# Routan w/ stow & go



## VWroutanvanman (Feb 12, 2011)

Here are the mods to my '10 SE so far:

1. Perforated leather stow and go seats from a 2011 Chrysler Town & Country


















2. Paint stripes and painted VW logo on hatch: 









3. LED running lights:








4. Tinted front side windows to match rear tint, and tint band on windshield.


Soon to come: Perforated leather front seat kit and third row perforated leather kit from Katskin in Cali.

Wheels and tires? We'll see.

Can't find lowering springs. Still looking.


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## VWroutanvanman (Feb 12, 2011)

You'll notice that the Ceylon beige now doesn't match the new mid-row seats. Katskin makes a leather kit for all three rows (I won't need the mid-row set) in a color that matches the light frost color from the 2011 CT&C, so I'll end up with leather in all 3 rows that matches the mid-row color. My SE came with V-tex faux leather (plastic) that isn't very durable and absorbs colors from clothing and I find to be very hot, so I'm looking foward to getting that mod done.


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## 58kafer (Jun 27, 2007)

VWroutanvanman said:


> You'll notice that the Ceylon beige now does't match the new mid-row seats. Katskin makes a leather kit for all three rows (I won't need the mid-row set) in a color that matches the light frost color from the 2011 CT&C, so I'll end up with leather in all 3 rows that matches the mid-row color. My SE came with V-tex faux leather (plastic) that isn't very durable and absorbs colors from clothing and I find to be very hot, so I'm looking foward to getting that mod done.


Nice clean install. I'm sure it wasn't cheap. Our factory leather absorbed the color from clothes too (jeans), so you may run the same risk when you get the kit. Doesn't seem to anymore.

Did you paint the blue on the VW or is it stripe tape? That looks great!

What console is in there? I thought you upgraded to the premium console?


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## VWroutanvanman (Feb 12, 2011)

The VW logo on the hatch was a new unit from VW parts that I delivered to the paint striper guy, and he painted it, matching the color from a VW parts dept. decal. He striped our Routan the day after we bought it in May 2010 (lt.blue, dk. blue), and just did the VW logo last week. The two seats and floor cover (it's different than the fixed seat floor cover) cost $480 with shipping from Minnesota to Florida. Not a bad deal, if you ask me. Cloth seats are cheaper. I wanted to adapt a super-console to my Routan, but it would not work. The console in the van now has been in 3 vans so far, and it is available at truckstuffusa.com. It's called a high console or some such, and has 3 power outlets, is lighted inside, and is cavernous, and has 4 cupholders. It's been painted to match the ceylon beige on top, and that light brown color on the bottom.......I'm thinking of painting the VW wheel caps blue like the hatch logo if I don't get wheels. Not a big selection out there in 5 on 5" (5 on 127mm). 

Here's the link to the console:http://www.truckstuffusa.com/plugngopowco.html

By the way, the stow & go seats and cover were brand new with no time on them.


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## h2oveedub96 (Mar 26, 2000)

you can run porsche 5x130 with these http://www.tulipcitywheels.com/tcwstore/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1730

or go through motorsport tech and get adapters, et on most porsche wheels are 50 or higher, and the thinest adapter they will make us is 15mm so the lowest offset could be around 35 which tirerack has on thier site for out vehicles. for $240 the adapters are really nice. I had a set for porsche to 4x100


Wheel Adapter Configuration - Complete!
*********************
2009 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN
Your Bolt Pattern: 5x127mm
Your Hub Diameter: 71.5mm
*********************
Type: One Piece Adapter
Hub Centric to Car & Wheel Centric to Wheel 
Thickness: 20mm
Stud Size: 12x1.25
Center Bore: 71.5mm
Diameter: 5 by 130 (5.12 inches)
Quantity: 4


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## VWroutanvanman (Feb 12, 2011)

Wow! I had never heard of wobble lug nuts. What a great idea.........My wheel search starts over. Great info. Thanks.


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## h2oveedub96 (Mar 26, 2000)

np, my wheel search is never ending lol, keep up the great work on the van :thumbup:


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## VWroutanvanman (Feb 12, 2011)

*Console and mod #5*

Here's a few shots of the console. Note stock console along side replacement.









Mod #5: Handicapped ramp and floor with EZ-Lock hold-down device.


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## 58kafer (Jun 27, 2007)

Wow that console is JUMBO, nice job on the paint match.


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## VWroutanvanman (Feb 12, 2011)

Yeah, thanks. Home Depot comes thru again (Rustoleum, I think). It is surprisingly durable. The rear lower portion of the console was trimmed to fit the stow & go floor cover. The front and rear looked the same before it was cut off.........Is there a web site that reports wheel specs on wheels they sell? Most of the ones I've looked at list the wheels they sell, but not the specs, so you can't tell if they'll fit or not. CarId.com has a ton of wheels listed, but not wether they'll fit the Routan.


