Robinhood Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 The thick plottens! As I posted above, the seat in my van appears to have perfect geometry. Aligned square and centrally on the seat box when driving. Sitting idly this morning before going for a walk, I played with it. The turntable appears to work symmetrically, but it doesn't. Rotated to the rear, the seat is offset from the seat box, an inch or so to the right. In addition, it cannot go parallel, but is obstructed at a slight angle by the underlying mechanism (and it doesn't lock swivelled.) I'm not sure it goes any further to explaining things, but it's a bit of a coincidence (the passenger seat action mirrors the driver's). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niggle Posted January 18, 2023 Author Share Posted January 18, 2023 Both seat swivels appear to be genuine items fitted by roller team Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 A GOOGLE-search on "motorhome offset seat swivel" will show that this type of turntable is commonplace. This YouTube video explains the reasons for having an offset 'pivot' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRGNDcJNhVk Even if a turntable with an offset pivot is fitted, when the seat is facing forwards and the turntable's lock engaged, the seat should not be askew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 19 minutes ago, niggle said: Both seat swivels appear to be genuine items fitted by roller team So you need to take the matter up with RT and not Fiat. Have you tried fitting the seat without a swivel? That may then point the issue as a Fiat problem, but... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niggle Posted January 18, 2023 Author Share Posted January 18, 2023 just checked the seat swivels and both are genuine Fiat parts so then I will have to take issue up with Fiat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 Hi As Keith has asked was it a factory fit? or converter fit? (Fiat sticker may not be a genuine Fiat part ). Some of the turntables I am afraid are not always an exact fit (adjustment hole slots) and therefore need sometimes just a little bit of adjustment to fit properly Just out of interest have you found any problem with any other seat in any other vehicle Great to see you have the issue resolved Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 This 2020 MHFun discussion may be of interest despite the swivel-related problem not being the same as Niggle's. https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/fiat-ducato-swivel-seat-problem.222313/ It is quite possible that (as mentioned on the MHFun thread) a Fiat Professional agency may initially contend that the swivel turntable is not an original equipment (OE) Fiat part, or was retrofitted by the motorhome manufacturer during the conversion phase. I have looked at a number of recent-ish on-line videos showing Ducato-based coachbuilt motorhomes being constructed and - where the original cab is being retained and the motorhome clearly has swivelling cab seats - those seats are in place right from the start. As Rapido said on the MHFun thread, the swivel turntables are a Fiat Part and already in the Ducato cab when the 'chassis' is received by the converter. I assume Niggle is confident that his motorhome's seat-swivels are genuine Fiat OE parts because they carry a label similar to this (for a battery cover in this instance) If a Fiat Professional agent doubted the swivels' parentage, using the data on the labels should confirm the swivels' originality. (I don't know what state the seats are in when the Ducato chassis arrives at the converter's factory. As a buyer will normally have a choice for the fabric and/or colour of the motorhome's upholstery, I would not expect the seats to be fully 'pre-upholstered' when the chassis turns up. I seem to remember that the upholstery of the cab seats of my 2015 Ducato-based Rapido comprised tight fitting covers, rather than being traditionally stitched in place. So - unless there were a need to unbolt the seats complete with their swivels to (say) install equipment or a battery in the space beneath - the seats could stay in place from chassis-delivery-to-converter to the time that the completed motorhome left the factory.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 Hi As Keith has asked was it a factory fit? or converter fit? . Some of the turntables I am afraid are not always an exact fit (adjustment hole slots) and therefore need sometimes just a little bit of adjustment to fit properly Just out of interest have you found any problem with any other seat in any other vehicle Great to see you have the issue resolved Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 Good point Derek, Many converters do move them in as you say as in upholstering seats and sometimes fitting additional equipment ,hence the need sometimes for a little fettling when disturbed Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 This afternoon I decided to fully check alignment of the seats in our x250 ( AFAIK the same seats and bases are still used). At first glance I thought I had previously wrongly said they where inline as they appeared to be quite some way out of alignment, but centring the steering wheel and they appeared to be more facing straight ahead, I double checked this putting both seats in same position fore and aft, and it was then obvious the seats where squarely aligned. I then checked the side to side alignment, first I found the centreline of dash (the centre console is not in centre) and measured to the centre of steering wheel, next measured centre of seat from centre of cab. The result is the centreline of seat is within a couple of mm of centreline of steering wheel. I note the reference to slotted holes, my swivels, which AFAIK are Fiat items, don't have slotted holes. picture below. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 Hi Colin, So many different providers of same, I have come across quite a few with slotted holes for alignment and of course quite a few with just holes. It was an issue from suppliers some years ago (swivel alignment for Left and Right hand drive) Adjustment was all that was needed Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 1 minute ago, onecal said: Hi Colin, So many different providers of same, I have come across quite a few with slotted holes for alignment and of course quite a few with just holes. It was an issue from suppliers some years ago (swivel alignment for Left and Right hand drive) Adjustment was all that was needed Regards The reason I mentioned 'slotted holes' was the OP believes his swivel is a Fiat item, I think if it has slotted holes it will be aftermarket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 True , I agree, this may be the case, also may have a sticker for Fiat which may be misleading Glad to see he now has his main issue resolved Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 This link is to a Motorhome Depot advert for a 2019 Roller Team Zefiro 696. https://www.motorhomedepot.com/vehicle/rollerteam-zefiro-696-4-berth-island-bed-motorhome-for-sale It's apparent from the photos in the advert that the seat swivels are the Fiat OE ones, and it looks like the seats are also the ones Fiat provides as OE for Ducato chassis destined to become coachbuilt motorhomes. As Niggle swapped the seat swivels and the misalignment did not change, this leaves the possibility that - in the case of his motorhome - it's the driver's seat itself that's the culprit not the swivel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onecal Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 True, , it happens Glad he has it resolved and has some comfort driving it again Well done Derek, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hans Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 Seats and swivels are not produced by a car production plant. But they made the fundament for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 4 hours ago, onecal said: True, , it happens Glad he has it resolved and has some comfort driving it again As far as I'm aware, the cause of the motorhome's seat misalignment problem has yet to be pinned down. Niggle will be progressing the matter with Fiat and it's anybody's guess how they will respond. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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