The "Back" bucket seats; a.k.a. the Second Row Seats are removeable...

First, fold the back flat...

Then, reach under the front outboard corner, pull the release, and rotate the whole seat forward...

Now that the seat is released from the floor anchors, it can be removed from the vehicle...

Here's where I studied the situation to make my mod. I wanted to re-create the floor anchors in a portable platform that I could use at my campsite. For this I thought and thought about what would be the simplest design to accomplish my goal. I came up with a minimalist frame...

When I was camping at Cibbets Flats last month, Gina pointed out some abandoned lumber, that someone wanted to burn, but campfires were restricted that weekend. I found 4 identical pieces, 2" x 2 3/4" x 23" long.

Then I studied the floor anchors in the van. They are made out of rods with different diameters. This is so you do not install them in the wrong positions; preserving proper seat belt function. I discovered:

The rear anchor rods on both seats are the same. 3/8" diameter.
The forward anchor rods on the Passenger side seat are 1/2" diameter.
The forward anchor rods on the Driver's side seat are 1/4" diameter.

The forward-to-rear rod spacing on the Passenger side seat is 11 3/8" centerline-to-centerline.

The forward-to-rear rod spacing on the Driver's side seat is 11 5/8" centerline-to-centerline.

I went to Home Depot and bought galvanized steel rods:
2 each at 3/8" diameter
1 each at 1/2" diameter
1 each at 1/4" diameter
They are sold in 36" lengths. I cut them down to 23".

Then I drilled appropriate sized holes, 1 inch deep, at appropriate spacing that was different for each pair of wood blocks.

This got me 4 blocks and 4 rods:

Assemble the rods into the holes in the wood...

...and place the assembled frames on your patio mat next to your trailer...

Now bring the seat you removed from the Odyssey Minivan, and place the front facing frame groove over the forward rod; in the same position you removed it from the Van...

In the same manner that the seats are installed inside the Van, push the rear latches down over the rear rods.

...and bring your seat-back (but no tray table) into an upright position, rotating the armrests down to their useable position.

Repeat the process for the other seat, and viola! A pair of comfortable chairs at your campsite. ...complete with built-in cupholders!

They even recline! The seat's forward/back adjustment is fully functional; ensuring that you won't tip over as you recline back!

Those are great. I wish that would work for Element seats.

Very clever!

That is definately the coolest thing I have seen!! You are so McGeyver. My seats come out in my Eurovan. Hmmmm...........

Careful Sharon....we "know" you have a problem with leaving chairs behind...don't want to pull out of a campsite with only half of your tugs seating

Excellent job Frederick!!!

Great idea, nicely executed, and a wonderful explanation. Thanks, Frederick.

I have considered doing the same thing with our Sienna seats, but instead for the moment we are just leaving them at home to save weight and free up cargo space in the van. I was going to use bolts as the mounting rods, between pairs of pieces of wood or even metal, since I don't see unthreaded rod in our Home Depot. Just one question: are the rods really just set in the holes in the wood without any kind of fastener? I would consider using set screws (through the wood at right angles to the rods) to pin the rods in place.

As with the Odyssey, for the Sienna this in an option only for the second row seats, as the third row folds into the floor and is not readily removable.

Nice Donna....I forgot about that. Boy would my husband be furious if I did that!!

(1) L K at the end of the Fastener aisle, toward the center of the building.

(2) I used the exact same size hole as the rod diameter. I have to twist each rod as I insert it into it's hole, in order for it to "seat" in the first block. The second block takes some pressure to seat, because I am just pushing it into place over 2 rods. I know that if this were all metal construction, the base blocks would have to be drilled out 1/32" larger than the diameter of the rod, or else it would not even fit through the hole.

Robert wants me to engineer a base frame that will turn the chair into a rocker! Geez, talk about a challenge!

Of COURSE he does! What a great idea.

Good job on the van seat mod, very inventive!

