Berlingo conversion, front seats question.

[MattFreeman]

Hello everyone, I've just bought a nice little Berlingo with the side sliding doors.

The front seats do not fold forwards flat against the dash as I require the extra space to make my bed fold out to full size I am wondering what I can do.

Has anyone else remedied this?

I have an old Micra that I'm going to sell, this has seats that pull all the way forward, I cold swap them but then the rear seats of the Micra would not be accessible....

Any ideas?

[karenw]

I've adapted a Renault Kangoo which is very similar to the Berlingo and this was something I considered then embarked upon some lateral thinking.

Rather than aim to fold the seats flat to create a flat bed base, if you build a bed base (or lockers) about 400mm high then add a 100mm bed cushion you should find that by pushing the front seats forwards and tilting them, you can achieve about 6'6" length (plus the benefit of storage beneath).

Good luck!

[MattFreeman]

Thanks for the suggestion, although the problem is that my seats do not fold forward at all... There is a twisty adjustment but once they reach vertical they will not move any further.
I want them to fold to the dash/ steeringwheel, which is I think what you are explaining?

So with the current seats, it doesn't matter how high I go, the most I can get between the rear of the drivers seat and the back window is 5'8" It's much to small...

I had intended to build a bed that can come out covering the rear seats when they are in their folded position. So it will be raised allowing for storage underneath. (by about 30cm's.)

This way I can have all the seats in all of the time.

[karenw]

Aaarrgghhh! I wasn't aware of this in Berlingos and am glad you mentioned it because my future plan is (was!) to adapt a Berlingo as per my Kangoo.

I can see how this is a problem. In my Kangoo, the seat-backs tilt forwards - not fully, but just enough to allow for a 6'6" bunk extending into the 'cab' area.

This requires some thought......

[MattFreeman]

There are Berlingo models without sliding doors I believe.
These would require tilting seats to allow passengers access to the rear seats.

I'm hoping to find one in a breakers yard and acquire two front tilting seats that will bolt straight in.

That would be a result!

[Cal]

Other than a breaker, perhaps try asking on the Berlingo Forums, as someone may well have the solution... Or a folding seat to trade.

Berlingo Forums.co.uk

Citroen Owners Club.co.uk

[Derek]

Thanks for the suggestion, although the problem is that my seats do not fold forward at all... There is a twisty adjustment but once they reach vertical they will not move any further.
I want them to fold to the dash/ steeringwheel, which is I think what you are explaining?

So with the current seats, it doesn't matter how high I go, the most I can get between the rear of the drivers seat and the back window is 5'8" It's much to small...

I had intended to build a bed that can come out covering the rear seats when they are in their folded position. So it will be raised allowing for storage underneath. (by about 30cm's.)

This way I can have all the seats in all of the time.

Hi Matt, my Berlingo has a gap of 6ft with the seat backs wound forward as far as they go and the seats shoved to the front of their travel. The platform is at 9 inches, the height of the rear wheel arches.

[MattFreeman]

I have now fitted two passenger side front seats from a Berlingo van. They are the type that fold completely flat into tables.
I had to modify one of the frames to accommodate the seat belt plug on the other side.

It's fantastic, the front seats now fold flat the same height as the rear bench when it's folded down, my bed can literally go from dash to boot.

Thanks for all the suggestions and support everyone!

[peterfowden]

Berlingo seats

Hi Matt,
found it interesing about using 2 passenger van seats in your Berlingo how much modifying did it take with seat belt plug ?
Any pics of the seats etc ?

[peterholden]

I have modified the drivers seat on our Romahome so that the backrest goes forward. You need to take the seat out, remove the plastic knob that you rotate and then turn the triangle shaped metal piece until the seat stops. You will see that it is a fast up against a piece of metal. Careful use of a file can reduce this so that the backrest goes further forward.

[jimmyads]

I know its been a while since this post but after you filed this nib of metal off how far did the seats actually fold forward?

[Elbie]

I did something similar in my partner (same as berlingo) -wound the seats fully open, look down the side and you'll see that on one side the metal frame roll over is what stops the seat from going any further forward. Get a hacksaw and some pliers and cut down about 1cm in & 1cm down, wiggle it so it snaps off... front seats fold lots more forward!
This isn't as good as the brilliant idea of getting fully flat seats from a van but with 15mins work makes lots more space for a bed.
I did an amdro style box folding out thingy and this method gives lots more room for the bed which sits at approx 30cm off the rear floor.

[jimmyads]

I wonder if I can cut enough off for it to fold as much as the van ones, struggling to find one that is reasonable in price, seem to be that sought after that a nasty, orrible, tatty one goes for around 100 quid way out of my budget.

[Malcolm]

Another possibility

I know this is a fairly old thread, but as I discovered, the problem still exists - or at least it does on older models of the Berlingo. The front seat backs are prevented from being tilted forward by the metal 'roll-over' in the tilt-adjustment mechanism which some people are proposing to hacksaw off. I suspect this practice may be widespread, but speaking for myself, I would be unhappy about tampering with the car's fixed fittings in this way. I have no idea whether it weakens the seat or not; I suspect not, but I don't think such a modification would be approved by insurance companies. I am hoping that there may be a viable alternative. If you slide your two front seats as far forward as they will go, and instead of trying to wind the seat backs further forward, wind them backwards instead, you will find that by a happy coincidence, the seat backs will wind down almost flat, finishing up virtually level with the top of the folded down rear seats. At least, that is the case in my Berlingo. My feeling is that it ought to be relatively straightforward to devise some way of supporting the front section of the bed platform which now passes over the front seats. I'm hoping to build a lift-in/lift-out camping unit over the winter, so I shall let you know if I can come up with anything.

[Teddyboy]

Swivel front seats for new Birlingo?

A simple question, but cannot find the answer anywhere. Where are they, and who can fit them?