transporting a family of 5 in an autosleeper?

[pi quattro]

Hi! Brand Newbie here!

I know this may have been asked many times before and i have checked the Wiki section, but how do you transport the wife and three small kids (8,4 & Baby)

Just looking for suggestions/solutions to the dilema? Although im not a health and safety nut, i dont like the idea of piling them all in with no belts. I can find ony two solutions.

1) A custom made seat that seats two with built in belts that is removeable. (third child sitting on the rock n roll bed)
This option requires a belt to be fiited which could be tricky.

2) A custom made seat that fits all three in a row! (at a squeeze)

How do others get round this problem?

Many thanks in advance for any suggestions!

[kevtherev]

welcome to the forum

Three lap belts (anchored to the engine bulkhead)
two seat belts baby in the front.
two seat belts lap belt in the middle.
baby seat on the floor against the back of the pass seat (rearward facing) with lap belt fitted to battery box two seatbelts
(three point belt kit) available from Brickwerks

I never bothered, not the most ideal way, but we never really thought about it.

PS
How do you bed the kids?
baby in the cab bunk two up top
baby on the parcel shelf bed two up top?

[jim potter]

I have a daughter aged 4 and aged 1. Plus the wife. I have put a e point in the passenger side rear and a lap belt on the drivers side rear. Wife and youngest travel in the back . My eldest who is now in a booster thing. Travels in the don't. That way both kids get 3 point belts. Adding another lo belt to the rear isn't to hard.

[trucker]

If you have the full width seat type layout its a doddle to fit two 3 point belts and a lap belt using B/werks kit just need a little trimming at the rear of the wardrobe.
If you have the 3/4 width rear seat type I suppose It'll have to be a jump seat, a la Multivan (seen these done with 3 point belts)

[kevtherev]

good point Trucker it would make a difference knowing the conversion.
some vans would already have the mounts for the belts

[trucker]

I didnt think Autosleepers had seatbelt fittings(captive nuts) in them as they were vans rather than busses Kev? (mine didn't)
Having said that it's an easy fit as the indents are there to guide you where to drill and Baxters kit is top notch.
Loads of info here.
http://www.brickwerks.co.uk/shop?page=s ... gory_id=92" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[OddJobBob]

I have 2 of the boys on the bench seat - one with three point belt and one with a lap belt. Third boy goes in this buddie seat.



I think its from an ambulance or something. Has a built in 3 point harness. Off ebay.

Rob

[kevtherev]

I didnt think Autosleepers had seatbelt fittings(captive nuts) in them as they were vans rather than busses Kev? (mine didn't)
Having said that it's an easy fit as the indents are there to guide you where to drill and Baxters kit is top notch.
Loads of info here.
http://www.brickwerks.co.uk/shop?page=s ... gory_id=92" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

your right they did use panel vans and therefore no captive nuts, the PO hasn't said what van he has yet

[pi quattro]

Hi thanks for the replies!

I knew there had to be another way. Spoke to a company who make seats and he really put me off trying to fit any seatbelts to the back. (he would though it's his business to sell seats!)

I haven't bought the van yet but spent plenty of time pouring over it. All I can say is that it is an autosleeper, and can't tell if it was originally a panel van or a caravelle before conversion. Says transporter on the back and caravelle on the reg doc? As such I'm unsure if there is a hole for fitting a belt. Can one be made?

It only has a what I assume is the 3/4 bed. So I understand that I could try to fit a 3point belt on passenger side but can't see how I would fit a belt on the drivers side as there is a cupboard!

Had another good look over it today again. Found a small rust hole on the outside of the sill. Also there is water under the mats in the front. One has rusty coloured damp patch, the other is wet, so still trying to decide if it's for me?

[zed]

Three lap belts in the back of my Autosleeper ?

[1664]

Autosleepers are converted panelvans. I thought they had lap belts already fitted - have you looked under the rear seat? Seatbelts can be retro fitted but drivers side might have to be a lap belt.

Water under the cab mats is not good. Generally caused by the windscreen leaking (usually caused by rust under the seal) although washer jets are not immune either.

Have a read of this if you haven't already

https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Mi ... yers_guide" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Post some pictures up if you can so we can ID the van. We just like picture as well anyway

[leeroy]

i had rear belts fitted last year after reading this posting
https://club8090.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=82625" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

(hope that works)
lee

[pi quattro]

Autosleepers are converted panelvans. I thought they had lap belts already fitted - have you looked under the rear seat? Seatbelts can be retro fitted but drivers side might have to be a lap belt.

Water under the cab mats is not good. Generally caused by the windscreen leaking (usually caused by rust under the seal) although washer jets are not immune either.

Have a read of this if you haven't already

https://club8090.co.uk/wiki/Mi ... yers_guide" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Post some pictures up if you can so we can ID the van. We just like picture as well anyway

It does have lap belts but wanted three point belts for safety.

I had a good read of all the wiki help. That's what made me look under the mats!

Under the mats are wet but doesnt seem to have rotted anything. More worrying is the hole on the outside on the bottom of the sill. After reading all through the wiki info, it looks like it might be the common problem with the fridge. I'm not a welder, so it's not something I could fix, think I'll walk away from this one. Shame really the interior is in mint condition .

[pi quattro]

Leeroy.

That looks great. That will help alot. I'm in Scotland though so might need to find an alternative!

[1664]

lap belts are fine in the rear. Three point belts are used in the front because you have a ruddy great steering wheel and dash board in front of you so you need your upper torso securing too.