suggestions please for a SA to reach the pedals!

BERT AND ELSIE

BERT AND ELSIE

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Joined
Aug 6, 2019
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Location
NUNEATON WARKS
Funster No
63,028
MH
A CLASS
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VIRGINS GET IT NEXT WEEK
so to cut a long story short, we got Betty van in August and Bert and Elsie's Dad does all the driving.
I have wanted to and was going to take a day course to get it right, but I can't reach the pedals! the chairs due to their
swivel will not go any lower.
the s**t hit the fan this week when walking Bert his Dad fell and dislocated his shoulder, thankfully we were at home
but it again brought home the need for me to drive Betty,
What do other short peeps do?
 
9B09527D-D729-492F-952E-D87D9AE7677A.jpeg

Sorry, I couldn’t resist it, lol.

Mickey.
 
Is it an automatic..? Because if it is you could get disabled hand controls put on, I’m not being funny but they are bolted on so no alterations and there would be a specialist firm near you to get them fitted.... about £500 and covered by insurance... I’ve had them fitted to every vehicle I’ve had for over 40yrs and with cruise-control it’s a doddle...

 
Another thought, I take it that it is an older van as newer ones have plenty of seat adjustment. My wife is only 4'10" she doesn't have any problems reaching the peddles we have Fiat chassis, Aguti seats with swivel bases.

A few other options,
Swap the seat runners for ones with more adjustment.
Fit different seats with lower bases Aguti or ISRI, both lower than the Fiat or Ford seats ISIR being the lowest.
Change the seat base for a lower one, Marcle Leisure stock them.

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Lenny HB said:
You used to be able to buy peddle extension blocks.
Click to expand...
Hi.
"Sammy D " driver with us,had wooden blocks fitted in the 60's Now Lenny HB's post shows just how far we have come in..... "60 years...WHAT ? Where did those years GO ??? I must have.....Skidded them ! :xrofl: :xrofl: :xrofl: :xrofl: :xrofl: ???
Tea Bag
 
Tea Bag said:
Hi.
"Sammy D " driver with us,had wooden blocks fitted in the 60's Now Lenny HB's post shows just how far we have come in..... "60 years...WHAT ? Where did those years GO ??? I must have.....Skidded them ! :xrofl: :xrofl: :xrofl: :xrofl: :xrofl: ???
Tea Bag
Click to expand...
I used to fit cork blocks to my mums car.:xlaugh:
 
I don’t know what van you have but we had a Autocruise Starfire and I removed the seat adjuster part on that because it made seat to high.
I unbolted the seat and removed seat height adjuster and refitted seat directly onto the swivel base.

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"the hand brake can be low down and difficult to reach as well so watch out for that"

I'm not short of stature, but the handbrake was difficult for me with the 'standard' seats and trying to manouvere into a narrow, sloping drive off a single track lane with mimimal clearance on each side was virtually impossible without the use of the handbrake.

I fitted one of these, it makes even 'normal' stop and 'start' driving a pleasure.


For whatever reason the picture will not copy............

Check out the website for the Handbrake extender, my best purchase to date. Your body will thank you for it!

Robert
 
If you is really an SA, would not lowering the seat too much leave you struggling to see in front of the van.
Just a thought that Lenny HB suggestion might be better.
 
Lowered seat bases should only take it back to the seat standard height that it would be without the swivels.
 
How far off are the pedals?

Can you reach them at all? or only press them part way
Just trying to get an idea of how much you need to gain

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SWMBO is a SA.
I made a base up to raise the floor height a bit and bought one of those office chair backs that moves you forward in the seat.
 
thanks some interesting suggestions, it is a 2018 bailey 66-2, and yes the hand brake is low down too.
 
If you sort seat but handbrake is out of reach try searching kobran handbrake extender.
Easy to fit and remove.
 
BERT AND ELSIE said:
thanks some interesting suggestions, it is a 2018 bailey 66-2, and yes the hand brake is low down too.
Click to expand...
Our Hymer is 2017 and as I said earlier my 4'10" wife and she can reach the peddles without a problem. In an earlier post I mentioned the seats if it has the standard Fiat seats the base is a lot thicker than the alternative Captians seats.
 
BERT AND ELSIE said:
so to cut a long story short, we got Betty van in August and Bert and Elsie's Dad does all the driving.
I have wanted to and was going to take a day course to get it right, but I can't reach the pedals! the chairs due to their
swivel will not go any lower.
the s**t hit the fan this week when walking Bert his Dad fell and dislocated his shoulder, thankfully we were at home
but it again brought home the need for me to drive Betty,
What do other short peeps do?
Click to expand...
I am only just 5foot tall, and manage to drive our auto trail cheyenne 840. I can just about fully depress the pedals, but the main problem I have is reaching the handbrake, which is on the right hand side of the drivers seat and very low down. I have seen the handbrake extender mentioned in the reply below, and will definitely be making a purchase. Glad to know that I'm in good company being a subsized driver... Perhaps we should start a SA Drivers section.
 
Just something to think about, IF your seats incorporate the seat belts, (as many swivel seats do) remember that ANY modification will have to pass the MOT, for starters.

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Sportscraft - Ducato/Boxer/Relay X250/X290 2007+ Lowered seat box

Rainbow Conversions supply all the equipment to undertake your own DIY motorhome or campervan conversion.
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When Janie drives, everything gets adjusted seat down recline moved mirrors steering wheel, and after a little while she starts fiddling again. ? ? Bob.
 
Hi, I think lower seat bases are the best option for you,that way you keep the swivel function and a lot cheaper than replacing seats. The fiat seats fitted in moho's are higher because of the swivels,
the sitting position is very high to the point where tall people have to duck to see under the top windscreen. I had to reduce the hight of the seat bases on the old ducato's in the eighties and nineties,no problem seeing over steering wheel!!!. I have not had a fiat or {similar} since 1996 but may have to go back to the dreaded front wheel drive to downsize to 3.5t of any more problems with DVLA doctors, I will have to find more anti wheels spin ground gripping utensils. Good luck
 
BERT AND ELSIE said:
what a good idea anymore SA drivers out there!
Click to expand...
Me at 5'
The front of the seat on the ducato can be tilted downwards find this really helps. In fact better seating position than in my vauxhall viva (2016 no the old one) which i no longer have.
 
5ft 3”. Can I join please
I learnt to drive in a 86” Land Rover. Dad bolted blocks of wood on the pedals worked for me and it is legal

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