Leg room for tall drivers?

parkgt

2007 Great West Van on 2006 2500 T1N
Contemplating getting a 2005 to 2007 Free Spirit and was wondering about the drivers seat room for taller drivers.

With the bathroom right up against the drivers seat is there sufficient room for a 6' 2" driver?

More of my height is in my torso, inseam 34".

No units close by to try and don't want to drive over 500 miles to look at one just to find I can't fit and drive comfortably.

Thanks,
Greg
 

pfflyer

Well-known member
I don't have a Free Spirit but I have a 34" inseam as well. I like to sit closer to the steering wheel so that there is plenty of bend in my arms and I can still stretch my left leg straight to the left of the brake pedal. Hope that helps if no one else with a FS and 34" inseam chimes in.
 

GaryJ

Here since 2006
I don't have a Free Spirit but I have a 34" inseam as well. I like to sit closer to the steering wheel so that there is plenty of bend in my arms and I can still stretch my left leg straight to the left of the brake pedal. Hope that helps if no one else with a FS and 34" inseam chimes in.
34" inseam here also in a couple of 06's. No problem for me, and sometimes I drive with the seat a notch forward. I have a 2" soft foam cushion on the seat so that raises me a bit effectively increasing the leg room.

Gary
 

nekit

Member
Contemplating getting a 2005 to 2007 Free Spirit and was wondering about the drivers seat room for taller drivers.

With the bathroom right up against the drivers seat is there sufficient room for a 6' 2" driver?

More of my height is in my torso, inseam 34".

No units close by to try and don't want to drive over 500 miles to look at one just to find I can't fit and drive comfortably.

Thanks,
Greg
I have an 2007 Free spirit LSS. 2006 Chassis. It has the FlexSteel plush style front seats in it. I'm 6" tall with most of my height in my legs. 34" inseam. In the stock configuration I found that the seat was too close. I took the seat apart, cut and welded the frame so that it has a bend in it about half way up. The seat only hit the bathroom wall up by the shoulders, so this bend helped. I've driven about 20K miles and it's pretty comfortable. It would be nice if it had an 1" or 2" inches of room, but i can live with it. Many of the Frees spirits have the stock style seats recovered and I think they are much thinner and probably no problem.

Love my Free spirit and all of these vans have different compromises.

Hope this helps.
Rob
 

hobbssb

Member
Not as important as the driver's seat, but bed length is also of concern. If being able to stretch out straight at night is a priority, it will be tight for 6'2".
 

nutterbutter

2004 LTV Free Spirit T1N
I'm 5'11". I have a seat cushion on top of the seat because there isn't enough padding on long trips.

I think you have to sit closer to the steering wheel (the weird bus-like angle seems to accommodate this), and higher up. But then when you sit higher up, the armrest on the door is just too low. I need to add 1.5" of foam or something on top of it. Would help the fit on long trips a lot.

I think it works out for me okay, other than the seat needing reupholstery.

Sleeping: I sleep at an angle. Head in the far corner, toes to the middle aisle. I also sleep on a thermarest on top of the couch/bed.

FYI on necessary changes/upgrades:
Surco spare tire mount on door, so you can open both doors easily.
Shocks/struts
Put a real battery cutoff switch so your battery doesn't die from sitting.
 

tinman

Well-known member
5'11" 34" inseam, drive with the seat all the way back, very comfortably. The seat has a fair range of adjustment for angle and height, and an inflatable lumbar support, so even though the wheel is fixed I would guess you will find a comfortable configuration.
 

brassarl

2006 T1N 2500 Long & Tall
Not as important as the driver's seat, but bed length is also of concern. If being able to stretch out straight at night is a priority, it will be tight for 6'2".
I have an 2006 Free Spirit 3S and at 6.0 ft tall I find driving has ample leg room. I sometimes drive 500 miles a day, if uncomfortable I would not.

As for the stretching out in the bed. Most (all) Free Spirits have two options, sleeping crosswise and as you said it is a little tight, I sleep at an angle since I am alone. If there are two of us, then I make up the bed in the lengthwise configuration, I think it is close to a Kingsize measurement.

Like someone said earlier, everything has it's compromises, even my previous 34' Class A Gulfstream.

Lou
 

hayduke

2005/2006 leisure travel
I got mine from a guy who bought it sight unseen,and by the time he drove it home,he knew he could not tolerate the limited room due to the bath room obstruction,so you were very smart to question that
 

parkgt

2007 Great West Van on 2006 2500 T1N
I got mine from a guy who bought it sight unseen,and by the time he drove it home,he knew he could not tolerate the limited room due to the bath room obstruction,so you were very smart to question that
I ended up buying a 2007 Great West Legend with a chest of drawers and counter top behind the drivers seat. Plenty of room to move back, with nothing blocking the seat or head area. so far we like the layout very well.
 

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