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## routancan (Aug 8, 2009)

*VWroutanvanman: Mod #5: Handicapped ramp and floor with EZ-Lock hold-down device*

Just wondering about this mod, doesn't look as though you would have to do much to the van to accommodate this ramp. From most of the wheelchair ramp modifications that we have seen, the builder has to cut through the van's frame and lower the floor and so on...huge $$$$. Can this ramp also be installed through the tailgate?? We are just trying to keep our options open as our son will be needing a power wheelchair in the near future...thanks!!


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## h2oveedub96 (Mar 26, 2000)

*wheels specs*

I've been going through alot of wheel manufactuers websites looking at the wheels specs, most wheels i've found are not 5x127 (5x5). Most wheels can be found in an offset that will work withour vans. It's the lug pattern that is a tough find.


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## VWroutanvanman (Feb 12, 2011)

*Ramp options*

The ramp floor is 3/4" plywood that is held in place by several means: 1.There are 2 hooks at the rear of the ramp floor that engage the U-shaped van floor bars (that the stock seats mount to). 2. There are 2 pins at the door sill that go down into the body and keep the ramp from twisting, and properly aligned with the door opening, and that is the only permanent change to the van (Two 3/8" holes). When I sell the van I'll replace the sill cover with a new one. The EZ-Lock has been converted from electonic control to manual use with a lever to disengage the lock. This type of ramp system successfully survived a 45 mph head-on crash, with the powerchair not moving at all that was held down by a tie-down to a similar type of floor in a '10 Dodge Caravan (Yeah, it was totalled). One problem with a side door ramp in the '08-'11 C-D-R trio is that the sliding door opening is only 28", and you need 29" for a 24" wide ramp ( EDIT: with the passenger seat moved all the way back). There is a mod you can do to increase the opening to 29". There are rear hatch ramps available, but I don't think they are available for the rear in-floor folding seat vans, plus the bumper height makes the ramp angle pretty steep. That's why I went with a side-door ramp, lower ramp angle and I only lose 1 seat to use. Still can seat 6 people in van with powerchair in place. Most of the other systems take up 1 row of seats. Braun now makes a lowered floor handicapped van that is cheaper because they only lower the mid-row seating area, instead of the whole floor from firewall to 3rd row seats. But cheaper in this case still means expensive. At the Dodge dealer recently (on a used van), I saw a lift that stored completely inside that slides out, then down to drop the powerchair to the ground (not a cable lift), but it took up the whole third row, above the stowed 3rd row seats. Good luck finding a ramp.


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## dgarlins (Nov 4, 2009)

*"eye liner"*

curious where you got the LED running lights? i have an '09 (recently purchased) and like them!


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## VWroutanvanman (Feb 12, 2011)

The running lights came from CarId.com. Here's the link:http://www.carid.com/2011-volkswagen-routan-xenon-hid/headlight-kit-92558.html

And here is the link to the thread here on VWVortex:http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?5222227-Audi-like-running-lights


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## Av. (Jul 28, 2009)

Wow! Tasteful mods :beer:


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## PSU (May 15, 2004)

Pimping that thing out!!!


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## isukennedy (Aug 1, 2005)

*stow-n-go seats*

Where did you get them? I'd love to do that kind of thing to my Routan!!!


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## VWroutanvanman (Feb 12, 2011)

*Stow & go*

Seats are available from various minivan converters for handicap access. I got mine from a company up in your neck of the woods: http://motors.shop.ebay.com/rollxvans55378/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=. 

Don't forget to get the floor cover (hinged cover over bins) because it is different than the fixed seat cover. Good luck.


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## redzone98 (Jun 10, 2004)

VWroutanvanman said:


> The two seats and floor cover (it's different than the fixed seat floor cover) cost $480 with shipping from Minnesota to Florida. Not a bad deal, if you ask me. Cloth seats are cheaper..


 A VERY GOOD Price !!


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## VWroutanvanman (Feb 12, 2011)

*Ejector seat*

One other note on the mid-row stow & go seats: try to get 2011 seats, as they stow with a one lever push, rather than the pull to lower the seat back, and another pull to tilt the seat into the well. The '11 seats do it this way: Push the side lever up, and the headrest tilts down, unlocking the seat back that folds down automatically, which then unlocks the seat base, which tilts toward the floor opening, then you manually push the seat into the well. It is quite comical, reminding us of the James Bond ejector seat from his Aston Martin (sort of).

I noticed today that Rollxvans has some leather seats with microfiber trim. They are out of a 2011 Chrysler Limited. Also black leather from a Chrysler. I don't think Dodge has leather available, except in the R/T, which has red stitching, but these black seats have white stitching.

Here's the link: http://motors.shop.ebay.com/rollxvans55378/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=


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## Cool Dub (Aug 25, 2010)

*Leather seat color change*

FYI, If you want to match your new stow n go seats to the original color you can buy a leather spray paint.
I was surprised how well it worked. We installed DVD built into new leather headrest and the car toys guy went to the auto supply place and got the color match to spray the new headrest.
A year later and they still look great. Nice retro on the seats.


