Replacement front seats for mk7 Transit

[windyjock]

Advice required. We have a Hymervan 572 on a Ford Transit chassis. The front seats are not comfortable, too high and have pathetic height adjustment. (However they have very nice covers!) We would like to replace them with comfortable, height adjustable seats that have two armrests. Can anybody recommend either particular seats that would fit or a company to consult? Thanks. :-)

[JohnP]

Check what is under the seats first. No doubt lower seat bases are available but you may not be able to use them and change the seats because the engine battery is under the drivers seat and the leisure battery plus the elektroblock & charger is under the passenger seat. It is on my Mk 7.

[Robinhood]

If converters offer upgraded seats from new on their motorhomes, they are often either Isringhausen (Isri) or Aguti seats.

 

I have seen reference to upgraded seats in the Hymer van, but cannot find any hits in current documentation, though Hymer reference Aguti seats in the B Class.

 

Hobby offer optional Aguti seats in the Transit-based Van series.

 

Given that you are likely to have seat swivels fitted, the height, fitment and adjustment are all affected somewhat by the type and profile of the swivel used, and it may restrict the success of any replacement. If they are particularly high-profile swivels, replacement of these may also be required.

 

The UK Distributor for ISRI seats is here (with the page for van seats shown):

 

http://www.jennings-seats.co.uk/shop/8/index.htm

 

You may have to search a bit more thoroughly for Aguti distributors, their website is at http://www.aguti.de , but the following site shows a few options (though I think you would be best with the one without the built-in seat belt - these generally being fitted to A-Class vehicles).

 

http://www.tekseating.co.uk/category/7/Motor-Home-Seating

 

(Tek are regularly referenced in connection with motorhome seating).

 

There were a few others around in the past, Richfield Seating in Nottingham comes to mind, but searches inidcate that they don't have an active web presence, so may have "gone".

 

All normal warnings apply about getting something that is fit-for-purpose, and informing your insurance company of modification.

 

HTH

[Derek Uzzell]

There's an earlier forum reference to ISRI seats being a 2008 Hymer option (presumably for Transit-based models). See the final posting in this thread:

 

http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=23452&posts=18

 

It needs to be said that, even if you did replace your Hymer's Ford seats with ISRI or Aguti 'captain's chairs', there's no guarantee that you'd find them any more comfortable.

[lennyhb]

Both ISRI & Aguti have models that will fit, from 2008 ISRI have been offered as an option on the Van & Aguti have been fitted as standard in the Exsis. Both give a lower driving position.

[Derek Uzzell]

There is information here

 

http://www.ska.de/Ford-Transit.26.0.html?&L=1

 

on the types of ISRI seats that might be retro-fitted fairly easily to motorhomes based on the current Ford Transit chassis.

 

It's probable that, if a buyer specifies an ISRI or Aguti seat as a factory-supplied option for a Hymer, Hobby, etc. Transit-based motorhome, that seat will have covers (or be trimmed) in material to match the rest of the vehicle's upholstery.

 

Conversely, if an ISRI or Aguti seat is bought for retro-fitting from, say, TEK Seating, then it will normally be only obtainable in a limited range of upholstery choices that probably won't match the motorhome's original upholstery. If this is the case, it may be possible to obtain suitable matching seat-covers (or matching upholstery material) from the motorhome converter, but this would add significantly to the overall cost of the seat-replacement exercise.

 

There will be lots of seats that it would be POSSIBLE to shoe-horn into a Transit Mk-7, that would provide a lower driving position and MIGHT be more comfortable. For example:

 

http://www.jaydm.com/sparco/seats/milano.htm

 

However, fitting replacement seats safely and successfully may prove challenging, as will be seen from the following thread:

 

http://passionford.com/forum/general-car-related-discussion/274179-recaro-seat-into-transit-connect.html

 

(I once fitted a pair of Recaro-built semi-racing seats into a Toyota car I owned and it was a pig of a job. I had to fabricate new sub-frames, no seat adjustment was possible and the replacement seats proved not to be that comfortable over long distances. With hindsight I should have accepted the limitations of the original Toyota seats or swapped the car for something else that had seats that suited me better.)

 

 

[Brian Kirby]

You haven't said what about the seats you find uncomfortable, or whether you find them too high or too low. Most seem to find the turntable raises the seat a bit too much, so that the squab rake and height adjusters are defeated.

