supporting bench seat

Post by **bartlby bus** » 12 Oct 2007, 06:19

Now i have just got my front bench seat from that very nice man gary on here. Because my partner and I are just about to have our first baby and think that this is better to put the baby seat up front with us.

does any one have any ideas how to make it self supporting as our auto sleeper has a walk through?

alsohas any one got any seat belt ideas can i use the current mountings for the middle belt?

has any one done this?

once again thanks for any ideas in advance

bartlby (hopefully baby carrying) bus

Website · Post by **syncrosimon** » 12 Oct 2007, 07:38

I always thought that the middle seat was supported just on the passenger seat runners, and there was no extra support. Mind you I have not owned a camper with a middle seat for nearly 10 years now. The seat belts all bolt to the original mountings, but they are all longer webbing type ones that then come up through the back of the base of the seat. The middle seat only gets a lap belt. But that is enough to secure a baby seat. We have done that in the past very successfully. The walk through bit then becomes very useful storage space.
Oh, our bus had a bulk head to support the back of the seat. It had some sort of clip to allow a small amount of for and aft movement. You are gonna need to do something like weld a bar across at the back.
That is nt too difficult and is easily removable in the future. I would try and find a second hand set of belts, and then copy the position of those catches and get a local welder to zip a bar in across the B pillars.

Post by **hammy44** » 12 Oct 2007, 17:23

bartlby dont want to destroy your dreams but because there is no nose or engine in the front of these vans would you not be better to keep baby in rear. partner could ride back with it when its awake and sit up front when its sleeping i know you dont intend to have an accident but its the other road users we need to consider. was at an accident the other day head on collision some guy came round corner on wrong side of road ????? messy think safety we all love our kids.

Post by **DiscoDave** » 12 Oct 2007, 17:45

a valid point hammy, there is a vid somewhere (yootube) of t25 vs volvo. t25 gets a scratch and volvo gets totaled but then there are also pics like this

it's safer in the back!

Post by **Ian Hulley** » 12 Oct 2007, 18:45

The twin front passenger seats were designed for use in panel vans which had a full, half or pole styleee bulkhead, these all had a bracket which supported the seat back.

Ian.

Post by **timthetrader** » 14 Oct 2007, 20:44

Why not use a buddy seat from a autohomes as it swivels round to front facing! and comes with a belt! Our youngest sits in it. I will upload a pic if you like!

Post by **Louey** » 14 Oct 2007, 20:58

I just welded and bolted on a piece of angle iron (steel actually)and it is solid. I'll have to find piccies if that might show you

Post by **timthetrader** » 16 Oct 2007, 12:45

A couple of pics from our vans buddy seat! And its fitted with a lap belt which feeds though the back of the car seat!

Website · Post by **syncrosimon** » 16 Oct 2007, 15:56

DiscoDave wrote:a valid point hammy, there is a vid somewhere (yootube) of t25 vs volvo. t25 gets a scratch and volvo gets totaled but then there are also pics like this

[img:575:391]http://discodave.image-storage.net/crash.jpg[/img]

it's safer in the back!

It's worth knowing though that the driver of that T3 fell asleep at the wheel and drove into that post at an estimated 65mph. Any car except a roll cage equiped car would have folded like that.
Simon.

Post by **Ian Hulley** » 16 Oct 2007, 19:20

Put into context that's a relatively 'good' result ... imagine a common-or-garden silver family-sized Eurobox in a similar situation .... or let's not shall we

Ian.

Post by **mahatmacoat** » 27 Oct 2007, 20:58

Just to note on the crash thing. It's generally better if the vehicle crushes in a crash as it dispates the forces exerted on the occupants. The human body can only stand a certain G of decelaration before you snuff it, so crumpling can be good.

Land Rover had to strategically perforate the front members of the chassis on Range Rovers as although the vehicles looked great after a crash unfortunately the occupants would have all died!

Post by **torz** » 06 Nov 2007, 15:12

DiscoDave wrote:a valid point hammy, there is a vid somewhere (yootube) of t25 vs volvo. t25 gets a scratch and volvo gets totaled but then there are also pics like this

[img:575:391]http://discodave.image-storage.net/crash.jpg[/img]

[img:170:210]http://discodave.image-storage.net/vanagon_crash.jpg[/img]

it's safer in the back!

.... that pic makes me go all cold...

Post by **torz** » 07 Nov 2007, 10:29

bartlby bus wrote:Now i have just got my front bench seat from that very nice man gary on here. Because my partner and I are just about to have our first baby and think that this is better to put the baby seat up front with us.

does any one have any ideas how to make it self supporting as our auto sleeper has a walk through?

alsohas any one got any seat belt ideas can i use the current mountings for the middle belt?

has any one done this?

once again thanks for any ideas in advance

bartlby (hopefully baby carrying) bus

bartlby
We have a Bench seat in the front of our Caravelle as we needed an 8 seater...
Bear in mind that we didn't need the walk through where as you may find you will want/need it.
Personally I would fit a buddy seat behind the passenger seat. ( I had one fitted in my Westy with a 3 point belt) very safe for babies to travel backwards..
I have taken some pics of how ours is fitted and secured for you..(and anyone else)
Ian Hulley helped me and MAtt fit it and its very solid.. I will leave the technical bits to Ian, who may come on and tell you how we did it.
But briefly the bar came out of a T25 anyway and is fitted/fixed to the A frame behind the front seats..... see pix below...

as you can see the seat is secured to the bar with metal supports that Steve@gasure made for us but anyone could make them.

Hope this helps give you an idea of what is involved..... personally I would rather have a baby in the back, either on a 3 point belt on the rear seat or on a buddy seat behind the passenger seat.

Post by **wackos00** » 07 Nov 2007, 13:29

has anyone found that video of the volvo VS the t25? ive been looking but cant find it!?

Post by **wackos00** » 07 Nov 2007, 13:31

Ha, next thing i look at!!

http://www.vanagon.com/info/safety/volv ... index.html

Here are some statistics:

Volvo
VW Caravelle

HIC (Head Injury Criterion)
for driver:
3,868
155

Head impact:
200 G
42 G

Chest impact:
65 G
30 G

high numbers are volvo
low numbers t25

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