Passenger Seat Swivel issues

dandr614 · 08-03-2021, 01:48 PM

Hello,

2019 Vista owner here. Went out this last weekend and the passenger seat would not swivel. Pulled the lever, appeared to have no resistance, so assuming either the cable or spring mechanism (if that is what it is) has come loose or broken). My question for those that may have had experience with this is on the repair process. In doing some looking underneath the chair it appears to be very cramped for my large hands and not easily accessed. However, I did pull up the leather fabric that is velcro attached around the base and found 4 bolts that appear to be the only thing holding the chair in place. Is this my best alternative for diagnosing the problem? Or is there another way or an exploded view diagram somewhere of the seat someone can point me to?

Just trying to figure out options as this is sort of a bummer as this functionality of these seats is really a great feature for us in the smaller rig. Just would hate to have to drag in bag into the dealer for repairs on something I could do at home. Thanks in advance.

Morich · 08-03-2021, 02:12 PM

We had the seats in our 2015 Vista redone and found it was not hard at all to remove the four bolts if you have the right size socket/ratchet combo to get up into the bolts.

But before doing that, I would look at trying to get a better look at the cables and try to spot what holds the cable to the end, which is likely to be a metal plate "hook" gizmo to lock into an opening on another metal plate.

One way to get a better look, if you see up under the seat, is to pull that latch manually and that will let you swivel the chair to a better position to look and reach.

Lots of guessing on this but what I might guess has happened is that the cable and small formed hook have come unhooked from the metal plate I've drawn as red. Getting it fit back into the holes in the plate may be all that is needed or the hook may have broken. The end hook is cheap if broken but we did have to go online to order.
In our case the hooks had to be removed to get the chairs off to take to recover and they were lost during that move! Three dollar items which took three weeks trauma to replace!

Big question? Is yours the same?? Don't know! Drawings are not plain on that point!

Mtn Charlie · 08-03-2021, 02:21 PM

A good way to take a look in tight places is to put your cell phone in selfie mode and use it as a mirror. If you think that you see something, snap a picture and then expand the picture.

dandr614 · 08-03-2021, 02:45 PM

Thanks to you both for the suggestions. I will take the advice on the phone and selfie mode for some clearer views.

As for the swivel to get a better look, it will not swivel at all at this point. The model I have has two pull buttons closest to the center console. One pull is for forward and back adjustment and the other is swivel. On the outboard side there is one lever for the backrest up and down and then another pull button for the foot rest extension.

Thanks again!

Morich · 08-03-2021, 03:32 PM

Yes, understand it will not swivel but that is where getting a look may let you spot the big heavy metal that needs to be pried out of the notch which keeps it from doing the swivel.
Likely does not make sense at all---until you get a look!
Something like the manual wheel adjustment on a mower, except it is hidden and operates by cable?????

I had to follow the cable from the control to where it had come loose. You may be able to reach under blindly and feel along the cable from the control you know about, to an unknown point where it is not connected?

Seemed to be a bit of fussy thing, so not at all fun to deal with it!

dandr614 · 08-03-2021, 04:32 PM

Ah, thanks Morich understand what you are saying now! Thanks for the clarification. I will check it out later this evening and report back.

dandr614 · 08-06-2021, 10:59 AM

So i was finally able to get it to rotate. It looks as though everything is intact, but loose. Any ideas on what may be the culprit? When I pull the lever on the opposite side I do get movement, albeit very little.

Thanks!

Morich · 08-06-2021, 12:37 PM

Those parts must all have names. Too bad I don't know any of them when I speak of them!!!

It looks like you have lots of slack. Is it because the picture is taken while the controls are not locked in to hold the chair?

I think that is true and makes it look much more loose than when locked, so I might suggest try the adjustment. I can't say which way, but if you run those two nuts a bit more or less along the threaded portion, it tightens/ or loosens the slack in the movement.

Looks like not much length to move things but maybe enough to get it tight enough to release when at the correct spot to lock the swivel in place? It seems like the odds should be fifty -fifty on turning the right way first but I'm betting you have to do it at least three times to get it right?????

I had to built a new metal bracket from scratch and spent most of two days under the chairs! Hope you are luckier!

dandr614 · 08-06-2021, 04:05 PM

Yeah I had made the adjustment as it was run more towards the spring "as found" and seemed to be worse when I moved it back to the lock position. I run it back down as far as I can to the spring and put it in the locked position and see how it goes. Hopefully it is that easy. Fingers crossed

Morich · 08-06-2021, 05:07 PM

If you can find the spot which is just right, don't forget to lock the two nuts down tight so they will stay where you leave them!

NOT a job that I wanted to do again, so I put a dab of locktight on them when finally okay with the way they operate.

dandr614 · 08-07-2021, 04:17 PM

Well it appears that my problem is with the plastic latch. Upon further investigation I've pulled it apart and the plastic piece has pulled down into the device. Doesn't appear to be binding anywhere, so not sure why. Will see if I can order a replacement and see if that does the trick. On a positive note, with little time I can swivel the chair manually with a quick drop down onto the floor and then when we are ready to leave it pops right back into the secure position.

Jakm · 08-08-2021, 05:06 PM

I just had to deal with this issue myself. The problem with my swivel latch was in the plastic latch itself. The cable connects to it via a small barrel fitting on the end of the cable, much like that of a brake/clutch lever cable on a bike/motorcycle only way smaller. In my case the plastic slot that that barrel fits into broke a little piece out allowing the barrel end to slip out. After removing and inspecting the lever assembly I discovered a retainer spring on the lever was held by a hook end over the side of the lever base. Releasing that spring hook allows the lever to move freely which exposed a secondary position for the cables barrel end to fit into. I was able to use this position and make the adjustment on the other end to fix my swivel problem. You’ll have to remove cable and all to make the repair and reassemble as a unit. If that’s you problem, if not , I found new latch assemblies here.
https://www.coachsupplydirect.com/rv...l-slide-cable/

dandr614 · 08-09-2021, 12:35 PM

Thank you very much Jakm ,just ordered one!