Yet another crazy idea for interior comfort, swivel recliner

[WayneG]

As my bones complain more and more each day, I am looking for a bit more comfort while RV'ing.
It is time to consider a recliner. Maybe something like the one below?

With larger Classics, this should be EZ, but with a 270, it is a challenge.
I can only find one convenient spot in my floor plan as shown below.
The couch beds do not have room under them and to remove one, I would loose a bed.
The driver and passenger seats need to meet code for driving and they are a hassle to get to.

The dinette is the only spot that seems to make sense.
I will loose the capability to make it into a bed. I will also loose one bench seat, and its storage, but the table and forward seat remain.
We dont eat at the dinette anyway, I use it for my mini-office with laptop and such.

I need to find a swivel recliner than the arms can clear swiveling under the table and be able to recline without the back hitting anything.

Has anyone tried something like this?

[Magnet18]

I think it would make a great passengers seat!

[jdalrymple]

Originally Posted by Magnet18

I think it would make a great passengers seat!

You may be onto something.

A modification to a new passenger seat with a recliner function, that rotates 180 degrees, might be less invasive than trying to find a location for new furniture.


Regards,


JD

[uncle_bob]

Hi

I know this may be impossible .... Try to find an example of what you are going to install. Spend some time sitting in it. I've seen a *lot* of very cool looking chairs over the years that turned out to be painful after about 15 minutes.

No problem with dumping the dinette. That gets done in a lot of "upgrades". I rarely see anybody who want's theirs back after ripping one out. I'd look at the whole dinette space and maybe get a bit more adventurous .....

Bob

[redhat200]

Ultimate Airstream has recliners that fit underneath the table height. And have done dinettes where only one is a bank yet and the other is a recliner. Check them out. They do awesome work.
The silver buffalo

[twestover]

Originally Posted by redhat200

Ultimate Airstream has recliners that fit underneath the table height. And have done dinettes where only one is a bank yet and the other is a recliner. Check them out. They do awesome work.
The silver buffalo

Ultimate Airstream did a LOT of work on our trailer and we could not be happier. Plus they stand by their work (we needed an adjustment and they took care of it right away) and they are lovely to work with. Overall, I would rate Ultimate Airstream with a 10! For a very cool table top, I would recommend Able's Tables in Tigard, OR. Get rid of that laminate and get a gorgeous wooden tabletop - so much warmer! Just my opinion.

[Tschupp]

I second the “dump the dinette” post. I have not missed mine at all.

[melindamcmul]

Wanted to use a recliner in our FC 30. Here’s how ours turned down, courtesy of Woodland Travel Center in Grand Rapids. We Put our dinette in a U-shaped which is beautiful and seats more people. We replaced the table with a marine style take one. Then we built a kitchen workstation and work area with the drawers. There is an overhang there so that the recliner can be used as an office space. You can also some of the little round to join people at the dinette for cocktails and chatting or a meal!

[twrastall]

We took our dinette and the bench on the curb side out of our 25flying cloud FB and put a stressless swivel recliner rocker in. If we sell it only takes a few minutes to reinstall the dinette and bench. Use a small folding table to eat on when we are inside. So far so good.

[time2play]

Wayne, what is the brand and model of the recliner you posted? Thanks.

[WayneG]

Originally Posted by time2play

Wayne, what is the brand and model of the recliner you posted? Thanks.

That was a concept chair from Macy's

https://www.macys.com/shop/product/kitsen-swivel-recliner-quick-ship?ID=4637467
After looking into that one, it did not get good reviews due to mechanical problems. There are others that are similar with better reviews. Whatever I choose, I like uncle bob's advise to try before you buy.

On replacing the passenger seat, I prefer not to, first it would not pass DMV inspection, and I would not want anyone sitting there if we had a accident.
Also, because the dinette wall is right behind that seat, it is inconvenient to use.

I plan to only pull one dinette bench for this project. The table is useful and so is the other bench seat.

The table comes out with 2 latches if I want it out of the way.

The other bench seat houses my inverter and converter and my solar electronics, so that one has to stay.
Pulling the bench near the door is probably a dozen screws & rivets and ez to reinstall if needed.