Frederick,
Sounds like a trip to the Goodwill or Salvation Army for a couple of rockers with bad upholstery is in order. Salvaged parts should correct the situation just fine. What a neat Christmas present!
Your explanation was quite clear. Sienna owners take note!
Kurt & Ann K.

Frederick - That's the metal stock rack all right, with plates and angles and boxes and threaded rods, but I didn't see any plain rod - I'll have to check again. Isn't it scary that stores in different cities - even different countries - are so alike that the layout of one can be used as instructions for the other?

Kurt - Frederick's explanation was quite clear - I just wanted to confirm that the rods were friction-fit. It can't be that Toyotas need more complex mechanical solutions - I know because I've worked on Hondas!

As for the rocker idea: why not just do the same thing again, but with wider wooden stock with a suitable curve cut on the bottom, and you have a traditional style of rocker. For the fancy mechanical rocker with a fixed base and salvaged rocking mechanism, there may not be enough room under the seat - but it couldn't hurt to try, and would work better in less-than-flat campsite conditions. I suppose engaging and disengaging the seats from rocking bases might be tough, but with the traditional design a couple of chocks would hold things steady.

The base blocks are 2" x 2 3/4" stock and I drilled the holes in the longer side, 3/4" from one edge and 2" from the other edge. That 2" rise gives the chair the same rise off the ground as it has off the floor inside the van. I hope that explanation makes sense.

I was discussing this project last May at Cambria. Mr. LeBreaux (of Geezer Egg fame) suggested that I use a single leaf spring on each side as part of a rocker base. I bought a pair off eBay to attempt this; but could not figure out how to fasten the springs to the rods. (Spring steel being a poor candadate for welding.) I don't know if I can thread (tap) out the hole (normally used to mount an axle) for an eye bolt, would I be able to catch enough threads for it to hold? Is the spring thich enough? I'd have to grind the tip of the eye bolt flush with the bottom surface. Just where to make my mounting points for proper balance; so the chair doesn't flip over backwards. I observe that many rocker rails mount close to the front legs of the chair with a long "tail" extending beyond the back legs of the chair...

Thinking of all those considerations just made my head hurt... so I decided to make my first prototype a regular chair.

The centre of the mass of the chair occupant is very close to the hips, meaning way back in the seat, so the centre of the rocker runners is approximately under that - thus the long "tails". That way, rocking is moving back and forth like an upside down pendulum, centred around a balance point. That's also why you can easily push back and balance on the rear legs of a normal chair, but not the front legs.

Frederick... are you SURE you live in San Diego and not the Ozarks? "Why I ain't NEVER seen no better couch fer porch settin' before!"

Roger

Here we go....
Wasn't there a post about a year ago where someone actually had a portable porch? I think there were even pictures, It may have been a factory made product. Yep, porches and rockers, folks walking by and stopping to "chew the fat". Iced tea, cold beer (or mint juleps, or wine) and a long summer's evening. Now we're talking about Momma having to follow us down the road towing another trailer to tote all this stuff.
C'mon, Help paint this word picture. Remember starting a story where each person in the group contributed their part?

Mike, if this idea "takes", I'm sure it'll have to be moved.

Frederick, it's a shame that third row can't be used for visitors but many FGRV folks are used to carrying there own chairs or stools as they walk. You've inspired a lot of thought, and possibly some other ingenious designs. If the rods loosen in the wood over time, you might add a longer third "rod" of all-thread with a nut on each side of the wood pieces.
Kurt & Ann K.

Yes, It can! Thank you for reminding me about that! The 3rd row seat is reversable, and with the 2nd row seats outside, makes for a great tailgating set.
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These folks brought the porch along!

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Hey thanks for bringing this topic to the top again, I'm towing with a 3rd generation (2005) Odyssey and although the rear seat is not reversible the 2nd row works the same. we like to take the 2nd row seats with us because its nice to have the seats for extra passengers when going out from the campground to sight see or to a restaurant.