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## VWroutanvanman (Feb 12, 2011)

*V-Tex paint*

Thanks for the info. I'll look into the paint thing. I would rather paint the V-tex material to match the mid-row seats as I like the darker color. I wonder if it would work on V-tex. That would save quite a few bucks.


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## Trail Ryder (Jul 18, 2011)

VWroutanvanman said:


>


Nice. Is there anyway to secure that Super Console to the floor?


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## VWroutanvanman (Feb 12, 2011)

*Console*

The console has 2 holes at each end to run screws down into the floor, and thats it. So you'll have to come up with a way to secure it. Because I have stow 'n go seats in my Routan, I leave the console loose so I can move it foward to clear the bin covers when stowing the seats. But a good way to secure it would be to use a blind nut such as a well-nut or a jack-nut. A wiring harnes runs right down the middle of the van under the console, so take care when working in that area.


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## skeelo (Dec 17, 2011)

How is that little stock console mounted on the floor? Did it come off pretty easily?


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## VWroutanvanman (Feb 12, 2011)

Between the seats in front of the console is a cap over the spare tire winch lug. Removing the cap frees up the console, then lift up the front and move it foward to disengage tab A from slot B at the back of the console. Easy, peasy.


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## Air_Cooled_Nut (Mar 15, 2000)

VWroutanvanman said:


> Here are the mods to my '10 SE so far:
> 
> 1. Perforated leather stow and go seats from a 2011 Chrysler Town & Country
> 
> ...


Okay, I need more info on this as this is [yet another] something on my to-do list. Is all that's needed are the stow-n-go seats ('11 Routan sounds like the best) and the different bin cover? Was removal & install of the seats rather straight forward? Details my man, details! Thanks :beer:


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## VWroutanvanman (Feb 12, 2011)

*Installing Stow & Go seats*

Here's the sequence: 
1. Move front seats all the way foward and unbolt the bin floor cover and lift it out. it is easy to break so you need to lift it out evenly (2 people).
2. Unbolt the hefty brackets that the front of the middle seats clamp to. They are not used for the new seats. There are 5 bolts on each side if I remember correctly. At least one (maybe 2) of the 5 bolt holes are open to the outside. On the outside hole (the one closest to the door) I put silicone on the bolt that came out of that hole and threaded it from underneath to seal the hole. The other hole I wasn't sure about so I sealed that one with silicone only. The new seats only use 3 of the 5 bolts (actually 3 studs).
3. Install the new floor cover and you are done. Probably a 2 hour job at best. 
Good luck with it. It's not a difficult job. On a scale of 1 to 10, it's probably a 4 or 5.


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## micl9 (Feb 19, 2012)

Thanks VWroutanvanman! :beer:

Any idea if you can find/get heated stow n gos?


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## Air_Cooled_Nut (Mar 15, 2000)

VWroutanvanman said:


> ...
> 3. Install the new floor cover and you are done. Probably a 2 hour job at best.
> Good luck with it. It's not a difficult job. On a scale of 1 to 10, it's probably a 4 or 5.


 Doesn't sound difficult. Cool, thanks! :thumbup:


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## micl9 (Feb 19, 2012)

Hey VWroutanvanman
Can you identify this connector? I am trying to figure out if its heated seat related.


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## VWroutanvanman (Feb 12, 2011)

Could be a seat heat connector. My non-heated stowing seats don't have that one. I'm pretty sure that some options on Chrysler and Dodge vans have 4 heated seats. Check with RollX vans converters to see what their inventory is. Here's the link: http://www.rollxvans.com/index.aspx
Also: http://motors.shop.ebay.com/rollxvans55378/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=


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## Daves routan (Jun 21, 2021)

VWroutanvanman said:


> Here are the mods to my '10 SE so far:
> 
> 1. Perforated leather stow and go seats from a 2011 Chrysler Town & Country
> 
> ...



Can you contact me I need to know how to.mount stow and go 2nd row seats

[email protected]


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## Zambee500 (Jun 23, 2011)

Daves routan said:


> Can you contact me I need to know how to.mount stow and go 2nd row seats


I believe VWroutanvanman sold or traded his Routan and moved on several years ago to a "real" Gen 5 Chrysler minivan. He was trying to sell his stow & go seats that are mentioned up-thread for awhile after he got out of his Routan. So he might not reply if he stopped following this message board, unless your reply somehow pinged his email that someone replied to a thread he started.

Someone with a similar username (but I believe not same person) created the Ultimate Seat Swapping Guide at the Chrysler minivan boards which might have some info on mounting: 








Ultimate Guide To Seat Swapping In 2008-2016 Grand...


Ultimate Guide To Seat Swapping In 2008-2016 Grand Caravan, Town & County & Routan Hello! So this is my first post here, and ought to be a Duesey! I will surely be posting other questions, but hopefully this will be a good one to kick off with! So I've been reading stuff on this board for a...




www.chryslerminivan.net


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