Community Forums

budblack · 03-27-2014, 01:56 PM

We have a 2012 Sunseeker 3170DS on a 2011 Ford E450 chassis. The new Atwood driver's seat swivel base, which you can only order through a Forest River dealer, is over $550 with shipping and sales tax. Ouch!!! Has anyone here installed the Discount Van and Truck swivel base for a 1996 or later stock E450 driver's seat? If so, will it turn a full 180 degrees? If so, is there any room behind the steering wheel for leaning the back of the seat back with the seat rotated 180 degrees? I don't mean like a recliner, but just so it isn't straight up. Thanks in advance for any replies.

MikeRP · 03-28-2014, 06:45 PM

Agree that price is ridiculous. I got the same price. If you find a solution please let me know.

wanderso · 03-29-2014, 12:15 AM

This mod using the base from discount van is common. The below link discusses it on both the E350 and 450 chassis and yes it swivels the full 180 degrees. https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/...ns/topics/7214 talks about several that have done it. Most also change the console on the doghouse to a smaller one (mine has the smaller one already installed) to make the swivel easier. I intend to add this mod soon. The dinette in my rig has a piano hinge on the back next to the passenger seat so I can flip it down if I want the added room. Both the flexsteel and standard Ford seat will swivel. I can send a copy of the PDF of a member doing it in a 2005 Glacier (Chinook Class C) if you send me a private message. Folks have done it in the Class B (Concourse) that I own as well.

The catch? Most recommend against doing the swivel on the driver's seat. (The link details why)

zooom · 03-29-2014, 01:00 PM

I did this mod to my '06 Itasca on an E-450 chassis equipped with "custom" OEM seats. The passenger side fit well & can be easily swiveled 359* [because of the airbag wire] by simply moving the seat back/forth/tilt as it passes the door armrest. Not so for the drivers side; the steering wheel/door armrest/seat armrest interference causes many problems & in-the-end, won't allow much seat reclining because of the steering wheel. It DOES work though....

I bought my seat swivel bases from JC Whitney [P/U truck catalog] & in 2006 they cost me ~$55 each + the free shipping [when JCW offers it!]. The bases were originally used by Ford in their 1979-1989 Econovans, & probably many other Detroit vans, and they aren't a true "bolt-in", but are easy enough to adapt to your RV's seat bottoms & the floor of the cab. All I used was some new [longer & stronger] attaching hardware, hack saw & file(s) & a piece of carpet to cover the vertical cylinder on the "new" swiveling pedestals.

When finished the swiveling seats look & perform as if OE. They also greatly increase the seating capacity of my RV when parked!