[NY24]

The OEM furniture in my 2015 Dynamax DX3-37RB was beautiful CRAP. Not even close to being comfortable (which you don't learn until you spend EXTENDED time sitting/lying down). I saw reps from ProCustomInc (574-217-0399) while at an RV rally in Elkhart, IN and, was impressed with their work. I had them remove the OEM sofa, dinette and bed. They installed COMFORTABLE replacements (a swivel recliner, a sideboard with two cabinets; a trestle dining table with two chairs and, a super comfortable true queen width thick foam mattress to replace the POS Serta bastard "king" mattress). WHAT A DIFFERENCE! Especially now that I live full-time in my Super-C. MOST RV furniture is installed because it looks good. Comfort and utility is not important to RV builders. For folks who only use their RVs on weekends/short vacations, comfort (or lack thereof) is less important then it is to extended-time and full-time users. So, by all means, swap out the OEM crap and pay to get something you'll be happy to use. It will make a world of difference!

[BoscoMN]

We are lucky to have a 25' FC Rear Bed so it was a piece of cake to remove the existing dinette shelf, seat and drawer (just like twrastall). We opted for a nice office chair that can raise up or lower about 6", reclines nicely and swivels.


It allows me to work at the table on the computer, use the table for meals and to swivel fore/aft to recline to the maximum and to use an ottoman if I want.

[WayneG]

Originally Posted by BoscoMN

We are lucky to have a 25' FC Rear Bed so it was a piece of cake to remove the existing dinette shelf, seat and drawer (just like twrastall). We opted for a nice office chair that can raise up or lower about 6", reclines nicely and swivels.


It allows me to work at the table on the computer, use the table for meals and to swivel fore/aft to recline to the maximum and to use an ottoman if I want.

A nice office chair sounds like a good option.

I did see some swivel recliners with ottoman's out there

[martin300662]

I think you can make some changes to what you have to achieve what you are looking for Wayne. Take a look at the 1977 24ft Argosy, it was able to use the roto-dinette because the floor in that area was raised to house the generator.



However these are often changed to regular captains chairs, with a third add, and a pull out table, below is Peanut's layout.



Although Peanut has 3 matching second row seats from a VW Touran, they could easily be reclining captains chairs from the likes of Shop4seats.



I believe the key is the elevated floor which then puts the third seat on the same height as the front row when used as a dinette, but allows the seat base to be dropped and gives room for extension when swiveled.

[WayneG]

When I had my 77 24' Argosy, it had the Frankinstein-Dinette/Bed
(Never try to configure it unless you are 100% sober)
It was a interesting concept but I did not like the height it was at above the floor.

This recliner project is coming about because I found out (the hard way) that there is no longer any cartilage in my right knee, so excessive stepping up and down is not an option without a new knee.

I do like the thought of moving the table forward and/or mounting it differently to give more room for one sided seating. Maybe using a shorter, rounded table, may make it possible to add different seating?

Before I get too crazy with mods, after my next run, I think that I will pull the rear dinette seat assembly to see how things look. I need to see how ugly the wall is with it removed, I also have some lighting switches and wires to deal with.
Whatever I do, I still need to work around accessing my AC/DC wiring & electronics

[martin300662]

Sometimes, the concept of tables gets over complicated.

The plans for Peanut is similar to used during van conversions in Europe; a simple box is attached to the floor and wall where the table top drops into the box, but when lifted out is held by the two stops (part of the box)....no legs, fancy sliders (as we have in Bella), just simple.

[Isuzusweet]

I did the same but a couple of differences. The front of the table where it hooks is the top of the counter when it closes, so you don't have to open anything, you just grab it and pull up.

The table was construct with a 1" white oak framework surrounding a piece of 3/4" Reboard (corrugated paper inside two pieces of laminate backer for strength), laminated on both sides with solid colour core laminate. Two aluminum C channels on either side of the opening allow the wheels you attach at the back of the table to travel downwards, keeping the table square to the interior wall front. I fastened two 1/8" thick pieces of C channel on the wall and rabbitted under the top to act as stops for the table, but also built out that small cabinet to act as support.

Very light, very strong, no issues to report at all in its usage. In retrospect I maybe should have, or could have made it a bit smaller, but the DW hasn't complained about how much space it gives us.

Cheers
Sidekick Tony

[WayneG]

Since I need to be on the road in a week, I did a quickie mod.
I pulled the rear dinette bench and stuck a computer chair in its place.
The light switches need a new home, but it looks like this may work. If it is too tight for a swivel recliner, then I can swap the table with something smaller.

[carpenc]

Originally Posted by Magnet18

I think it would make a great passengers seat!

I LOVE this idea! Does anyone make recliner seats that swivel available to fit as front passenger seat in 2018 AI?