed in leather when converted by Vanworx. Am I right in thinking that you can't buy a factory swivel base, you'd have to buy the whole seat? If we managed to pick up a factory swivel driver's seat could we swap the seat with ours and keep just the factory swivel base?

 

[Skyliner33]

Only by buying some seats with them and selling your own. They are very rare on the market though.

Sorry, just seen this. Yes you can buy them new from vw and fit them. I wouldn’t like to price them though.

 

[Ads_Essex]

Am I right in thinking that you can't buy a factory swivel base, you'd have to buy the whole seat?

Worth asking Kernow Transporters, as they shift quite a bit of kit