If this is the case you may find what I have done satisfactory, which is to buy a piece of "rubber" backed coconut door matting, and carefully cut it to shape to fit the footwells. It is about 15-20 mm thick, so raises one's feet by that much. It does not obstruct the travel of any of the pedals and is rigid enough not to ruck up. Due to the shape of the footwell, it is pretty effectively trapped in place and shows no tendency to slide sideways towards the door. It does shed coconut fibres for a while, but this reduces as it gets "run in". It also absorbs wet from shoes, leaving them dry on the pedals, and catches a lot of the grit and dirt that would otherwise get imported into the back of the van, when exiting internally from the front seats. All one has to do is take them out from time to tome and bash them against a tree to shake the bits out.

I find the standard seats a snug fit in the cab when being rotated, so would question whether other seats may be less easy to spin when required. This would be something to check carefully, as the Agutis etc may not sit on the same design of turntable to overcome problems in this area.

On the subject of general comfort of the Transit seats, I trapped my sciatic nerve while in Greece last October which, apart from being painful, effectively made it impossible to stand, walk, or lie down. I therefore spent three nights sleeping in the driver's/passengers seats, because they were the only places I could get relief, before the nerve relaxed enough to allow me to lie in bed! Despite that, because I remained comfortable in the driver's seat, I was able to drive the van the 1,200 miles back home via Ancona and the Channel Tunnel, without discomfort. It was a different story when I got out though, and I was sucking pain killers until Christmas before the nerve finally stopped playing up! So, don't knock 'Enry's seats too much, I've developed quite a respect for them! :-D

[windyjock]

Thanks for all the advice. I realise that it is time to actually do something positive to try and solve the problem.

Brian, the seats are too high due to a combination of my height and the seat design. Probably the seat height is an easier thing to remedy than my own!

So what have I done and to what effect?

 

a) Contacted Hymer.de – they referred me their dealers or Aguti.de

b) Contacted Movera.de a parts supplier named on the Hymer site – wholesale only, contact UK suppliers.

c) Contacted Aguti.de – they wanted a variety of information regarding the particular seat required. From this site I was able to obtain detailed drawings showing dimensions that seem to hint that the Aguti Milan seat would fit. It is smaller all round than the standard Ford seat. Am awaiting prices for delivery or collection from Germany – good excuse for a continental trip!

d) Contacted Brownhills (Newark) and asked if they had a solution. They contacted Hymer who have asked, through Brownhills, for a variety of information, serial no. etc. and even a photograph. Am awaiting developments on this one.

e) Contacted TEK seating – they said that “due to health and safety concerns” they were unable to fit an Aguti seat as the fittings did not line up with the Ford fittings.

f) Contacted my insurance broker, who actually checked with the underwriter, to confirm that there would be no concerns regarding a professionally fitted seat other than in the event of a total write-off they would not take into consideration the cost of the replacement seats.

 

I must say that the speed of response via email has surprised me. Responses within a couple of hours, even to English language email enquiries to German companies. This prompt response also applies to Brownhills. TEK promised to phone back but needed me to follow up the enquiry.

 

That’s all for now but I’ll keep those that are interested updated.

 

[Derek Uzzell]

You could try contacting "Poppy" via the forum's Private Message facility as I believe her Hobby has factory-fitted swivelling Aguti seats. (Go to the following earlier forum thread and click on the PM button in Poppy's initial posting.)

 

http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=18915&posts=9

 

I note that she is still an active forum participant and she may be able to offer you advice on the make/model of Aguti seat used in a Transit Mk 7, seat height, comfort, etc.

 

It would seem from your last posting that Hymer may fit Aguti seats to Transit Mk 7 "Van" models as an option, though earlier postings suggested that ISRI seats might be the norm. The SKA website gives details of swivelling driver/passenger seats specifically designed for Transit Mk 7s and I would have thought it might be wisest to pick one of these as it should be a straightforward direct replacement for your present Ford seat. But, if you want a seat that matches your current upholstery, you'll really need to obtain whatever seat make/design Hymer have used. Personally, I wouldn't consider doing what you are planning without first seeing, and sitting in, a Transit Mk 7 fitted with 'optional' seats.

 

I suggest you also try contacting Jason Stevens at Roy Wood Transits

 

http://www.roywoodtransits.co.uk/

 

who will probably be able to tell you exactly what seats are available, what their effect on the driving position is likely to be, and the likely costs involved.

 

 

[windyjock]

I'm sorry Derek for some unknown reason I didn't contact SKA in Germany but have done so today. I agree that to buy to seats without trying them first would not be a good idea!

[Derek Uzzell]

Don't overlook Roy Wood Transits. They were/are Westfalia agents and those Transit-based motorhomes definitely had special cab seats in some models. They also convert Transits for use by disabled people and you can see example's of twin-armrest seats on this webpage:

 

http://www.roywoodtransits.co.uk/mobility-adaptations.htm